2 March '12

“The programme was never going to solve the problem it set itself. But it did generate some thought-provoking moments, particularly when it came to racial epithets.”
Tom Sutcliffe, The Independent

“It was nothing beyond what we have seen a thousand times on the thousand similar semi-freak shows there have been before this. Roll up and watch a few layers of someone’s ignorance and fear stripped back to reveal the – gasp! – actually non-diabolic heart that beats within.”
Lucy Mangan, The Guardian

“Alongside the odd thought-provoking moment a lot of time was devoted to people getting upset and focusing on the noisiest, largest, most televisually interesting personalities. However, it’s better than bear-baiting.”
Matt Baylis, The Express

“What the film did show, very effectively, was how even a small degree of racial prejudice can cause huge distress.”
Andrew Billen, The Times

“It followed consular staff on their daily rounds, replacing passports that had been used to scoop up guacamole and assisting those who hadn’t quite made it from their fourth-floor balconies into the swimming pool.”
Tom Sutcliffe, The Independent

“It was a powerful, dignified and dignifying film that made you hope the team would return to look more closely at the other issues raised in the months and years to come.”
Lucy Mangan, The Guardian

“While children have a uniquely striking way of looking at things maybe you needed to speak Japanese to appreciate what was said. Far more potent was the shot of a grieving father who’d given up his job to dig through the rubble of a school to find his child’s remains.”
Matt Baylis, The Express

“It was far from groundbreaking, but it had its moments. I savoured the cruel candour of Jane’s daughter when it came to her dad’s new wardrobe.”
Andrew Billen, The TImes