ReaderKenka Let's be realistic.

Phonearl Good start, but then it gets ruined

Merolliv I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

Cissy Évelyne It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

dgm2112 Tom Hardy's performance is disturbingly brilliant. It makes his performance in Warrior look almost restrained when you can see how far he can take it. I will rent what ever he is in to see what he does next. Seems like a modern day Sean Penn with more of an edge and grit, or an Ed Norton. I hope he gets the roles he deserves and is around for a long time. By the way the the other acting is awesome also as is the writing and direction. I believe I saw this on Starz and now must find the blu-ray. Does anyone know why this series did not continue? This could have been the new Soprano's. Tom Hardy even took cigarette smoking to such as extreme level not seen since Jeromy Irons in Dead Ringers.

linkdan Director David Drury pairs with English actor Tom Hardy to create as brilliant a hard case criminal as you will ever see on film. You've seen Hardy in major pictures probably going back to Band of Brothers, but you would never have imagined his overwhelming power as a major star, an actor so exceptional and so explosive he's more menacing than Al Pacino has ever been let alone any movie villain of the sort we see all the time being defeated by superheros. Hardy, as an ex-con drug kingpin, brutal, terrifying, a rapist, walking around projecting so much menace people practically poop in their pants. The supporting cast is a collection of English character actors as always superb, and the great Brian Cox guest stars as the incarcerated criminal mastermind. Drury's camera-work is integral to the constant tension; you'll even be blown away by the opening credits. He's clearly an actor's director first, but this miniseries is a masterpiece overall. Don't miss it.

Jay_88 Martina Cole's "The Take", is by far one of the best British drama's I have ever seen. It has such a powerful and gripping storyline, which I find is a rarity. I have never seen acting as fantastic as Tom Hardy plays his character Freddie. They could not have chosen a finer actor and he deserves so much credit for this series alone. I actually did not see this on television, but I bought it on DVD, and as you can tell I do not regret my decision. I would highly recommend this to anyone and everyone. If you love British drama, then you will love this. It has everything from sheer grit to absolutely heart breaking consequences. You cannot watch this without feeling so many different emotions, whether it is tears of laughter or tears of sadness. It will by far be the best 3 hours you will ever watch and it will definitely be something you will want to watch again and again. Martina Cole's "The Take" is nothing short of sheer brilliance.J

davoshannon Only watched half an episode, and already like it.Brian Cox is always worth watching, but his young protogée is a psycho worth a glance as well. Shades of the Krays in the masked but finally explosive violence.Only thing I would have improved on so far is the engine in the Capri (well it's the '80's) - it's only a 1.6 Laser. Hadn't the props boys heard of the 3 litre, or depending on the actual timescale the final 280.The title might have been suggested by Peter Gabriel's lyric "if you don't get given, you learn to take" - but that was about something entirely different. (Peter Gabriel - "I shoot into the sun") Good stuff.OK, coming back to edit my comments, and noticing a few of you didn't find the comment useful. Bugger off!.Watching the final episode now, and it's just reinforcing my initial thoughts. This is hard stuff. Like Eastenders (which I don't watch deliberately) on smack. Baseball bats, and even shades of Hostel.Pay careful attention to the scene in the hairdressing salon between the sisters, when one "wants to look like" the other. Desperate situation.Finally, not only Brian Cox but the entire cast do an excellent job, and the part of the "wronged sister" is played by someone with such subtle eye movements that I hope her star rises quickly.