Expats Review Episode 1-2: Prime Video Series Offers A Nuanced Portrait Of Grief, Privilege, And The Complexities Of Expat Life
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Ji-young Yoo, Jack Huston, Sarayu RaoSarayu Blue, Brian Tee, Flora Chan
Director: Lulu Wang
Streaming Platform: Prime Video
Filmyhype.com Ratings: 4/5 (four stars)
The first two episodes (out of six in total) of Expats, the new Amazon Original TV series starring the divine Nicole Kidman, were released on Prime Video on Friday 26 January. The series is filmed and set in Hong Kong, where during filming there were several controversies due to Kidman’s exemption from preventive anti-Covid quarantine and above all because the plot of the series was accused of fanning the flames of the already existing difficulties due to China’s impositions on Hong Kong. But that’s not why we can already tell you that Expats 2 won’t be there: the reasons are not political, but purely narrative.
Nicole Kidman now seems to subscribe to limited series which as we know, if necessary, can transform from miniseries to more or less anthological series, as demonstrated by the cases of Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers. Either because they engage her for less time than a long series, or because they allow her to participate in multiple projects in the same year, or because she is often also a producer and therefore can also have her say on the creative side, from the story to the screenplay, or because they often deal with issues as dear to her as the female condition in today’s society. We will confirm many of these aspects in the review of Expats, the latest miniseries to feature her as a co-star and available from January 26th on Prime Video with a weekly appointment.
Expats Review Episode 1-2: The Story Plot
Expats is set in the 2010s, created and directed by Lulu Wang – already appreciated for her work behind The Farewell starring Awkwafina – adapting the international best-selling novel The Expats written by Janice YK Lee. The plot of the series stars Nicole Kidman (The Undoing), Sarayu Blue (Never Have I Ever, Hands Off Our Daughters), and Ji-young Yoo (Girl Power, Smoking Tigers) as three women whose lives they find themselves incredibly connected and connected in the chaotic and frenetic Hong Kong of 2014. Margaret (Kidman) is a wealthy woman who had to (more or less) leave her job as a garden designer to look after her three children with her husband Clarke (Brian Tee, Chicago Med, Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows), a man of business that made the family move to Hong Kong.
Hilary (Blue) is Margaret’s sister-in-law, also a career woman who also moved from India to build a future with her husband David (Jack Huston, Boardwalk Empire, Fargo): the couple didn’t want children but he now wants them ardently one and yet they don’t seem to have any luck conceiving. They both live in the Mong Kok neighborhood, which is located in the Kowloon West district and is characterized by a mix of old and new multi-story buildings, with various types of commercial activities and many markets and fast-food chains. They have local maids who help them in every aspect of daily life and do not fail to point out this social gap, even without realizing it. Mercy (Yoo) is the youngest of the trio, still with “her whole life ahead”: she comes from Korea, has traveled a lot, and has gone through many experiences and work situations without ever finding the right one until an opportunity vanishes before her eyes due to a tragic event. An event that will intertwine the lives of the three protagonists in unimaginable ways.
Expats Review Episode 1-2 and Analysis
As I said before, my focus on these two episodes of Expats is not to reflect the overall series, since I have only been able to see, like you if you have already done so, a third of it on Prime Video. Perhaps, with the complete story, many of the inconsistencies of the first episodes will return. What I am going to do is analyze its capacity for presentation, which is good, since it ends the first act by letting you know what happened, why it happened, and what role each character plays in this story. This can be tolerated if the first episode were the only one that suffered from it, but the second amended it, which is why Amazon wanted to release both at the same time, but that’s not the case: I finished the second episode thinking that I care very little what happens later, and it is a problem for one that must rely on the narrative, having hardly any action. The Hong Kong of 2014 is not so exotic as to serve as a bomb and make my general assessment of the series improve: Lulu Wang tries to do many things, and the intention is good, but the execution is not, and in audiovisual it is the does matters.
