Our Girl (2013 TV Movie) User Reviews

Sensitive with Heart

[donald1101 · 9/10 · 25 March 2013]

This TV Movie is not Full Metal Jacket, or any other military film focused on coming of age which I have seen. Its heroine is not an introspective youth contemplating the truth of what is going on with the world around her. Instead, she is a highly common modern girl who chances upon the British Army. Like all films of its genre, there is a good deal of yelling and screaming, this is after all boot camp. The characters though do not display heroism or bravado through their yells or screams. Instead it is shown in soft spoken scenes which chronicle Molly's progression. The yelling and screaming is there to create the boot camp atmosphere, not to build character or to be the centre of the film.

Some plot holes do exist, and some of the side characters could have done with much more development. However when the constraints of a 90 minute TV Movie, which certainly with the BBC's current climate did not have a very large budget, are applied, these faults become understandable. Also, while I am not sure, I get the feeling that scenes where these grey areas in the plot and the characters are fleshed out were written, but left out do to time constraints.

I personally think that Molly speaks to all of us who once dreamed of being in the Army. She is simply an ordinary girl who is given the opportunity to apply herself, and finds that she capable of much more than she thought possible. All of us have a little bit of ourselves that likes to think so. Through her journey Molly most certainly fulfils that part of ourselves which dares to dream upon a whim.

I found it really good

[afortiorama · 8/10 · 24 August 2013]

I'm a sucker for these films especially if they involve women. One of my favorite of all time if Private Benjamin with Goldie Hawn. Of course there are differences for example she is a wealthy American woman whose husband dies on the first night so the starting point is slightly different from that of a British girl from a London council estate but the story is the same they both are devalued by their families they both are expected to live vacuous life responding to the clichés that surrounds them and they find a purpose in the army. I think the scene I liked most is when she confronts her father outside the pub and the reading of the letter is really poignant. I quite liked also the TV news commentary at the end asking at what cost the war in Afghanistan has been sustained for 11 years, it was a nice touch few people might have noticed.

Mostly quite mechanical, but still quite a good show

[wellthatswhatithinkanyway · 7/10 · 4 April 2013]

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning

Mollie Dawes (Lacey Turner) is a typically (or so East Enders would have you believe) upfront, balsy South London girl, whose life is a bit of a shambles, what with an abusive father, cheating immigrant lover and false friends. One night, after throwing up at the entrance to an Army Recruitment Centre, she believes she's found the key that can turn her life around. Despite no encouragement from all those around her, she plods on with it, in time her cocky front broken down and built back up again to build her in to a better character.

There are those ex East Enders who simply fade in to obscurity and are lucky to be seen performing panto again, and those who seem determined to make their post Walford career in to something a bit more lively. Lacey Turner would seem to be one such example, appearing in this ambitious one off BBC drama, that feels pretty workmanlike and unsurprising for the most part, but still has the odd flashes of class to raise itself up.

It opens in a depressingly familiar environment from where a lot of these gritty kitchen sink dramas tend to start in, and feels so unsurprising because most of the characters behave in exactly the way you expect them to, not all that convincingly played by all the performers. As the main character, the vast bulk of it rests on Turner's shoulders, and she is the one we're kept with till the end, on the way incurring a rather shocking, gratuitous sex scene that comes out of nowhere, on to the end which ends on a more touching and poignant note than you might expect. It's an interesting and well written role, and had it had a bigger budget and maybe some better actors and director, it could have been even more than it is. But as it is, you still can't see Turner's, quite possibly one of 'the squaire's' better performers, post EE career going belly up if she keeps going with meaty stuff like this. ***

A well written true to life story of a London girl who wants more from life than she or those around her have.

