The Beast in Me; Richard Burton: Wild Genius

“It comes as a great surprise to learn that The Beast in Me is its creator, writer and executive producer Gabe Rotter’s first major work for the screen. Because it is, simply put, so very, very good. Even without two astonishing performances from the lead actors – Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys – the script, the sheer style and confidence of it all, would be things of beauty. But add what that pair are doing, and this clever, taut eight-part psychological thriller moves seamlessly into top-tier television.”
Lucy Mangan, The Guardian

“It is Danes and Rhys, both Emmy winners, that keep this fairly generic psychological thriller afloat. Danes is a terrific actor and I’d happily watch an entire episode of Aggie just glumly padding around her neighbourhood in her slippers while chuffing on a ciggie. Rhys is good value, too, carefully treading the thin line between entertaining obnoxiousness and pantomime villainy. The best scenes are those in which it’s just the pair of them, warily circling each other; their lunch in the first episode is riveting.”
Neil Armstrong, The i

“If this were one of Netflix’s Harlan Coben shows, it would be cheesily enjoyable. But you don’t cast Danes in one of those. Instead, this is more upmarket, more dour and equally unconvincing.”
Anita Singh, The Telegraph

“The hour-long documentary manages to add lustre to the well known story with a better-than-usual array of contributors. They include Burton’s daughter Kate and other family members; actors including Michael Sheen, Siân Phillips and Iwan Rheon, who can testify not only to the talent but to his particular place in Welsh culture; and people who knew and acted with him, in his heyday and beyond. You can, nevertheless, sometimes see the strain of putting a new spin on an old tale.”
Lucy Mangan, The Guardian

“We have viewed a lot of the archive material before but Adrian Sibley’s film was skilfully put together. It took a broadly chronological approach but used footage of Burton’s work to illuminate the private story of an actor who put so much of himself into his roles.”
Ben Dowell, The Times

“Adrian Sibley’s last contribution to hell-raiser studies was an intimate portrait of Richard Harris (2002’s The Ghost of Richard Harris) which, at nearly two hours, had room to ramble. This is confined to an hour and is regrettably obliged to dash.”
Jasper Rees, The Telegraph

“An hour-long tribute to such a colossal figure can do barely more than sketch his career. This one, directed by Adrian Sibley, made a deft job of including all the highlights, from the early death of his mother and his upbringing in a mining town, to the affair and marriage to Elizabeth Taylor that made him a global celebrity, and the alcoholism that destroyed him.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail