User Reviews

Pretty much every British person watching this already knows what's going to happen... but you'll still be hootin' and a hollerin' as events unfold and the journey to justice is completed. The writing, acting and everything else about this 4-part TV docu-drama is spot on. If you're not familiar with the story you're going to enjoy this even more.

In 2007 an 11-year-old Rhys Jones was walking home from footy practice. As he cut through a pub car-park to get home the boy was fatally shot by a teenage gang member. About eight months later the police finally get their man and this is the story of how it happened.

The writer (Oscar nominee Jeff Pope) has chosen to follow the facts of the case and not allow the emotions of the story to get the better of him. If you're binge- watching this it's three hours long and not a minute is wasted.

As we're watching the story unfold through all the characters on both sides of the law, it's easy to forget that we're looking at something that is very close to what actually happened.

These kinds of 'stories' are the staple of 'conveyer-belt' fictional police procedurals, almost all of which fall well short of this mesmerizing drama. It's as good as 2016's "In Plain Sight" which was another, similar TV 'docu-drama' about the detection and pursuit of a killer.

This is top notch television and I hope the victim's family approves of the way their story has been handled. They had a hand in helping to re-tell their side of this horrible and senseless tragedy so I strongly suspect that they do.

Here's some trivia... Apart from the actual shooting, the drama was filmed in and around Liverpool. The funeral was filmed in the Anglican Cathedral and the minute's applause was filmed during half-time of a match played at Goodison Park. The case itself was filmed at Liverpool Crown Court inside the courtroom where the original trial took place. Pretty spooky, eh?

Excellent and captivating television - proving that British TV CAN do it when they want to!

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

In August 2007, in the car park of The Fir Tree pub in Croxteth, Liverpool, eleven year old Rhys Jones, who was on his way home from football practice, became the most innocent of casualties in a local gang rivalry, dying after being accidentally shot by a bullet meant for someone else. On the eve of promotion, Detective Superintendent Dave Kelly (Stephen Graham) is assigned to lead the investigation into Rhys's death that comes to have a far more profound effect on his professional and home life than he could have imagined. Despite his dogged determination to get justice for Rhys and his parents Mel (Sinead Keenan) and Steve (Brian F.O' Byrne), Kelly encounters a wall of silence from a local community living in fear of the gangs and the repercussions of being labelled a 'grass.'

Ten years on from the case that this TV drama is based on, ITV have chosen to make it into a three part drama detailing the case and how events panned out. There's certainly a lot of meat on the bones to work with, and the film is careful not to sensationalise anything, and tell the case in a sensitive and effecting way. Aside from the already horrifying death of a child, the case grabbed the nations attention also by highlighting what may well be a commonplace truth around the country, of normal, decent, respectable people living alongside those who live by their own rules with no intention of living honestly, and the shocking consequences of what happens when these two worlds sometimes inevitably.

There was no better person for the lead role than Graham, with his natural Scouse background and pretty realistic physical resemblance to the real Dave Kelly. He fits the part pretty effortlessly, but still turns in a reliably great performance, as an increasingly seasoned detective who feels personally affronted by the crime he is investigating, unable to let it go due to the sheer outrageousness and senselessness of it, young men whose need to belong and be part of armies who are willing to endanger and take life for something as stupid as an area code. He is complimented by Keenan and O'Byrne as Rhy's grieving parents, O'Byrne bringing a quiet, bottled up angst as the father, with Keenan an emotional torrent as the mother.

During the film, Mel takes exception to Rhys being described as being 'in the wrong place at the wrong time.' It's a commonly thrown around soundbite, that is rather unintentionally thoughtless in its use. A very lawful world and a very uncivilised world do coexist by each other very unknowingly, and that world can sometimes reach up and bite with the most tragic of results. But it should always be that world that never has any place or any time, rather than the decent one. ****

This is absolutely heart braking to watch, I defy anybody to watch this without shedding a tear. Based on the tragic real life events of young Rhys Jones, and his horrific and tragic murder. I understand that the parents of young Rhys were involved in the production of this drama, and I think that definitely helps with the grit and realism of the show, it doesn't feel like it's been sensationalised at any point, it feels very realistic.

