The Sympathizer

"This is nothing short of a fantastic miniseries. This show focuses on a North Vietnamese intelligence officer (who is of part-French descent) who infiltrates the South Vietnamese side and focusing on his activities both during and after the Vietnam War. I was especially struck by the manner with which the show played with perspectives and basically showed what was happening in the man’s head, effortlessly jumping back and forth between multiple timelines without ever feeling lost, while also incorporating Vietnamese perspectives of the events. Fantastic direction (especially the first 3 episodes directed by Park Chan-wook), screenplay, editing and especially performances. Hoa Xuande in particular is the MVP and anchor of the series, believably conveying the state of mind and the emotions of the protagonist, while Robert Downey Jr. has a lot of fun playing multiple supporting roles (I wouldn’t be surprised if RDJ wins an Emmy to go along with his Oscar to cap off the incredible year he’s been having). One of the best and most underrated miniseries to come out recently. Highly recommended."

"I didn’t mean to rate this bc I haven’t watched enough of it to rate it…but, so far, it’s kind of bizarre. I’m not sure what to think of it. Anyone else?"

"This show was a solid watch! I loved how they made this show look like it was filmed in the 70s, yet the show was not afraid to be a little experimental. The acting was the best part of the show. Besides RDJ pulling off the impossible with portraying 6 characters, the entire cast was stellar, especially the lead Hoa Xuande. Another thing I appreciated was the topics that were touched on this show. The way they delved into racism against Asians on not only a personal level but an institutional level was chefs kiss. The only big flaw I found in this show was it's pacing in the middle of the series. Also, while I found that the finale was great, I thought the ending left more to be desired. Overall, this is another good series in the HBO library that's worth the binge. "

"A star-making role for the lead and RDJ is great, as always! MAX strikes again with another limited series gem."