[gerald-mears · 10/10 · 30 March 2013]

I must say that this Film 'Our Girl' is one of the most compelling things i have watched for a very long time. I felt it was so fantastic that i have watched it several times this week and i have expressed the same emotion (cry) every time i have watched it. Lucy Turner takes the title role of a London girl who has a very chaotic life who feels that she wants more from it than she and those around her have. She ends up in an Army recruitment office and the story of how she ends up there becomes clear as you watch the film. As the film progresses and i felt that it was compelling watching you see Molly Dawes (Lucy Turners character name) change her outlook on life and develop qualities and attributes which she had always had but she was not aware of them.Her friendship with Katie a fellow recruit who came from Leyland who had self confidence issues and how they helped each other achieve what they both wanted was an added bonus to this story. The very moving way that the corporal brought the best out of Molly was well done. This whole film is worth watching time and time again and each time i watch it i can see so many different things that the writers wanted to express and bring to our screens. The ending of this film is so well written and acted that my tears flowed even more. Well done BBC and Lucy and everyone who brought this to our viewing. I must say that after watching this I sent a text to each of my three daughters telling them how very proud of them i am and what they have each achieved in life which was not always easy for them either. This Film is a must watch. I know it was only a one off film but if the BBC were to do a series on Molly Dawes i feel it would be compelling viewing.

Brilliant. The best thing we've watched for ages.

[paul-eames1516 · 10/10 · 26 March 2013]

To tell you the truth, I've never been much of a fan of Lacey Turner, from her East Enders days playing Stacey, although her character Molly is similar in ways to the character Stacey, Lacey's acting for me has improved and my mind's Been changed now I've watched this. She plays the lead role in this and quite rightly too, If you get the chance to watch Our Girl please do so, it was funny in parts but overall it was a gritty drama. Compelling viewing from start to finish. Great acting from the whole cast. I've read that there might be a full series of Our Girl, I hope this is true, there is enough scope for this to be made, I'm already looking forward to it.

Flawed, but interesting...

[natashabowiepinky · 6/10 · 29 March 2013]

Considering her annoying family, a cheating boyfriend and worthless friends, being in danger of getting blown up every day probably doesn't seem like such a bad move for Ms Dawes. And indeed, this whole enterprise might as well be bankrolled by the army... the camaraderie and discipline she has in the force is in stark contrast to her pitiful existence back home, where no-one likes her and every day is a drudging chore. In fact, it looks like so much fun, can I enlist? (What do you mean, spare tyre?!)

Joking aside though, by far the best parts of this BBC film are those when she's at training camp blossoming from a smart-mouthed little girl with issues... to a smart mouthed-little girl with issues, and a great big gun. Her friendships with her commanding officer and a fellow recruit who has self esteem issues are touching on a few levels, and Lacey Turner's performance as the feisty 18 year old is out of this world.

Les convincing though, is her time spent back in Newham, as her father is an irredeemable caricature of every child's worst nightmare, and her boyfriend is such a lying, manipulative sack of... manure, you wonder how such a smart girl like Molly ever hooked up with such a piece of... dirt. AND her lifelong mates turn on her at the drop of a hat. It's not very logical, and drives down the realism in the rest of the film. Still, it does pack a punch... and the poignant ending will leave you with a lump in your throat. Or maybe, I should try swallowing harder? 6/10

Emotionally gripping

[beccurrant · 10/10 · 20 September 2018]

Within minutes this had me gripped. So well written and such emotion portrayed from Lacey Turner. Incredibly well put together and along with series one of Our Girl - a brilliant watch.

The army game

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 3 June 2016]

Our Girl started as a one off film written by Tony Grounds before it was developed by the BBC as a regular television series.

Lacey Turner is Molly Dawes, a teenager in Newham, living in an overcrowded house with her siblings. Mum (Kerry Godliman) is pregnant again, Dad (Sean Gallagher) is a bit of a layabout and an unpleasant racist and sexist of the east end type.

Molly's boyfriend is a young Muslim who also is another worthless individual who easily cheats on her and really does not value her.

So Molly who looks like a bright girl, seems to already have a life which is taking her nowhere with people who are just shiftless. Molly ends up joining the army which gives her life purpose and self esteem.

The problem is her family and boyfriend are left befuddled by her decision.

However basic training allows her to turn her life around and give her life renewed purpose as she makes new friends and finds out that it is better to help out fellow recruits rather than be a put upon babysitter at home.

The series started out with a lot of grittiness of inner London domestic life. Lacey Turner puts in a convincing performance as Molly and it is a refreshing positive portrayal of army life, not sure whether it is very realistic vision of army life and does felt a bit like propaganda as well.

Yet the film was better than the subsequent series in my opinion and at least it offered a positive note that a person can have the courage of their convictions to turn their life around.

The Army as the last bastion of working - class culture.

