Tommy Jessop certainly isn’t shy about trying new things. Viewers may recognise him from his gripping portrayal of murder suspect Terry Boyle in the final seasons of crime drama Line of Duty. It was made all the more memorable by the fact that it was an exciting and multi-faceted role – something that is rarely afforded to actors with learning disabilities. He has starred opposite Nicholas Hoult in the BAFTA-nominated BBC drama Coming Down The Mountain, he was the first actor with Down’s syndrome to tour theatres as Hamlet, and has thrown himself into advocacy work – campaigning for the rights of people with Down’s syndrome. Breaking barriers is something that Jessop is no stranger to.
He still has a few tiny aspirations up his sleeve, though. “My new dream is to be the next Bond,” we see Jessop announce while onstage receiving an Honorary Doctorate of Arts at the University of Winchester. Narrowing his eyes, he turns to the side and puts his index fingers together in the classic Bond pose: “James Bond. Shaken, but not stirred.”
Expectations are pretty high, then, in this charming and insightful documentary following Jessop and his older brother, film-maker Will, as they attempt to turn Tommy’s dream of playing the hero in a movie into reality. “One thing you should know about Tommy is that he always gives himself a 10/10 job,” Will says with a hint of pride, before admitting, “I’ve learned to never underestimate him.”