Fantastic performances all round, I have forever been a fan of Stephen Graham, but he has gone up a notch with this, he's proved what an incredibly powerful actor he is.

It's tough viewing, and I've watched every episode in tears, but it's a story that is worth seeing, what that poor family went through. The scenes in Goodison Park are among the most powerful I've seen in years.

9/10

An utterly captivating drama, perfectly executed over four episodes with not a single flaw to be found.

Top-notch writing, precision directing, exemplary performances from the entire cast, seamless editing, with music and cinematography that intelligently don't make themselves noticed (so nothing showy or artsy, just excellent scene-setting) perfectly paced with an overall sense of all-round good storytelling.

Every moment of this true-life drama was suffused with authenticity, integrity, and verisimilitude, with no audience manipulation to be detected (which doesn't mean it wasn't there; just that it was artfully and subtly done). This is a rare gem that is worth watching more than once, although the subject matter is grim. Top marks.

Few people in the United Kingdom will not have heard of the murder of Rhys Jones, an eleven-year-old boy from a middle-class family in Liverpool killed unintentionally by 16-year-old Sean Mercer, a low- level drug dealer who fired a revolver at two rival gang members over a postcode.

It was the innocence of Rhys, a promising child with aspirations of playing for Everton Football Club that brought the attention of the national media on the case. The police were under tremendous pressure to bring the killer and those who supplied the gun to justice while the gang did their best to intimidate potential witnesses and pass off the murder onto a completely innocent party. This superb four-part drama, written by Jeff Pope tells the story of how those involved in both the murder and the concealing of the evidence were eventually brought to trial and the impact that Rhys death had on his parents, the investigating officers, and the local community. Bring the remorseless murderer to trial proved a complex issue, with two innocent families court in the middle of the lies of his alibi.

The drama follows three narrative strands - The witness who was forced to hide the gun (an excellent performance from relative newcomer Michael Moran) and the family whose fragile son (An appropriately vulnerable performance from Nathan Clark-Smith) Rhys Parents (Sinead Keenan in her best ever performance as the Mum and Brian F O'Bryne finally getting the sort of meaty role he deserves) and the police investigation team led by Detective Dave Kelly (Stephen Graham whose versatility continues to expand with every performance) and DCI Mark Guinness (The always superb Stephen Walters in a very grounded role)

Through these three narratives, we see the extreme pressures everyone was under both to stay in a wall of silence or break the case and bring the killers of Rhys to justice. One of the reasons this drama works so well is because of the generous four episodes, which gives adequate screen time to convey the truthfulness of each characters journey and the actor's performances which makes for a stronger production. It is good to see ITV drama giving this sort of material the running time that it so richly deserves.

All the cast here doing a fantastic job including those portraying murderer Mercer his accomplices but the real stand out performance for me was that of the conflicted Kevin Moody (Portrayed by Michael Moran) the one witness the police depended on in order to conflict the intimidating Mercer.

I read somewhere that the senior policewoman stated having watched this production that she was displeased with her portrayal in the show. I find it hard to believe that these scenes were in anyway fictional, knowing the pressure they were under to get a result in this case and how the upper echelons of the police always behave in such circumstances. To its credit LLB did not end with the conviction of those involved followed by a brief summary. A good number of scenes were shown after the case, covering the impact on the marriage of the parents and the other lives affected by the actions of Mercer. It is incredulous that the killer and his accomplices (Most of whom are now out of prison) had no remorse for the killing of Rhys whatsoever and it is this vagrant display of complete lack of empathy for causing the loss of life which makes this show have such wider viewing implications beyond the case it deals with. As Mrs Rhys says at one point 'Our Rhys was not in the wrong place at the wrong time, Sean Mercer was when he fired that gun'

Essential and compelling viewing and an outstanding credit for everyone who worked on the production.

