It is very rare that a series leaves me breathless upon completion, and as such I never feel it deserves a review. However, as my heart continues to pound in my chest, I’ll be happy to make a delightful exception.
The Night Manager is a wonderfully done mini-series based on a novel by John le Carré sporting the same name, which originally aired on BBC One before jumping the pond and airing on AMC. As of May 25, the series has concluded, leaving audiences with mixed feelings of excitement, satisfaction and disappointment. Disappointment only because we seriously want more.
The show features Tom Hiddleston as Jonathan Pine, a former soldier of the British military, and Hugh Laurie as Richard Roper, international arms dealer and all around bad guy. Joining them on the screen are other brilliant actors such as Tom Hollander, Elizabeth Debicki, David Harewood, and of course, Olivia Colman.
In the middle of an Egyptian revolution, Pine’s life of simple night manager at the Nefertiti Hotel is suddenly turned upside down when he’s inadvertently brought into the middle of an arms trade, featuring enough weapons to not only start a war, but keep it going for decades to come. Pine proves he has a heart of gold, and fueled by the need for vengeance he joins forces with a small group of British intelligence officials headed by Angela Burr (Olivia Colman) to do the impossible: Bring down the most evil man in all creation.
This show has it all: Love, action, suspense, drama, and multiple views of Tom Hiddleston’s behind. Oh, and explosions. Lots of explosions.
Many reviews will go on to tell you details about the show itself, including plot points and spoilers. This will not be one of those reviews, as I very much want each and every one of you readers to watch it in its entirety and be just as surprised by it as I was.
What I will tell you is I was a bit unsure about it during the first 15 minutes, as the series begins rather slowly. At 16 minutes, I knew I was in love with it and craved more. Each episode leaves the viewers sitting on the edge of their seats, and by the time the series concludes you’ll be breathless. Not only was The Night Manager beautifully shot, locations ranging from Cairo to various locations in Switzerland, but it was immaculately cast.
Colman plays Angela Burr with such perfection, you’ll often times wonder where real life ends and the acting begins. With haunted eyes, and a stubborn attitude, she manages to not only hold her own in a male dominated government agency, but also outsmarts them. All while very much pregnant.
Tom Hiddleston as Jonathan Pine, a young man with an old soul who has seen what war can do, proves he is as driven as he is clever. With every grin and passing moment, the audience is never quite sure which side he’s playing.
Hugh Laurie as Richard Roper, an evil man lacking in a conscience and a reputation that would make even the devil nervous, captivates audiences with his smug smile and nonchalant attitude. The truly frightening part about this character is not what he’s capable of, but the fact that even knowing what he can do, he can still make you fall for him. Richard Roper, with all of his charisma, plays on the fault of the human condition.
I could go on and on about this show, tell you how I was holding my breath through the finale, or cried with Angela as she describes the incident which drives her to catch this man, but why tell you when you can see it all for yourself. I urge you, my faithful readers, to go out and find The Night Manager. Buy it if you must, because I promise you…this is money well spent.
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