I insist, keep in mind that my review is limited only to the first two episodes of Expats: perhaps the series will become the panacea of streaming in the coming weeks, but at the moment they do not even discover the fire. All three female protagonists feel like Expats, just as the title suggests, not only in the country where they “chose” to live because they don’t even speak the language but also in their own homes, estranged and removed for reasons other than their family unit. Lulu Wang does not only want to address the clash between cultures in the six episodes of the miniseries but also and above all that of genres, amplified by the foreign location. A location that becomes the villain of the story more than a character, with its chaos that engulfs you, a vibrant and tumultuous earthquake that arrives and sweeps away all the stability and security built with sweat and effort.
The main theme that the story addresses (which we won’t spoil for you so as not to ruin the surprise) through the unfortunate event we were talking about is current and closely connected with that of motherhood. A condition that is not necessarily joyful as it is often described but is also the result of stress, social pressure, expectations, difficulties, and problems. A fundamental – perhaps fundamental – condition of the patriarchal society in which we exist, which experiences a profound conflict between what tradition would like and what modernity loudly demands. That is, a simple freedom of choice without being judged by society – which is explored in all its aspects and facets through three women, companions, aspiring (or not) mothers in completely different and sometimes opposed ways, but in reality, all faces of the same identical medal.
Great attention is given, as we were saying, by Lulu Wang to the location, whose noises and chaotic scenarios fill and color the shots and sequences, focusing with the camera on the evolution of those places of meeting and yet solitude. Expats also question two fundamental themes: that of privilege derived from the social gap of the protagonists, both among themselves and about those who work for them, while insisting on underlining that they are “family members”. That of the victim and the guilt, whose boundaries are not always so clear and which often, as an initial voiceover tells us, is not addressed in the right way or at all: when a tragedy is told, we talk more about those who remained and of those who suffered it, rather than those who perpetrated it. Investigating in the darkness and not just in the light, the miniseries tries to compare and better understand the actions that push us and move us into the crazy existence that is that of being human.
Expats Review Episode 1-2: The Last Words
Prime Video is betting on a family drama with intersecting stories that, despite its fantastic setting, fails in its attempt to generate interest in the viewer with character development that makes you want to take a nap. We talked about motherhood in the form of pain and not always of joy, as society traditionally tells in the review of Expats because it is the prism through which all the themes are addressed in the Prime Video miniseries produced and starring Nicole Kidman. That she proves to be suitable for the role of an uncomfortable and stressed mother, alongside two good Sarayu Blue and Ji-young Yoo, and the attentive eye of Lulu Wang not so much not only for the characters but above all for the places they inhabit.
Expats Review Episode 1-2: Prime Video Series Offers A Nuanced Portrait Of Grief, Privilege, And The Complexities Of Expat Life - Filmyhype
Director: Lulu Wang
Date Created: 2024-01-26 18:42
4
Pros
- Powerful Performances: The series boasts phenomenal acting, particularly from Nicole Kidman, Sarah Chalke, and Sandra Oh. They convincingly portray complex characters grappling with grief, isolation, and cultural clashes.
- Nuanced Exploration of Expat Life: Beyond the personal drama, "Expats" delves into the unique challenges and privileges of living abroad, especially the often invisible divide between wealthy expats and local residents.
- Atmospheric Visuals: The series beautifully captures the vibrant energy and contrasting worlds of Hong Kong, adding depth and immersion to the story.
- Intriguing Exploration of Grief: The central tragedy unfolds slowly, letting viewers experience the characters' evolving emotions and the long-term impact of loss.
Cons
- Slow Burn Pacing: Some viewers might find the show's deliberate pace a bit tedious, especially with its extended six-episode runtime.
- Lack of Resolution: The story doesn't offer clear-cut answers or closure, which can be frustrating for viewers who prefer more definitive plotlines.
- Limited Character Development: While the lead characters are well-defined, some supporting roles feel underdeveloped, leaving unanswered questions about their motivations and backstories.
