Tuesday’s TV tips

Check out our guide to the best of tonight's TV.

Tuesday’s TV tips

FILM: The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Film4, 6.50pm)

(2012) Troubled teenager, Charlie, has a difficult time fitting in at high school until he befriends the openly gay Patrick and his stepsister Sam.

The pair embrace their own outsider status, and encourage him to come out of his shell. But even though he now has friends and a social life, it seems Charlie hasn’t entirely left his past traumas behind.

This is a sensitive coming-of-age drama that largely avoids the stereotypes, especially when it comes to the grown-ups. Charlie’s parents are largely supportive, and he also finds a kindred spirit in the school’s English teacher.

However, the teens definitely take centre stage, with strong performances from Logan Lerman, Emma Watson and Ezra Miller.

If you remember your own teens – or the early 1990s, when the film is set - this will strike a chord.

Starring: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Mae Whitman, Kate Walsh, Dylan McDermott, Paul Rudd

SPORT: Live UEFA Champions League (TV3, 7.30pm)

Atlético v Real Madrid

For most of the footballing world, La Liga is all about the rivalry between its two biggest and most famous clubs – Real Madrid and Barcelona.

But try telling that to Real’s neighbours Atletico. They may be behind Real in the table at the moment, but they have already beaten them twice in the league and once in the Copa del Rey this season – and they are the reigning La Liga champions.

However, there is one meeting between the Madrid giants that probably still rankles with Atletico, and will for some time to come – they lost the 2014 Champions League final to Real after leading for much of the game.

However, Diego Simeone’s team can lay at least some of the ghosts from that match by beating their arch enemy when they meet at the quarter-final stage of the competition.

The first leg takes place at Estadio Vicente Calderon, where Atletico will expect to win so that they have an advantage when the teams reconvene at the Bernabeu next week.

FILM: Wild Things (Film4, 9pm)

(1998) When a high-school counsellor is accused of rape by a wealthy student, it seems as if he’s heading to prison, especially when a less well-connected classmate comes forward to back up the story.

However, a detective becomes convinced that the apparently open-and-shut case doesn’t add up – and it seems he may be on to something as the investigation takes a surprising twist.

Wild Things is campy, trashy fun, but it’s also a smart little thriller – while it may be the sex scenes that initially attracted all the attention, it’s the plot that really makes this movie work.

Everyone enters into the sleazy spirit, and it probably goes without saying that Bill Murray steals every scene he’s in as a down-at-heel lawyer.

Just make sure you stay tuned for the credits, because the twists are still coming even after the film has technically finished.

Starring: Neve Campbell, Denise Richards, Matt Dillon, Robert Wagner, Kevin Bacon, Theresa Russell, Bill Murray

DRAMA: Ordinary Lies (BBC1, 9pm)

It’s the penultimate episode, and we’re running out of people to turn the spotlight on.

We’ve seen Mackenzie Crook on the periphery of various tales, and it was obvious his character would be at the centre of a story eventually – after all, why bother employing somebody of his fame if they’re only going to pop up now and then?

Sure enough, here he is as enigmatic, hypochondriac salesman Pete. He’s never seen without his inhaler and pain killers, but his real ailments may not be physical.

Pete is a recovering gambling addict who is struggling to make ends meet – and that’s before his pregnant wife gives birth to the baby they’ve wanted for so long.

Matters get worse when he and his colleague Fat Jason are involved in a violent robbery while on a test drive. The police are sure it’s an inside job and that Fat Jason knows more than he’s letting on – but should they really be looking at Pete?

PROPERTY: Building the Dream (More4, 9pm)

They say that a man’s home is his castle – which perhaps explains why so many people are keen on building their dream homes.

The Scots, Welsh and Irish get in on the act regularly too – and that’s why Channel 4 keeps making programmes such as this one; viewers can’t get enough of seeing people struggle against the odds to get what they want.

This time, Charlie Luxton visits Bingley in West Yorkshire, where beef farmer Rob Hartley and his share plan manager wife Claire are about to start work on constructing a traditional farmhouse with stunning views across the landscape that will allow Rob to live on the site where he works.

But, just as they’re about to start, Charlie steps in to avert a disaster which sends the couple back to the drawing board. But that’s not the only potential catastrophe they will face over the coming weeks.

DRAMA: Revenge (RTE Two, 9.55pm)

As Emily fights to clear Jack’s name in and out of court, newlyweds Nolan and Louise receive a visit from Officer Ben Hunter.

DOCUMENTARY: My Big Fat Asian Wedding (Channel 4, 10pm)

Meet Raj Somaiya. He’s a flamboyant, unforgettable character who is also one of Britain’s busiest and most exuberant Asian wedding planners.

Cameras follow Raj and his team as they push themselves to the limits to make the dreams of brides and grooms across the country come true, often juggling six-figure budgets and guest lists of 300 or 400 people.

What’s more, his clients often demand unique touches to make their day extra special, and Raj is only too keen to oblige them, just to make sure his company stays one step ahead of their rivals.

So, expect to see a celebration in Leeds that looks like cross between a Bollywood blockbuster and a London-based, Ibiza-inspired rave.

DOCUMENTARY: 2,000 Tattoos, 40 Piercings and a Pickled Ear (Channel 5, 10pm)

On paper, Keith sounds like an ordinary family man.

He lives in suburban Essex with his wife and four children, and works as an admin assistant. But Keith also has 2,000 tattoos which cover his entire body – literally from head to foot.

Here, he discusses where his obsession began, while his loved ones reveal what they really think of his body art.

Next up is Torz, a single woman of 28 who is struggling to find a man willing to look past her piercings and tattoos.

Finally, there’s Matthew – or King Body Art, as he prefers to be known – whose image may threaten his efforts to be taken seriously as a businessman.

FILM: Moonlight Mile (BBC1, 12.20am)

(2002) Joe Nast is about to tie the knot with fiancee Diana, but his world is flipped upside down when she is murdered.

Struggling to come to terms with the loss of the love of his life, Joe moves in with her grieving parents.

However, the situation gets complicated when he begins to have feelings for another woman and has to contend with his emotions while also trying to bring his fiancee’s killers to justice.

Writer/director Brad Silberling’s polished drama blends a simple premise with more complex emotional undercurrents that are superbly evoked by the strong cast. Dustin Hoffman and Susan Sarandon credibly convey the emotional highs and lows.

However, it’s the awkwardness and vulnerability of a youthful Jake Gyllenhall that wins the plaudits.

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, Susan Sarandon, Ellen Pompeo, Holly Hunter

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