Archie

The praise for Jason Isaacs that I've read in other reviews is certainly justified but I would not go so far as some who declare that he looks and sounds just like the original. The accent is good but it's not exactly like the man himself (actually I think that Captain Scarlett and Fancy from Top Cat were both slightly better), also it rather comes and goes a bit. That, of course, could be deliberate given that one of the main themes is that the character Cary Grant was all an act. As for the visuals, from what I've seen Jason Isaacs looks nothing like Grant, but long hours in makeup have made him into a good imitation, most of the time. At other times he looks like Eddie Albert or Robert DeNiro.

One thing that keeps coming up about Grant is whether he was gay or not. That's not addressed here. It seems a bit unfair that his great chum Randolph Scott is sidelined to one small scene though.

I'm old enough to remember Cary Grant starring in numerous hit movies. I was vaguely aware that he came from an impoverished English childhood and was one of those movie stars who seemed to have a different spouse or girlfriend every time you read about them. So I binge-watched this limited series and was glad I did. Other reviewers have been disappointed that only one spouse, Dyan Cannon, was featured. However, to incorporate all the other failed relationships would have required multiple seasons and been a grueling experience! Since the poor guy really did have an absolutely horrendous childhood, it was no surprise that he had relationship problems in adulthood. In my opinion, his shrink should have spent less time with LSD therapy and devoted more energy to exploring the types of behavior and communication skills that lead to long-term, in-depth relationships. Archie had no decent role models from whom to learn! I thought all the actors did a good job of portraying the real people they represented. When I watch a biopic, I am not looking for a typical comedian's imitation of a celebrity, re-creating all of their features, body movements, exact voice, quirks, etc. Obviously a tall, thin actor would not look right playing a well-known person who was short and fat, or vice versa. However, past casting the basic "type", I appreciate a performance that captures the person's personality and essence, regardless of whether or not the actor is a physical dead-ringer.

Having read Dyan Cannon's book first, I was not as taken aback as many of the reviewers appear to be. The series is very much from Dyan's point of view and from her emotional stance. It portrays how she felt in various situations with Cary before and during their relationship. It's her story, not Cary's. Go into it with that understanding and you will enjoy the story for what it is. From his overcoming some traumatic situations in his youth, to using them to build a new character he could embody to protect himself, he learned how to cope with the expectations people had of him as an actor. He was not quite as successful though with coping with relationships, feeling very much like he always had to come on guard and leave before he could be abandoned. Bittersweet story that viewers may not appreciate if they have not read her book.

On screen he seemed like the perfect man and had a perfect life. Nothing could be further from the truth. He had a terrible childhood. He made a successful career but he understandably had his demons. He was a good man whose childhood affected him his whole life. Only when he became a father did he really find peace and happiness. He didn't feel like he had to make the most money or need any public adoration. He was comfortable being a father even though it came very late in life for him. I always liked him as an actor whether it was a romantic comedy or a dramatic thriller but I really came to respect him as a person.

The characterisations here are definitively subpar. No one looks or sounds like the people they portray, except for Laura Aikman, who looks quite a bit like and acts very much like her part. Therein lies the rub. Far too much effort to get that right that everything else fell by the wayside. The title is a misnomer, to say the least. It's not about Archie, it's not about Cary. It's about Dyan. It should have been called "Dyan, Me, Me, Me and the 6 years I spent with that guy to whom I've served up a narcissistic manipulation pie with a light sprinkle of powdered truth".

He said it best, everything is a confrontation to her. And every confrontation in this lifetime movie of the week is a character assassination for every acquaintance she makes. Everything that goes wrong is always someone else's fault. He does drugs, he sold the dog, he's overbearing and controlling, his mother is a beach, his biz partner is a time stealer. Despite all her obvious flaws, the production makes everyone else out to be the bad guy and poor misunderstood her. Every scene is manicured and curated to paint everyone else in a bad light, and even when you think that maybe there's a bit of balance here, it quickly turns to self-victimizing pandering, expecting the audience to be too stupid to see it.

An excellent study into the true character of a bitter ex-lover, but very little in the way of the person for whom we were duped into thinking it was about. It might think it's subtle, but it's not.