This is such a well scripted story of such a sad event. It pulls u in and you really go through the emotions. Great cast.

The kind of senseless murder happening all-too-often in communities these days. Sensitive, emotional, top-notch production, writing, directing and acting pulled me into the community and story. Four 45-minute parts totalling three hours, it moves along very quickly and was compelling to watch and get so drawn into this tragedy and investigation.

Sad stories with kids involved are always very oppressive and usually avoided in artistic scripts where kids/youngsters may occur in awful situations but they tend to be rescued at the last moment... Here, in Little Boy Blue, we all know how it goes, and the focus is shifted to other aspects. The mood is well captured and the performances are realistic, but, for me, there is some "boost" missing, enabling more diverse and smoother approach, moving beyond documentary style. Perhaps by more distinct characters?

PS Such things should not happen - alas they do... And they will if gangs are not dismantled and no-go zones abolished.

My heart goes out to the Jones family and all of those involved with seeking justice in this senseless killing of eleven year old Rhys Jones.

As an American, I had never heard of this terrible tragedy in the UK.

One thing is for sure, and familiar. Justice is a frustrating process, and one full of bureaucracy and achingly slow chain of command, and disappointing losses. It truly feels as though the criminals have more rights than the victims. And yet, holding out hope is inherently natural.

The actors are EXCELLENT in this series. Especially impressed with the actress Sinéad Keenan as the little boys mother. Strange that I do not recall seeing her in any other works. (and I mainly watch UK shows) Brian F. O'Byrne is also very impressive. Stephen Graham brings his charisma, and talent, effectively as well. Good to see Stephen Walters (eternally missed as Angus, on Outlander) in this too. All of the characters are worthy of attention and praise really.

The subject matter is hard, and heartbreaking.

The punks responsible = infuriating!

I find the way these sons speak to their mums hard to believe and absolutely abhorrent. It's cringe worthy. As a child, and as an adult, I would never have spoken to my mum or dad, or any family member in that way. It's so ugly, and quite shocking to view such portrayals. What a glimpse into horrid family dysfunction, and what is acceptable, or tolerated, behavior. And yes I realize these are dramatizations, and troubled kids in gang related territorial violence, but still.

Very glad I found this to view on BritBox this weekend.

Job well done by ALL.

Just wish it weren't a true story.

The shaky cam was so bad my head was spinning and I had to give up less than 7 minutes in. I'm sure I would have been gripped by the story and drama unfolding, and that it was an accurate telling of a senseless crime, but I didn't get the chance to be able to judge that. Why directors insist on using hand held cameras that induce nausea when watching is beyond me.

We rarely give 10's, but we were so blown away by this series that we truly feel that it is merited in this instance.

What really sets Little Boy Blue apart is it's refusal to follow the formulaic over dramatised tear jerker style which is prevalent in this type of 'true story' telling.

And this is where it really grabs you and punches you in the gut. The emotion is so genuine that even hardened old cynics such as me and the wife had tears in our eyes at several points.

Having lived and worked the Midlands in inner city environment, the characters and settings were all too familiar, and totally convincing.

Great acting all round, with a special mention to the superb Steven Graham, who led us to this series after an outstanding performance in Save Me (check it out).

Yes, it's a true story. A horrific, tragic story. Still, there was no reason to make this drawn out, boring series. It was so slow paced that my husband set it to play at 1.25% speed. It still felt slow. So we had to check to make sure it was still sped up. It was.

As sad as the event was, and as much as this story should be known by all, this wasn't the way to do it. It stole my Saturday night!

The acting was well done. It was factual. If I had to say anything else negative about it, it would be that it stayed kind of surface. The guy wrenching pain was hinted at or briefly shown. They should have gone deeper.

This mini-series is an emotional rollercoaster. The actors in the British crime dramas are from top to bottom, off the charts good, and this one is just is no different. And this is based on a true story.

