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This review was made possible by early screeners of The Sympathizer. The Sympathizer premiers on HBO on Sunday, April 14 at 9:00pm ET and will be available to stream on Max.
Based on the novel of the same name by Viet Thanh Nguyen, The Sympathizer is a stylistic, satirical, yet still tragic look at the world of spy craft in the post Vietnam War era. The Captain (Hoa Xuande), a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy must navigate an increasingly intricate web of lies to maintain his cover and complete his mission while adjusting to a new life as a refugee in Los Angeles. This show rests squarely on the shoulders of Xuande. It is no small feat to make a communist spy someone that an audience member can relate to and sympathize with, but Xuande pulled it off with ease.
THAT’S A LOT OF RDJ’S…
Joining The Captain on this wild ride is Executive Producer Robert Downey Jr. RDJ shines in his multiple parts as he puts on a masterclass of acting brilliance. While each character he portrays has a classic Robert Downey Jr. charm and whit, each character is distinct, unique, and a joy to watch. While he is not the star of this show, he does manage to steal the scene over and over again throughout the series. I would not be surprised if this recent Oscar winner were to add an Emmy to his trophy case after this performance.
A FANTASTIC SUPPORTING CAST
While Robert Downey Jr. plays a variety of different characters, the cast is rounded out with truly great performances. The General (Toan Le), Bon (Fred Nguyen Kahn), Man (Duy Nguyen), and Ms. Sofia Mori (Sandra Oh) were standouts. These wonderful characters added an extra weight to the difficult situation The Captain finds himself in. There was not a single bad performance among this fantastic cast.
STYLE AND SUBSTANCE!
Co-Showrunners Park Chan-wook and Dan McKeller have crafted a beautifully stylistic series. The visual storytelling on display here is so impressive, including fourth wall breaks and rewinding of the story to catch up on important details. There is an in story reason for all of these editing choices, this isn’t quirky storytelling beats for the sake of being quirky, it’s baked into the story itself. On top of the edits and cinematography, the set design and costumes, the soundtrack and even some of the camera work makes this feel like it is actually being filmed in the 1970’s.
While this series is a satirical portrayal of differing cultures, at it’s core it is an emotional and heartbreaking look at the horrors of war and the loss of ideology. This is an important story to tell in a current social climate that values group think and mob mentality over individual experiences. While The Sympathizer is set decades in the past, it is a very poignant tale that is applicable to modern struggles and it is, certainly, one you do not want to miss.
4.5/5
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The Sympathizer premiers on HBO on Sunday, April 14 at 9:00pm ET and will be available to stream on Max. Check out the trailer below.
