The moment Richard Roxburgh hobbles into frame in prison greens and spectacles, it’s almost impossible to tell the actor from the real-life identity he’s playing, disgraced detective Roger Rogerson.
Of course, Richard has had some practice. He famously depicted Roger in the 1995 miniseries, Blue Murder, which chronicled the crooked cop’s friendship with career crim Neddy Smith (Tony Martin).
When we last left Roger, both on and off screen, he’d served a prison sentence and was living life as a notorious public figure, trading on his dodgy reputation.
But that all changed in 2014 when Roger, along with fellow former policeman Glen McNamara, was charged with the murder of 20-year-old would-be drug dealer Jamie Gao.
It’s this latest chapter that acts as the launch pad for Blue Murder: Killer Cop.
Thanks to the skills of the production’s make-up team, Richard has been aged to match Roger as he looked in 2016, when he was 75.
Richard Roxburgh as Roger Rogerson: Richard returns to the role that won him a TV WEEK Silver Logie Award back in 1996 and doesn’t miss a beat. The walk, the bark, the glint in the eye – the Rake star nails every part of Roger, making it hard to tell the two apart.
As he takes on the role of narrator, it becomes clear that not much has changed for the disgraced policeman.
We’re thrown headfirst back into Roger’s tainted world, as he tries to pick himself up after being booted out of the NSW Police Force.
Toni Collette steals the show as Roger’s love interest Anne Melocco. And Matt Nable impresses as Mark Standen, a senior officer desperate to bury Roger once and for all.
Toni Collette as Anne Melocco: The Muriel’s Wedding star plays Roger’s wife, Anne Melocco. The pair wed in 2004, but both were convicted in 2005 of lying to the 1999 Police Integrity Commission. Anne was sentenced to two years’ periodic detention.
Biopics are big business and can easily go wrong, but Blue Murder: Killer Cop brilliantly brings to life the shady backstory of one of our most infamous crooks.
