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The Sympathizer (HBO/Max)

The first episode was tonight. I have mixed feelings about it. The showrunner and director of the first few episodes is the superb Korean director Park Chan-wook, who did the Vengeance trilogy, The Handmaiden, and Thirst. It's visually stunning, and the evocation of 1970s Saigon is remarkable. It also stars the mixed-race actor Hoa Xuande, who is a beautiful man to watch. I also like that it shows a fascinating period of history from a very different angle than we usually get. The recreations of 1975 Saigon are spectacular. It offered a very show-offy performance by Robert Downey Jr., as a swaggering American CIA expert with bad skin and orange hair. Apparently RDJ is playing multiple roles in this, like Peter Sellers in "Dr. Strangelove." He was pretty hammy tonight. The show's interest in torture and brutality is also hard to take (though of course it's part of having a show about war and counterintelligence).

I will keep watching for sure, though. Sandra Oh is supposed to show up in later weeks.

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by Anonymousreply 3April 22, 2024 3:41 AM

Robert Downey, Jr. as the racist and flamboyantly gay university professor in the 2nd episode was pretty over-the-top. It was like a 70s caricature of a gay man Vito Russo would have castigated in "the Celluloid Closet.'

by Anonymousreply 1April 22, 2024 2:17 AM

Is there "Hot Asian man on man Homo sex" with with lots of anal?

Do not care about RDJ!!

by Anonymousreply 2April 22, 2024 3:25 AM

Who plays Chew Mee?

by Anonymousreply 3April 22, 2024 3:41 AM
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