Vardy vs. Rooney: Courtroom Drama Channel 4 Review: This nonsensical drama is nothing compared to a real court

AT Vardy V. Rooney: courtroom drama, a “actual drama” about the real-life defamation lawsuit between footballers’ wives Rebecca Vardy and Colin Rooney that took the nation by storm a few months ago, Channel 4 pushed the limits of its audience’s patience. Not the people who are interested in this story Only you see how it plays

When Vardy sued Rooney for libel after being accused of leaking information from her personal Instagram account to the press, the sensational story was warmly received by the British public and was immediately dubbed “Wagata Christie” in honor of Rooney’s detective skills. Both tabloids and newspapers reported from the press pit, combining bitchy WhatsApp messages with the breathless persistence of war correspondents who dared to escape the front line. Pubs and fountains across the country erupted in enthusiastic speculation as the verdict approaches – who will come out acquitted from this WAG battle?

By focusing on Vardy’s testimony and blending (barely) archival news footage with reenactments of court hearings, today’s first episode draws a fine line between fact and fiction. I would like this to be resolved somehow.

Given the public’s obvious interest in the story, its television adaptation must have sounded like a safe bet. But with his script based on testimonies and court transcripts, the action was mostly limited to the courtroom, Vardy vs Rooney was caught in a no-man’s-land narrative: without embellishing freedom of fiction, a documentary’s ability to find new information, or a reality show erasing both, this two-part drama couldn’t top its story. origin story or even match it. With source material so fresh on everyone’s mind Vardy vs Rooney this closeness hindered rather than encouraged.

Luckily, Natalia Tena did a great job as Vardy, evoking a compelling murky mix of smug stubbornness and defensive boasting as she protested her innocence. Chanel Creswell also impressed as Colleen Rooney, determined and composed with the widest Scouse accent.

At the end of the episode, there was a cut to the next episode starring Dion Lloyd as Wayne Rooney, and although he played the part well, the clip only highlighted the inevitable inferiority of the Channel 4 drama compared to reality.

Wayne made his own announcement over the summer, and we heard the real ex-England captain talk about his real-life wife’s Instagram feud. With actors replacing the celebrity magic ingredient, the story itself was a little disappointing: two grown women go to court over what suddenly sounded like a normal environment at my all-girls high school.

We repeat phrases that made the whole country laugh when we first heard them – Vardy was talking about “chipolata” Peter Andre’s penis, or asking who Davy Jones was when Rooney’s lawyer suggested her agent stole her phone when it fell on target. – provide moments of humor, ringing bells of appreciation, like nursery rhymes.

Vardi’s ornate court wardrobe – restrained in execution, her chic bun reminiscent of an early 20th-century governess, her high-necked, button-down dress, almost puritanical – was also carefully reflected in the reconstruction. But “I remember that haircut” only getting keeps you busy for so long.

As the real test of Vagata Christie unfolded, we enjoyed the double whammy of low stakes and high drama. The dramatic part of that equation never crossed paths in this genreless remake, and everyone watched already knowing the result.

Vardy vs Rooney proved that without famous faces, the central feud wasn’t interesting enough for a TV drama. The tabloids at the center of the process know all too well that the “who” in gossip matters far more than the “what.”