Patrick Melrose - TV review
Patrick Melrose
Plot: This five-part limited series based on the acclaimed novels by Edward St. Aubyn, tracks Patrick Melrose from a privileged but deeply traumatic childhood in the South of France, through severe substance abuse in his twenties in New York and, ultimately, toward recovery back home in Britain.
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Hugo Weaving
Number Of Episodes: 5
Channel: Sky Atlantic (UK)/Showtime (US)
Certificate: 18 (drug misuse)
Air Date: May 12 - June 9, 2018
Benedict Cumberbatch's career has been a dream for any actor. He's appeared in Star Trek, starred as a Marvel superhero (Doctor Strange), been nominated for an Oscar, taken on the iconic role of Sherlock Holmes in an acclaimed television series and also featured in Zoolander 2 as a Transvestite model. Ok, so maybe that last role probably wasn't a highlight for Cumberbatch. But despite all of those prestigious roles, the one character that Cumberbatch had been longing to play was that of Patrick Melrose, an upper class British gentlemen living in the 1980s. The catch? To quote Patrick himself, he's a "narcissistic, schizoid, suicidal, alcoholic". Having briefly trained in acting myself, this is a dream role for actors and Patrick Melrose is unlike any show I've seen before.
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| Trying to conquer his fear of water wasn't going well. |
Based on the acclaimed series of novels by Edward St. Aubyn, this miniseries is an intense, personal and prolific character study about a man going through the worst life can throw at him. At only five episodes long, each episode felt like its own contained story but when tied together, flows like an intricately and emotionally woven tapestry about pride and its eventual fall, class wars and also abuse. Patrick Melrose isn't an easy watch due to its intense themes and subject matters not to mention, in the opening couple of episodes, Patrick puts Jordan Belfort (Wolf of Wall Street) and Lindsay Lohan to shame when it comes to drug use. Quaaludes, cocaine, heroin, maybe even the odd Calpol behind closed doors. No drug is off limits for Patrick. But the show is a lot more than dealing with addiction. Patrick's life is one of unimaginable pain and struggle as the second episode depicts a young Patrick visiting the family's French villa where everything that can go wrong, does. The five part structure for this miniseries is perfect. It's short, sweet and never outstayed its welcome. Each and every episode is remarkably unique and different in story yet still retains the same style and tone throughout. In the first episode, Patrick comes to terms with his father's death whilst also battling a terrifying addition problem resulting in meltdown after meltdown. We then move back in time to 1950s France as we follow young Patrick on his fateful summer holiday that is easily the most uncomfortable episode to watch. For the third episode, we jump forward again as Patrick begins a rehabilitation program but is faced with attending a party in which drugs and alcohol are practically on the menu. The final two episodes are the most emotional as it focuses on Patrick living a normal family life but hoping to keep out any inherited traits he might have received from his parents. For a show to balance all of these dark and harrowing themes and still find time to draw humour out of horrible and bleak situations, is a brilliant testament to the writing and directing.
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| Waiting for Avengers 4 like... |
FACT: In a 2014 Reddit interview, Benedict was asked by a fan what other literary character he would like to play as in a series. He answered 'Patrick Melrose by Edward St. Aubyn'. A few years later, he was cast for the role.
Patrick Melrose is Benedict Cumberbatch's greatest performance of his career so far and it's unfortunate that mainstream audiences probably won't give it a chance. Cumberbatch provides an unbelievable physicality to the role proving himself not to be just a talented actor in a dramatic sense but also have perfect comedic timing. One scene in particular, had Patrick crawling around the floor of a restaurant as he succumbs to the effects of Quaaludes. It honestly rivals Leonardo DiCaprio's crawl to his Ferrari in The Wolf Of Wall Street. But putting aside the outlandishness of Patrick and his uncontrollable urge to take every drug known to man, there's a complexity to him that Cumberbatch and director, Edward Berger, decide to unravel gradually over the course of the five episodes rather than in one unnecessary exposition dump. The mystery behind his pain and suffering keeps you intrigued and despite the fact that he is an addict to almost anything you can be addicted to, the more you learn about him, the more you want him to succeed. It's an irresistible charm that Cumberbatch oozes as you cheer for him one minute as he seems to be on the path to recovery, and then yell at the TV the next as he makes another stupid mistake. Whilst primarily being a vehicle for Cumberbatch, Patrick Melrose also turns in some excellent supporting performances. Hugo Weaving, who we all know can play a sensational villain, is chillingly unnerving here to the point where his antics and abuse towards Patrick became impossible to fathom, let alone watch. Weaving plays a brash, frustrated and disgusting old man that epitomizes everything wrong with misogynistic and abusive old men as his domineering voice echoes throughout the corridors of the French villa and also Patrick's mind. Starring as his equally unstable mother, Jennifer Jason Leigh does fantastic work as a tragic character that you root for but know, ultimately, she can never triumph. The only performance I didn't find that compelling and felt oddly out of place was Jessica Raine who frequently appeared as a source of temptation for Patrick and to lure him back to a world he was desperate to leave. We are supposed to dislike her character completely but Raine treated her role more like a cartoon character as she's often seen smoking the longest of cigars, making the crudest of comments and the strangest of suggestions in the hope of turning Patrick on her side. For me, it all felt a bit improvised as if there wasn't a clear direction for her character. Nevertheless, Berger directs the five episodes with a flourish if style and class. He utilises clever editing techniques as we jump back and forward in time, sometimes with a snap of the fingers, but also to depict Patrick's state of mind. He also ensures each episode suits the time period it's set in. For the opening episode, we are treated to many 1980s retro pop hits but as we travel to 1950s France, the soundtrack changes accordingly.
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| Catching the Uber home the morning after is always awkward. |
Patrick Melrose isn't inherently a television series. It's a five hour character study on the effects of abuse, addiction and class struggle. Cumberbatch gives the single greatest acting performance I've seen, not just from him, but of the entire year and deserves any award flung in his direction. The style and tone drive the series forward making a story that could have been depressing to witness unfold, an exciting, engaging and enthralling watch.
My Verdict: 9/10
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