Netflix Series Review: 'Lupin' Part 1
Whoever said Americans do not like watching shows with subtitles would surely be shocked at the Netflix series Lupin's success.
Lupin, starring, Omar Sy, is a slick, modern French crime series that does not shy away from commentary on class division and institutional racism issues. Sy stars as Senagalese Frenchman Assane Diop, a master of disguise and thievery. Diop draws his inspiration from Arsène Lupin, the "gentleman thief" from Maurice Leblanc's famous novels and short stories. Both Sy and the show's British creator and showrunner, George Kay, are fans of Leblanc's body of work.
Audiences recognize Sy for his César award-winning performance in the 2011 hit The Intouchables. My fellow nerds will remember him as Bishop from X-Men: Days of Future Past and Barry Sembène from Jurassic World. In a recent interview with the New York Times, he talked about a conversation he had a few years ago with production company Gaumont about his dream role.
"If I were British, I would have said James Bond, but since I'm French, I said Lupin. He's playful; he's clever, he steals, he's surrounded by women. Plus, he's a character who plays characters. For an actor, he's the best."
A few short years later, Lupin debuted globally on Netflix in January. The five-episode series jumped to the service's number two spot in the United States less than a week after its release. That is the first time a French show debuted in the Top 10 in America.
The show co-stars Ludivine Sagnier as Claire, Diop's estranged wife. Soufiane Guerrab portrays Detective Youssef Guedira. Etan Simon makes his debut as Raoul, Diop's son.
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
We follow Diop as he seeks to reveal the truth behind his father's suicide. Diop's father, Babakar, worked for the uber-wealthy Pellegrini family. In flashbacks spanning 25 years, we learn about the Diops, Pellegrinis, and their relationship with one another.
Babakar, a widower, and Assane emigrated to France from Senegal. Like many immigrants, Babakar wants the best for his son. He spends most of his time at the Pellegrini estate tending to that family's needs. Babakar teaches Assane the value of an education and a strong work ethic.
The Pellegrinis, Anne and Hubert, and their daughter, Juliette, seem to treat Babakar and Assane well. They allow Assane to roam the property while his father works. They even let him use their indoor pool.
However, we see how class and skin color cast a pall on all of their interactions from the start. When she is a teen, Juliette gives the younger Assane his first kiss, but only to satisfy her curiosity about kissing a black person. Hubert insists Babakar gift a book to Assane from the Pellegrini library to encourage Assane's interest in school, which is a Maurice Leblanc novel. Before Babakar can give the present, he is accused of stealing Queen Marie Antoinette's necklace from a safe in the Pellegrini's library.
Babakar's alleged crime turns the young Assane's world upside down, though he does not know just how bad it is until many years later. Babakar signed a confession to the crime. Because he did not return the stolen property, the judge gives him the harshest sentence possible. After penning a letter to his son, Babakar takes his own life.
Assane receives a top-notch education while in foster care due to the generosity of a wealthy benefactor. He meets Claire, his future wife, while in grade school. Without proper guidance, though, Assane turns to a life of petty criminal activity, pulling off crazy heists based on the tips and tricks he learned from the Lupin novels.
Throughout the five episodes, we see how French society treats immigrants and people of color. Assane deftly leverages this divide to his benefit. He also employs make-up and disguises to manipulate those around him while fulfilling his quest.
Similarly, Detective Youssef Guedira, who catches onto Assane's tricks quite early on, is ignored by his colleagues. Since they do not believe him, Guedira sets out on his own to prove his theory. Given what the two men have in common, fans are dying to know how their first encounter will go. Will he arrest Assane or help him prove Babakar's innocence?
Part 2
Though we could all see the trainwreck coming, the show excels at superb pacing and timing of its myriad reveals. Part 1 ends on such a cliffhanger! With only five episodes in this first installment, viewers have an agonizing wait ahead of them to find out what happens next.
Have no fear, fans. Part 2 has already been filmed and is ready to go. Netflix is tight-lipped about the exact release date of the next chapter. However, it will happen this year. In the meantime, I suggest pouring over every detail in the five episodes revealed thus far. To paraphrase Leblanc: a voyage has indeed commenced in a most auspicious manner.
Source(s): The Guardian, Screen Rant