Good start, but then it gets ruined

A Disappointing Continuation

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

If there's any downside in Britain stopping conscription ( And I don't believe there is any downside to this ) it's that the general mainstream civilian knowledge of the military is rather ignorant , uninformed or misinformed . Certainly no one was happier than the British military forces themselves when conscription was scrapped in this country in 1960 but media depictions of the British military rarely paint a convincing picture with one or two very notable exceptions like the late 1970s ITV drama SPEARHEAD and this BBC drama entitled OUR GIRL is the latest in a long line to not get it right One gets the feeling it's produced as more of a star vehicle for some soap opera actress in this case Lacey Turner a former EASTENDERS regular who plays protagonist Molly Dawes in much the same way as a not very good actress would play a role in EASTENDERS . You don't really get the impression you're watching a real character called Molly Dawes who exists in the real world , more of a caricature of the BBC view of urban teenage girls from the East End of London . Also despite the use of some strong language in a very vain attempt to make this seem like a tough gritty real life drama involving the military it does have a very BBC 3 cheap production value feel to it . I wasn't expecting APOCALYPSE NOW style helicopter assaults filmed in Afghanistan but even so the budget seems lacking Artistic license such as a protagonist miraculously staggering around and stopping to vomit outside an army recruitment office thereby setting up a very weak inciting incident can be forgiven but a " realistic portrayal of the modern day British army " ( it says here ) it's somewhat lacking . Molly actress woman just passes the one and a half mile within the set time but no one mentions what this set time should be ! I've no idea what it is in 2013 but do know that it was 7 minutes 30 seconds in 1988 for most recruits and I guess if I really wanted to know what it was in 2013 google would be my friend . Also you don't address female officers as " Ma'am " it's always " sir " regardless of gender etc etc . Remind me what branch of CND the military adviser was in ?Some people might say it's good that the BBC are showing the military in a good light but would this be the same television company who employed the likes of Rageh Omar who was the station's main correspondent during the invasion of Iraq who equated that conflict with Vietnam simply because both countries have palm trees ! and who constantly used the phrase " heavy coalition casualties " when daily coalition fatalities were in single figures . I can't think of the BBC making any dramas showing the British military in a good light since the Pertwee era of DOCTOR WHO and even then that was fighting alien invasions . Pro military ? When you've got the BBC as allies who needs enemies

Welcome to the 21st century military propaganda - this is it. The only purpose of this "film", is to get people to enlist in her majesty's army. A poorly written "rags to uniforms" story, that dwells slightly on religion biased and racist contents, culminating with the protagonist very happy with her trusty gun in her hand going after the Al-Qaeda scum of the earth - the most unlikely climax of all time - a girl in a war scenario, smiling, like her life isn't on the line. This is so obvious it hurts - everyone that contributed to the making of this brainwashing load of hogwash should be ashamed of themselves: they just helped putting more meat in the English war machine, and we all know what comes out the other side: coffins, crippled and/or deranged people, all in her majesty's name. Words can't describe.

To tell you the truth, I've never been much of a fan of Lacey Turner, from her East Enders days playing Stacey, although her character Molly is similar in ways to the character Stacey, Lacey's acting for me has improved and my mind's Been changed now I've watched this. She plays the lead role in this and quite rightly too, If you get the chance to watch Our Girl please do so, it was funny in parts but overall it was a gritty drama. Compelling viewing from start to finish. Great acting from the whole cast. I've read that there might be a full series of Our Girl, I hope this is true, there is enough scope for this to be made, I'm already looking forward to it.

This TV Movie is not Full Metal Jacket, or any other military film focused on coming of age which I have seen. Its heroine is not an introspective youth contemplating the truth of what is going on with the world around her. Instead, she is a highly common modern girl who chances upon the British Army. Like all films of its genre, there is a good deal of yelling and screaming, this is after all boot camp. The characters though do not display heroism or bravado through their yells or screams. Instead it is shown in soft spoken scenes which chronicle Molly's progression. The yelling and screaming is there to create the boot camp atmosphere, not to build character or to be the centre of the film.Some plot holes do exist, and some of the side characters could have done with much more development. However when the constraints of a 90 minute TV Movie, which certainly with the BBC's current climate did not have a very large budget, are applied, these faults become understandable. Also, while I am not sure, I get the feeling that scenes where these grey areas in the plot and the characters are fleshed out were written, but left out do to time constraints.I personally think that Molly speaks to all of us who once dreamed of being in the Army. She is simply an ordinary girl who is given the opportunity to apply herself, and finds that she capable of much more than she thought possible. All of us have a little bit of ourselves that likes to think so. Through her journey Molly most certainly fulfils that part of ourselves which dares to dream upon a whim.