 The following year , Nesbitt co @-@ starred with Liam Neeson in the fact @-@ based television film Five Minutes of Heaven ( Oliver <unk> , 2009 ) . The first part of the film <unk> the real @-@ life murder of Jim Griffin by <unk> Little in 1970s <unk> ; the second part features a fictional meeting between Little ( Neeson ) and Jim 's brother Joe ( Nesbitt ) 33 years later . Nesbitt met with Griffin before filming began to learn about how his brother 's murder affected him . The film was broadcast on BBC Two in April 2009 . He also starred as Colour Sgt. Mike Swift in Peter Bowker 's three @-@ part BBC / <unk> television serial Occupation . In Occupation , set over six years , Nesbitt 's character is one of three British soldiers who return to Basra , Iraq after their tours have concluded . He researched the role by speaking to Territorial Army soldiers in Belfast , and RAF officers in Morocco , where the serial was filmed . Both performances were commended by Independent journalist Hugh Montgomery ; in a review of 2009 's television , Montgomery named Nesbitt " Face of the Year " , writing , " Just as you had James Nesbitt written off as the <unk> embodiment of everything mediocre about British TV drama , he produced two <unk> performances , as the <unk> <unk> sergeant in Occupation , and a <unk> vengeful victim 's relative in Irish @-@ troubles piece Five Minutes of Heaven . Give the man a <unk> . " Nesbitt was not nominated for a BAFTA award , though did receive a nomination for Best Actor from the Broadcasting Press Guild for both performances . 
