Canary Islands drama caught in the Crossfire despite heavyweight author, director and star
It should have been a match made in heaven – a project bringing together the author and star of two of the biggest single season British TV dramas of the past decade.
But the three-part Crossfire just doesn’t quite match up to the searing heights of either the adaptation of Louise Doughty’s best-selling novel Apple Tree Yard, nor the Keeley Hawesstarring Bodyguard.
Instead, this Canary Islands-set thriller feels like a lesser version of Anthony Maras’ Hotel Mumbai filled with spiky characters it’s hard to really care all that much about.
Hawes is Jo Cross, a former police officer turned part-time department store security consultant whose dream of a relaxing holiday at the Hotel Barranco Tropical with family and friends quickly go south.
Any hope of a ceasefire in the tension between herself and estranged husband Jason (Lee Ingleby) disappears on the first night after he belittles her at dinner, becomes upset at her revelation that she’s planning a return to full-time work and reminds her that she was the one who recently had an affair. ‘‘You’re a fundamentally dishonest and cowardly human
being,’’ he screeches just as the rest of their party wanders by.
The next morning, he takes the kids off to the pool, while she remains in their room exchanging romantic texts with someone. Could it be she still holds a candle for her ex-husband Paul (Ariyon Bakare), the man who may be helping her get that new job?
All that is temporarily forgotten though, when Jo hears shots ring out from below her balcony. Screams follow, as does panic, as the firing continues and the crowded pools and patios rapidly empty out. While most head out of the resort for the coast, those that remain look for somewhere to hide.
Scrambling to get word that everyone she cares about is safe, Jo also teams up with the hotel’s concierge Mateo (Hugo Silva) to formulate a way of alerting the authorities.
Most of what works about Crossfire can probably be attributed to the ever-reliable Hawes – her ability to deliver a convincing, compelling performance – and Kiwi director Tessa Hoffe.
A Coronation Street and Hollyoaks veteran, she does a particularly effective job of drawing the viewer in by portraying the central incident in a naturalistic and nonmanipulative way. There is no slomo, no lingering close-ups. We don’t see the gunman, we just hear the gunfire and see the effects of the bullets as they indiscriminately – and seemingly randomly – take down various resort guests.
Unfortunately, between Doughty’s fractured narrative, some clunky dialogue and an over-reliance Jo’s omniscient, portentous and pretentious voiceover, you’re quickly taken out of it again.
Which is pity, because Crossfire definitely had a lot of potential, it just leaves a little to be desired in its execution.