Child 44

In 2008, Tom Rob Smith published his debut novel Child 44. A taut thriller about a spate of child murders in Soviet Russia, it dealt boldly with state suppression and secrecy. With a screenplay by the venerable Richard Price (The Color of Money), the story has now been adapted for cinematic release.
Child 44 may well prove director Daniel Espinosa’s breakthrough work. Whilst reviews for his 2012 thriller Safe House were somewhat mixed, the suspense and complexity of his source material should ensure a better reception this time around. With dramatic turns from Tom Hardy (Inception, The Dark Knight Rises) and Gary Oldman (True Romance, The Fifth Element), as well as production from Ridley Scott amongst others, this promises to be one of the season’s highlights. Child 44 opens on April 17, and looks set to be a classic, expertly-handled thriller.