Nothing harder to pull off on the screen than a biopic. Everyone involved, from scripting to directing is pulled in all sorts of directions between trying to be authentic to the life of the individual concerned and achieving sufficient dramatic and narrative momentum. A few flaws here don't diminish the overall viewing satisfaction. The sex and drug stuff is given a tad too much screen time perhaps, after a couple of scenes we get it, we get it. No need to labour the point. Some of the secondary characters lack screen presence (Hugo, Elsa) but it probably doesn't matter so much because McGregor is just so nuanced and natural and layered and conflicted and convincing that watching him makes everyone else pale in comparison. Joe and Liza are also beautifully done. But McGregor is just so brilliant and sustains the characterisation so powerfully throughout the entire series that in the end it doesn't matter that we're watching a biopic, the character acquires a life of his own on the screen. He totally dominates in the best possible way.
It's rare to want to watch a biopic again, but this one I'd happily watch over and over just to enjoy McGregor's acting masterclass. Brilliant stuff. Well done Netflix.
It's rare to want to watch a biopic again, but this one I'd happily watch over and over just to enjoy McGregor's acting masterclass. Brilliant stuff. Well done Netflix.