Sheridan Smith has been hailed as 'superb' for her performance in the 'astonishing and deeply moving' thriller The Cage, as viewers binge-watch the gritty new series. The five-part crime drama premiered on BBC One on April 26 and is also available on iPlayer.
Plot Overview
According to the BBC iPlayer synopsis, 'Leanne and Matty are both robbing from the same casino – setting them on a high-stakes crash course with gangsters, police... and each other.' Smith stars as Leanne, a single mother caring for a grandmother with dementia, while Michael Socha plays Matty, a casino manager grappling with a gambling addiction. The cast also includes Barry Sloane, Geraldine James, Sue Jenkins, Abby Mavers, Louis Emerick, and Ian Puleston-Davies.
Critical Acclaim
Since its release on Sunday, critics have shared their thoughts on the series. The Telegraph's Anita Singh wrote, 'Sheridan Smith is superb in the gripping follow-up to The Responder,' awarding it five stars. She added, 'Smith brings her natural warmth to the role of Leanne, a single mother who is caring for a grandmother with dementia and facing eviction. Socha, an actor who deserves to be a bigger deal, is a lovable loser called Matty who is in the grip of a gambling addiction.'
The Guardian's Lucy Mangan described the show as 'an astonishing, deeply moving state-of-the-nation thriller,' also giving it five stars. She noted, 'The Cage works as a companion piece to The Responder, giving a voice to and empathising more with the people Freeman’s character likened to whack-a-moles in trackie bottoms than with those attempting to corral them.'
However, The Times' Carol Midgley was less enthusiastic, saying, 'The premise of The Cage didn’t really float my boat. I find casinos a turn-off... But The Cage isn’t really about casinos; it is about the things that desperate, struggling people will do.'
Metro's Adam Miller awarded four stars, calling it 'one of the most distinctive BBC thrillers in years.' He wrote, 'It doesn’t rely on relentless grit or gratuitous violence... Instead, it offers heart, warmth, and a story about two working-class parents trying to play the best hand with the worst possible cards.'
The Independent's Nick Hilton gave three stars, stating, 'Where The Responder was relentless and bleak, The Cage has a lighter touch... But it does also introduce triteness. As such, The Cage feels like its heroes: sweet and simple, not bad but not terribly good either.'
Critical Ratings Summary
- The Telegraph: Five stars – 'Sheridan Smith is superb.'
- The Guardian: Five stars – 'Astonishing, deeply moving state-of-the-nation thriller.'
- Metro: Four stars – 'One of the most distinctive BBC thrillers in years.'
- The Independent: Three stars – 'Sweet and simple, not bad but not terribly good.'
