Closed Circuit (2013)

Conspiracy thrillers are always a challenge to create, because when all is said and done the central conspiracy has to make sense and take the audience somewhere satisfying. If this conspiracy involves a government cover-up, then said government will need to conceal the facts in a believable, genuinely deceptive way. This is where the new British film Closed Circuit falls apart. It has the foundation of a good mystery, but many of the details and plot points aren’t nearly convincing enough for the film to be the throwback thriller that it so wants to be. It features likable protagonists that don’t have to do much digging to arrive at the truth, and a malicious MI5 that goes about its business with all the subtlety of a nuclear weapon. Closed Circuit should be a stinging film about modern surveillance, but it’s far too obvious and broad to ever have that effect. The more likely reaction is a roll of the eyes.


The film begins with a mysterious truck backing into a crowded London market, and then subsequently exploding. The authorities quickly swoop in on Farroukh Erdogan (Denis Moschitto), who is believed to be the mastermind behind the attack. Several months pass, and after the first defense lawyer (or “barrister,” as this is London) mysteriously commits suicide, Martin Rose (Eric Bana) is called upon to replace him. On top of that, a “special advocate” is chosen to defend Erdogan because of the trial’s secretive nature. This advocate happens to be Claudia Simmons-Howe (Rebecca Hall), who recently had an affair with Rose. The two of them are ordered to not interact until the trial is over, but as the both of them investigate the attack the two start to suspect that MI5 may have been more involved with Erdogan than anyone initially suspected.

As you might expect, Rose also starts to believe that the death of the first lawyer may not have been a suicide. As Closed Circuit chugs along, it seems as though everyone who asks the wrong questions starts to mysteriously die. Considering how closely the media seem to be covering the case, these actions would be kind of suspicious, no? There are clear attempts on Rose’s life, but I would think the general public would start asking questions should two defense lawyers on the case suddenly meet their demise. This, on top of all the other “mysterious” deaths in the film, doesn’t seem like an ideal way for a covert intelligence agency to behave. Just taking out people left and right isn’t all that subtle.

On top of that, the “mystery” of the film doesn’t wind up being all that mysterious. The protagonists have the broad strokes of the conspiracy figured out by the end of the first act, and it didn’t take them very long to figure it out anyway. A good conspiracy film needs to be patient with its material, and that means it can’t cut any corners to get to the end of the metaphorical road. Closed Circuit exists to cut right to the chase, and there’s nothing remotely fascinating about that. The best parts of the film focus on the day-to-day life of a high-level barrister, but whenever it addresses the actual plot—which is all to frequently—the whole thing collapses.  Bana and Hall make for a great pair of protagonists, but they’re good actors in search of a good movie. They’re trying to present something real, but Closed Circuit too readily throws that aside in favor of a simpleminded story. Don’t let the British accents fool you.

Grade: C