[ianlouisiana · 26 March 2013]

At one time 18 year old Molly Dawes wouldn't have had to join the Army in order to find her place in her own culture.Like many girls from Newham(or East Ham and West Ham as it was called before the GLC decided to foist its discredited political ideals on its unwilling constituents),she would have found friendship,loyalty and comradeship on the factory floor at Bryant and May,Fords,Yardleys and other mass employers of East London's working community. But of course,only Ford remains,and that in much emasculated form thanks to the Union - busting Tories and the self - loathing Labour politicians who feared the solidarity of the working people they were supposed to represent and deliberately set out to destroy their culture where it represented a threat to their plans for a liberal and more "enlightened" society. So Molly, a victim of Shirley Williams' Comprehensive Education,no qualifications,no ambition,no role - models except a feckless bullying father and a weak cowering mother seems set fair to be somebody's Babymother with a lifetime of Benefits to look forward to.Indeed her parents fully expect her to accept that role uncomplainingly,but she has a spark of defiance,a vision for her future beyond working in a Nailbar and pinching the odd few quid to finance her dad's boozing. After a particularly bad night out she staggers along the street and vomits on the pavement outside an Army Recruiting Office."Be the best",says a poster in the window.Knowing that in all probability vomiting on the pavement was as good as it was ever going to get for her,the next morning she drags herself back to the office and begins the process that redeems her. The tragedy of "Our Girl"is that Molly feels that her life would be better fulfilled dying in Afghanistan among her fellow soldiers and perhaps "with my name being read out by the Queen - that would be fun"as she writes in her "Death Letter". Surrounded by friends who would give their life for her,she sets off on patrol as a Medical Technician:better to live for a day like a lion than a month like a lamb. The BBC should be proud that really what is quite a reactionary concept by early 21st century standards is given airtime.

Series 2 will have you on the edge of your seat, much better than Series 1.

[barretto-56911 · 10/10 · 20 September 2016]

I Wasn't a fan of series 1 of Our Girl, didn't like Lacy Turner as lead and didn't like the way the story progressed throughout the first series so when I heard it was coming back for a second season I was going to give it a miss until I heard Michelle Keegan was to take up the lead role so I decided to give it a chance and I am glad I did.

Keegan knocks it out of the park and then some. Series 2 will keep you on the edge of your seat. If you like War drama's and high adrenaline rushes then Our Girl series 2 is for you.

Keegan's performances have seriously surprised me transitioning from Soap to a Drama is never easy and she has something in her arsenal that Turner was missing. I love Our Girl now and will be watching every episode from now on. Eyes glued to set. Love it.

Our Girl

[jboothmillard · 7/10 · 12 April 2013]

Since leaving EastEnders the actress best known as Stacey Slater tried other projects, and not really with much success, Switch was dull, only an appearance in Being Human was interesting, but this one off film was her chance to improve. Basically eighteen year old Molly Dawes (Lacey Turner) lives with her family, pregnant mother Belinda (Kerry Godliman) and father Dave (Sean Gallagher) and five siblings, in the London Borough of Newham in a crowded council house, but none of them seem to have any future ahead, and she has Albanian boyfriend Artan (Daniel Black) asking to marry her. When she turns eighteen she has a birthday night out to celebrate, she ends up drunk and being sick, and she finds herself outside the doorway of an army recruitment office with a life size image of an army girl, the next day she returns there to be part of the army, and soon enough she is at an army training centre undergoing physical and mental activities, including long runs, maths tests and presentations about herself. While doing this Molly finds that she can come clean about what a hard life she has had and she gains support from her fellow aspiring soldiers, and in an interview she asks to be given a chance because she has never had one, and as her training goes on she finds that she finally has a purpose, to become a soldier. She does inform her parents of this decision and career choice, while her mother is supportive her father doesn't want to know, but their girl continues on to become a professional soldier serving in Afghanistan, and in the end she writes a potential "letter from the grave", this is where her father does listen and finally is proud of her. Also starring Matthew McNulty as Cpl. Geddings, Andrew Scarborough as Sgt. Peters, Branwell Donaghey as Sergeant Adams, Paul Fox as Sgt. Lamont, Stuart Ward as Lance Corporal Brammer, Steven Miller as Corporal Leech, Harry Ferrier as Chris Ingrams, Mimi Keene as Jade Dawes, McKell Celaschi-David as Dean and Harriet Madeley as Nat. Turner gives a really good performance as the young girl trying to find her way in the world, and finding a determination to achieve something no matter how difficult, I initially watched the first few minutes and thought I was going to get bored, but I luckily stuck with it and it was an interesting youth based near coming-of-age story, a watchable drama. Very good!

