- On April 15, the first episode of the new series – “Sympatyk” – debuted on HBO Max. The production, directed by Park Chan-wook (“Oldboy”, “The Help”), will feature, among others: Robert Downey Jr. and Sandra Oh. New episodes will appear on the platform every Monday.
- A spy thriller and cross-cultural satire in one, it tells the story of the struggles of a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy during the final days of the Vietnam War and exile in the United States.
Studio A24 is not slowing down. Their first series, that is “Euphoria”, achieved huge success, attracting millions of viewers. It also turned out to be a mine of young acting talents. Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, Jacob Elordi – these are just a few names for whom the production turned out to be a turning point in their careers.
The next title from the A24 studio was “Row”. The series was released on Netflix last year and in terms of plot and promotion, it was slightly less spectacular than its predecessor, but it was appreciated by the industry and showered with statuettes during the awards season. We saw Ali Wong and Steven Yeun in the main roles of “Awantura”. The series began with a seemingly innocent titular fight and ended with an overwhelming journey deep into the human psyche. Which is something that, as a fan of A24 studio productions, I like the most!
The next production was slightly less successful, i.e “The Curse” starring Emma Stone, Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie. It landed on the platform SkyShowtime and by design it was not intended to attract a mass audience. The plot is complicated, disturbing and embarrassing. There's a lot of symbolism, understatements, and jumps from one thread to another. And above all – the main characters are impossible to like. With subsequent episodes, we discover their darkest secrets. The creators point out the negative features of privileged people and ridicule stereotypes. So is this a series you can watch? Of course. Personally, I had a great time.
I had the opportunity to review “Awantura” and “The Curse”, and now I will tell you about the latest production by A24 – based on the motifs of the novel of the same title, “Sympathy”. Is this another series that will stay in my thoughts for a long time? The answer is not clear.
The main character and the titular “sympathizer” is the Captain (Hoa Xuande). Communist spy of French-Vietnamese origins. Seeing the fall of Saigon, he leaves for the United States. This is not his first visit to North America – in the past he studied there at one of the universities. So it is suspended between Vietnam and the USA. Between the head of the South Vietnamese army and the CIA. His conscience gives him no respite.
The creators of “The Sympathizer” are Don McKellar, who has so far become known to the general public mainly as an actor, and Park Chan-wook, the respected creator of titles such as “Oldboy” and “The Help”. Talented showrunners, decent source material, quality studio. What could go wrong?
On paper, the series is great. I was particularly delighted by the creators' insightful eye, illustrated in long shots. Zooming in, zooming out, balance on the verge of documentary cinema. The interiors, set design, costumes and make-up are also delightful. Combined with dynamic assembly, we get a unique production.
The strongest element, however, is the acting. Robert Downey Jr plays several, if not dozens of characters. From a CIA agent, through an amateur (and eccentric) director to a university professor. The Oscar winner created many different acting roles that appear on screen for only a few minutes. Just when we think there won't be a cooler character on this show, Downey Jr. shows up. in a completely new role.
Hoa Xuande, who played the main character, also had a great performance. Viewers may recognize him from the series “Cowboy Bebop”, but it is safe to say that he is only at the beginning of his adventure with acting. Summing up his role in “The Sympathy”, I can say with full confidence that from now on we will see him much more often.
We watch the events presented in the series from the perspective of the Captain, who has been writing down testimony since the first episodes. An engaging aspect is the protagonist's internal conflict. Unfortunately, just as chaotic are his thoughts and memories, so are the events on screen. There are many non-chronological jumps in time, which are logically connected with real-time events, but you cannot avoid being overwhelmed, confused and ultimately – tired.
I appreciate the satire through which we received a new and fresh look at the war in Vietnam. I appreciate the technical measures that make “Sympatyk” an ambitious, unique series. I am very glad that the creators decided to have fun with the viewer and not always say directly what is reality and what is imagination. I also appreciate poking fun at the stereotypical “American Dream.” And finally – I appreciate the acting. However, I can't shake the feeling that “Sympatyk” is overdone. The series tired me and I will probably never come back to it again, unlike “Awantura” or “The Curse”, which I mentioned at the beginning of my review.