My uncle recently recommended I see the British show "Doc Martin". Well, his suggestions aren't usually too bad, so I decided to start at the beginning--or at least what I thought was the beginning. It turns out this character had first appeared in the Craig Ferguson film "Saving Grace"--though I didn't know it until after I saw "Doc Martin". So guess what is next on my Netflix queue?
As for this film, I have been warned that the character is not exactly the same one from the later television series. It's played by the same actor (Martin Clunes) and he's got the same name, but I have been warned that the stories aren't exactly the same in the movies that preceded the TV show. That often happens when movies are later adapted to a TV series, though after seeing "Doc Martin", I cannot imagine changing it very much because the film was nearly perfect!
The film begins in London. Dr. Martin is a successful obstetrician and s satisfied with his life. However, he's blissfully unaware that his wife is cheating on him...with several men! When he discovers, he takes off for Cornwall. After all, as a child he'd visited there and found it very relaxing--and he certainly needs to relax and clear his head.
What happens next is very strange and one of the subplots involves a strange person who leaves jello* molds on people's doorsteps with nasty and incriminating photos buried within them! There is much more to it than this...but it's probably best you just see it for yourself.
So why did I like "Doc Martin" so much? Well, the writing was just lovely and the story really made you care about the doctor and this strange little town full of interesting characters. Additionally, the direction and acting were also nice. It's a gentle meandering sort of film--and one that seemed very charming and made me want to see more.
