Un homme, un vrai

Charlie Croker sits at the top of his business empire, but it's crumbling, debts are being called in, and the vultures circle. In a position of relative weakness, Charlie is played by those in power.

This series has gained notoriety, mainly for a flash in episode six, but there's been a lot of positive chat, and for the most part, it's a decent series.

Episodes one and two build up Charlie as this huge, divisive, charismatic figure, Jeff Daniels plays him perfectly, but as the series develops, the focus comes away from him, and the story meanders somewhat.

Conrad's story takes over, and comes out of nowhere, it really does detract from Charlie's story.

It's watchable enough, I had just hoped for so much more, without the powerhouse performance form Jeff Daniels, I think it would have fallen flat.

Perhaps I should have read the book.

6/10.

Once again we have a case of 'the book is better than the film/miniseries'.

I've read the book twice, and believe me, the book is better than this 6 episodes series.

My biggest critique about the mini series is that the dialogues are really poor, and of little substance. And thus not believable. Short scenes with few information are put behind each other. This also means that we don't get much to know about the main protagonists, nor about how Charlie Croker ended up in such financial perils.

It is strange to see that a man so affluent as Charlie Croker has not many staff members (1 attorney, 1 secretary and 1 accountant). It is strange to see when he shows up at decisive meetings he doesn't have a lot to say, but huff and bluff and puff. Same goes for the bank accountants too actually. Their case is not well built up. These business scenes don't come across as very believable. It all feels a bit grotesque, cartoonesque... The best episode is the last episode, in which there is a long court scene in which the attorney brings a strong plea for justice, and later a memorable speech of Charlie in Georgia Tech Stadium. There should have been more scenes like this. Maybe my expectiations were a bit too high, but I was a bit dissapointed all in all.

This is... not that good to be honest. The script is uneven and pretty flat, and if you've seen enough films in your day you will be able to predict a lot of what is going to happen.

Some events are pretty interesting, especially when the story ventures into the absurd, like the coupling of horses scenes or the infamous scene in the last episode, but other than that this feels pretty procedural.

The only thing that really hooked me was the prison storyline, that felt genuine and interesting all the way, and I always enjoy seeing Anthony Heald as well.

Jeff Daniels carries this show on his shoulders and he does his best, dominating the scenes he is in with his enormous presence and charisma. But it is clear for all to see that he is severely limited in his performance when the script is not up to it.

To see what you're being offered. Put the accents aside. Somewhere in the middle of this series - we're not looking at the problems of One Southern Man from the Past. We are being invited to look deeper - into the lives of real people in today's Atlanta, today's America.

The fluidity with which black and white characters interact - some color blind, others finely tuned, exquisitely conscious of every nuance. This is quietly striking - a surprise that lifts this story beyond standard television fare.

And finally - you have a stellar cast all embedded in their roles - inhabiting them - but gradually transcending them as the series proceeds. Without this ensemble - stunningly directed - this story would be perfect Tom Wolfe fiction: effective, compelling but odd-angled, perspectives altered for dramatic effect.

Luckily, we're treated to something more important: a mirror on our lives today. David Kelly has never been more present, less humorous, textured.

And whatever minor qualms we might have about accents, Jeff Daniels grounds the whole story by making a larger than life, borderline ridiculous anachronism the medium for telling this enticing series. Just sit back and enjoy it. It's a gift.

The series builds up the story and characters pretty good. As tensions rise it's hard to know on which side you stand.

Acting by Jeff Daniels is superb.

And Tom Pelphery manages to make you see his POV and hate him at the same time.

I was just about to say what a great series it was, when the last episode ruined the whole series for me.

Not only was it 100% Deusex Machina but the last 10 minutes was a crude amateur-like attempt to surprise the watcher with an end twist.

It almost felt as if the last episode and specially the last 10 minutes of the series were written by a different person or team, one without experience.

Unlike excellent twists such as in The Usual Suspects or in Fight Club, this "twist" was so unlikely and ridiculous it not only fails to surprise but mocks the development.

I was so unimpressed and angered by the ending that the last 10 minutes de series went from a solid 9 to a 5. From a "you guys have to watch this!" to a "don't even bother".

Such a pity that the great acting and initial story was ruined by the last episode.