user-161-409787

Utterly mediocre in its best portions, unbearably bad in others. Multiple instances where the writing and direction are indisputably bad; cringe-inducing dialog, pointless shots, oversimplification and melodrama galore, subplots that go nowhere and make you go hmm. Rami Malek is good and I like the guy too, but there were many MANY better performances last year than this.

This had so much potential.

Generic 100 Genuine 0 Heartfelt 0

I have always had a soft corner for well written, ultra realistic dramas like this one, so I liked it anyway. But what makes this noteworthy is its intriguing brand of humour, which is so subtle, suppressed even. And very cinematic all the same, communicated via cuts and mis-en-scene. The soundtrack is one of the best I have heard in the past few years and the performances are very very good too.

The plot may make it seem like this lacks universal appeal but it spoke a lot to me about how we all inadvertently do so much for brief reprieves from the abyss, and how that is both futile and necessary. Netflix funding some real good stuff these days.