‘The Sympathizer’ TV Review- Let RDJ Act
This show streamed in 2024.
The Sympathizer is a historical dark comedy created by Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar. It was released on HBO with episodes appearing on the MAX streaming service.
The Captain (Hoa Xuande) is a spy from the Communists in North Vietnam who has infiltrated the South Vietnam Army, specifically the unit of General Trọng (Toan Le), who is backed by CIA Agent Claude (Robert Downey, Jr.). With the fall of Saigon approaching, he is ordered by his friend and superior Mẫn (Duy Nguyễn) to follow the General to America to spy on his activities. He goes to college and meets Professor Robert Hammer (Robert Downey, Jr.) and Congressman Ned Godwin (Robert Downey, Jr.) before beginning an affair with Japanese teacher Sofia Mori (Sandra Oh). As he begs to be sent home, Mẫn refuses, insisting he continue his operations, including working with the filmmaker Niko Damianos (Robert Downey, Jr.) to infiltrate further.
The series is based on the award-winning novel The Sympathizer, written by Viet Thanh Nguyen. I have not read it, so the purpose of this review will be to analyze it as a television show.
The pilot does grip you. It shows the fall of Saigon and how the United States seems to lackluster in helping allies escape as the Communists are charging into the South. If you read the history, the story of how the Kennedy Administration failed the South Vietnamese is very troubling. The show does pull you into the story of the Captain and his forced exile to America.
As talented as Robert Downey Jr. is, I do not know why he plays four characters. He plays a CIA agent, a college professor, a Congressman, and a film director. It was not believable, especially since he did not give them a distinct voice. The professor and director sounded exactly the same. As did the CIA agent and Congressman. Why not at least give them all separate voices?
I have nothing bad to say about the rest of the cast. Everyone did fine, and I think Downey would have been better if he had had one role to focus on.
Not to mention, past the pilot, the show immediately loses steam. They give you no one to root for, much less a likable protagonist to cheer for. The Captain narrates the show to his captors, who were originally his allies. In his narrative, you watch him continue to break down to the point of murdering three of his best friends.
While they try to make you feel bad for him with scenes where his girlfriend gets stolen and he gets all weepy, you do not. You actually roll your eyes. That is very poor writing.
It was also billed as a “comedy,” but it failed on every level. I did not laugh at anything. There was no slapstick, clever dialogue, or even that awkward “quirky” humor that is so popular these days.
As I stated, I have not read the novel, but I have a hard time readers who enjoyed it thought this was a good adaptation. I know ambiguous characters are all the rage these days, but they need to give me something to root for. There was nothing here. Nothing. Just skip it.
Check out the trailer below:
PARENTAL CONCERNS: Strong foul language, Violence, Sexual content, Nudity
What do you think? Let me know in the comments below. Tell me if there is a comic book, anime, movie, or novel you would like me to review.