A story of gang violence people across the world are all to familiar with. Little 'Men' thinking they are 'big'..with iron on their hands.. sadly no amount of tattoos or owning a Glock..will ever make you a man, that take's hard work and guts.

Brilliantly made and acted, if it was a Soap, no one would believe it. but unfortunately, yeah this happened. Hope our cousins in the USA will watch this and stop legally buying guns. They always end up for re- sale..in the wrong hands. #peace

An adaptation of a heart breaking true story that has you hooked early on. Stellar cast. Believable performances that draw you in. British drama at its best.

Phew! Am I ever glad I got out of that environment! Here I am sitting in Vancouver some 55 years after growing up in a council estate. An Estate that started off being a beautiful new village and then descended into a drug filled, violent, holding cell. Just like the ones portrayed in this series.

Liverpool's always been a place where you have to know your boundaries, you don't venture into certain areas because of their reputations. If you don't go there then you''ll be OK, but the trouble is that the residents of some of the estates are roving marauders and you can be the innocent victim if you're in their pathway.

This series portrays it brilliantly with all of the zeitgeist of Merseyside percolating throughout the story. I have to say that it doesn't seem to have changed that much since I left, middle class people are still wonderfully polite, most of the Estate denizens are warm and natural and the yobboes are just as ugly and nasty as I remember them.

That antisocial streak in the underclass has been developed over years and years of unemployment, hand to mouth existence, hopeless futures and a hatred of the privileged classes. With this sort of framework things go wrong , as they did in this case, but the story is told in a way that highlights the huge chasm between the poor on the Estates and the rest of normal society. The absolute disdain for any form of authority is born out of a situation that says "How are you going to punish me any more than the punishment I get from living here already?" "I don't care what you do to me!"

You'd be hard pressed to separate the professional actors from the locals who were recruited for the series, it is so very well done by everyone involved. You'll also be hard pressed not to get through this without openly crying at some of the heart wrenching scenes.

Truly a great production

This series lived up to its high rating: great acting, excellent look at British detectives at work, and realistic British court room scenes. For American audiences, my wife and I strongly recommend the closed captions; otherwise, you won't understand the heavy British accents of many of the characters. Highly recommended.

If they cut the running time by half, it might make this series viewable. Otherwise, it's a snoozefest.

Frankly i cannot add anything of value to this heart wrenching gritty factual telling . As i state above hand held gives a sensation of tension that we the viewer are actually in the scene ourselves. The man or woman whose review states that he or she could not continue viewing , as they felt uncomfortable, , maybe gave them a headache after , I think was 7 minutes of viewing. . The bottom line is in fact that is precisely what the director wished to convey to the viewer, a feeling of unease, discomfort and even disorientation all of which personalises the viewers sensation and comprehensive relationship with the narrative ! That method is used to add tension and it seems for the viewer in question the director used that tactic wisely and proof in the eating , that resulted in a successful artistic decision !

No intention to insult or upset anyone , the bottom line is , " if you cannot take the heat, you had better leave the kitchen !!!! " It takes a brave cameraman and an artistic director to know precisely when to use hand held , as seasoned professionals they should both be fully aware , in advance of first hour and day of filming , having discussed every scene prior to each days shoot , precisely what, how, when and justifiably why to shoot every scene with what are the intentions for whatever they decide , and sometimes , flexibility may lead to innovative solutions ? Albeit hand held has been used , hopefully at justifiable appropriate scenes .? In this production, it fulfilled its purpose adequately .

I am not a fan of true crime normally, but when it's done this well, it's really interesting. The dramatisation was good and well acted, giving a good insight into how early problems start in gangs and suchlike.

This true story is so sad. I watch a lot of true crime depictions but this one had me crying more than once - the acting, especially by the mother, was incredible. Everything was well done, the 4 episodes were good and didn't drag. The boys who carried out this crime make me angry but their parents make me angrier.