The folks out at Acorn Media sent out a copy of The Guilty, a pretty substantial drama with a whole lot of edge. If you’re into British drama, then you’re probably going to want to get hands on a copy of this one too.

The Guilty follows a whole bunch of folks whose lives are about to come crashing together, and probably not in a good way, either: London attorney Steven Vey is on top of the world, but when a celebratory evening with his secretary just ahead of his being named the youngest judge in England’s history goes too far, will it all be brought crashing down around him? And at the same time, Eddy Doyle, a thug from Birmingham who’s just emerged from prison, discovers that the man who raised him isn’t really his father after all. He sets out on a quest to find the truth–and what he finds might well get him killed.

It’s a strange mix of events, and watching things suddenly grow together and intertwine is actually pretty interesting stuff. The British capacity for drama is in full effect here, and with the slightly darker edge given to this one, crosses into full-blown thriller territory. It’s got plenty of backstabbing and lots of infighting, plus a cast that really knows what it’s doing, with the leads having plenty of experience; Eddy Doyle, for example, is played by Sean Gallagher, whom Brits will likely recognize from Coronation Street.

Again, though, it’s British drama, so it’s not going to be for everyone. You’re going to have to clear a hefty chunk of your calendar to catch this one fully as you’ll need about three hours and twenty minutes to clear the slate completely. Is that three and a half hours you’ll spend on this time well spent? Well, that’s going to be your call, in the end, but I personally would say so. It’s not anything spectacular, mind you, but it is a good, solid piece with loads of drama cast in a slightly darker edge than is often the case from British dramatic films.

The end result is a pretty satisfying viewing, though a bit niche, and thus, the Screenhead Ten Scale hands it a seven out of ten. It’s going to do a pretty nice job of holding your interest, but you will have to pay attention to it and be very careful in your watching. It won’t hand over its rewards lightly, but you’ll find them pretty satisfying all the same.