Overall a good movie, while being a bit annoying in the right places.

[ewrh-82493 · 8/10 · 2 September 2018]

Even if i got annoyed at the start, by all that every-hoples-day-struggle of the x-box-generation, that so many people nowadays suffer, i kept on watching and glad i did. Especially that depiction of an existence with no sense to it whatsoever, is taking a toll on my patience. Sadly, because it is realistic.

With the enlistment it got better and at a certain point, i was reminded of my own military training. Even if i just been a conscript in an other country, we had a bunch of similar experiences during training and service.

It is one of the more realistic movies about that topic. Having a hard time in training, whitout the major exaggerations often made (well some of course ;-). Most of all i appreciated that scene, where the recruits are confronted with the ugly side of what to expect.

It is not the high budget Hollywood uniform fest most will be used to. But much more relateable and therefore, i can highly recommend to watch this movie.

With Friends Like The BBC Who Needs Enemies ?

[Theo Robertson · 4/10 · 21 August 2013]

If there's any downside in Britain stopping conscription ( And I don't believe there is any downside to this ) it's that the general mainstream civilian knowledge of the military is rather ignorant , uninformed or misinformed . Certainly no one was happier than the British military forces themselves when conscription was scrapped in this country in 1960 but media depictions of the British military rarely paint a convincing picture with one or two very notable exceptions like the late 1970s ITV drama SPEARHEAD and this BBC drama entitled OUR GIRL is the latest in a long line to not get it right

One gets the feeling it's produced as more of a star vehicle for some soap opera actress in this case Lacey Turner a former EASTENDERS regular who plays protagonist Molly Dawes in much the same way as a not very good actress would play a role in EASTENDERS . You don't really get the impression you're watching a real character called Molly Dawes who exists in the real world , more of a caricature of the BBC view of urban teenage girls from the East End of London . Also despite the use of some strong language in a very vain attempt to make this seem like a tough gritty real life drama involving the military it does have a very BBC 3 cheap production value feel to it . I wasn't expecting APOCALYPSE NOW style helicopter assaults filmed in Afghanistan but even so the budget seems lacking

Artistic license such as a protagonist miraculously staggering around and stopping to vomit outside an army recruitment office thereby setting up a very weak inciting incident can be forgiven but a " realistic portrayal of the modern day British army " ( it says here ) it's somewhat lacking . Molly actress woman just passes the one and a half mile within the set time but no one mentions what this set time should be ! I've no idea what it is in 2013 but do know that it was 7 minutes 30 seconds in 1988 for most recruits and I guess if I really wanted to know what it was in 2013 google would be my friend . Also you don't address female officers as " Ma'am " it's always " sir " regardless of gender etc etc . Remind me what branch of CND the military adviser was in ?

Some people might say it's good that the BBC are showing the military in a good light but would this be the same television company who employed the likes of Rageh Omar who was the station's main correspondent during the invasion of Iraq who equated that conflict with Vietnam simply because both countries have palm trees ! and who constantly used the phrase " heavy coalition casualties " when daily coalition fatalities were in single figures . I can't think of the BBC making any dramas showing the British military in a good light since the Pertwee era of DOCTOR WHO and even then that was fighting alien invasions . Pro military ? When you've got the BBC as allies who needs enemies

Pure military propaganda.

[cyanx7 · 1/10 · 11 April 2013]

Welcome to the 21st century military propaganda - this is it. The only purpose of this "film", is to get people to enlist in her majesty's army. A poorly written "rags to uniforms" story, that dwells slightly on religion biased and racist contents, culminating with the protagonist very happy with her trusty gun in her hand going after the Al-Qaeda scum of the earth - the most unlikely climax of all time - a girl in a war scenario, smiling, like her life isn't on the line. This is so obvious it hurts - everyone that contributed to the making of this brainwashing load of hogwash should be ashamed of themselves: they just helped putting more meat in the English war machine, and we all know what comes out the other side: coffins, crippled and/or deranged people, all in her majesty's name. Words can't describe.