ITV has confirmed that it has commissioned a new three part drama, The Trials Of Jimmy Rose, starring Ray Winstone in the leading role alongside Amanda Redman. It sees Winstone taking on another disreputable criminal figure, a part he’s managed to get down to a fine art, but with a lot of family issues to deal with in the storyline it looks like there might be more to the mini-series than fillin’ in geezas and waving sawn-off shot guns around like they’re party poppers.
The allegorical story of “crime doesn’t pay” has been a feature in theatrical productions since antiquity and it continues to be a significant draw for viewers, whether on the stage, TV or big screen. You’ve only got to look at the genius of Scarface to see how well the concept can be delivered, but the question is whether or not Winstone can pull off something equally impactful in the upcoming ITV series.
While his most recent entry in the crime drama genre, London Boulevard, did little to wow the audiences or critics, Winstone has been very successful in this type of role before, perhaps most notably in Sexy Beast back in 2000. The good news for The Trials Of Jimmy Rose is that Amanda Redman starred alongside Winstone in the film, so there’s every possibility that the two British actors will rekindle some of the magic of the impressive film.
The story follows family man and armed robber, Jimmy Rose, who has spent more of his life doing time for big money stick-up jobs he’s pulled than with his wife, Jackie, and his grown up children, Jason and Julie. At 62 he gets released from prison and heads home for the warm welcome he’s been dreaming about at their luxury detached home on a small executive estate, but he’s about to find out that things aren’t so rosy and that his family has moved on while he’s been behind bars.
The material wealth that he’s managed to leave with his family has been little compensation for his absence and it’s left them all feeling incredibly distant from the former patriarch. Having taken them for granted for years, he’s about to find out that there are still more consequences to pay in addition to his incarceration. Jackie questions her love for the on-time man of her life and Jason has completely distanced himself from his dad, cutting him out of his life for good.
Jimmy will have a lot to do to leave his criminal past behind him and salvage the vestiges of his family life, proving to them all that he’s not terrible father, grandfather and husband they all think he is.
In addition to Winston, who will be playing Jimmy Rose, and Amanda Redman as his wife Jackie, the three part drama has also cast Marion Bailey (Vera Drake) as his sister-in-law Sue and Paul Jesson (Coriolanus) as Roy, his friend and former right hand man.
The Trials Of Jimmy Rose has been written and created by Alan Whiting, who’s previous work includes Wire In The Blood. Filming began on the 7th November 2014 in the Manchester area with Adrian Shergold (Mad Dogs) in the director’s chair and we’re expecting it to air early in the New Year on ITV.
