Mystery – We Are Movie Geeks

THE HOUSEMAID (2025) – Review

Sydney Sweeney as Millie and Amanda Seyfried as Nina in The Housemaid. Photo Credit: Daniel McFadden/Lionsgate

Ho, ho, ho, Hollywood is coming home for the holidays. Oh, but what a home. The domicile featured in this new movie is exquisite, lush, the stuff of “house and garden” fever dreams. But the looks are indeed deceiving. That’s because some deadly, dark secrets are tucked behind those pricey but tasteful furnishings. No doubt countless weekly book clubs explored this when the literary inspiration for this new release came out just a little over three years ago. Now, it’s getting the full “studio movie” adaptation, with a screen vet and a sizzling “hot” rising star cast in the title role of THE HOUSEMAID.

That title refers to a young woman in her early twenties named Millie (Sydney Sweeney). She’s certainly at a crossroads in her life as she tries to find work, Any work, Why the rejections? We learn that she’s got a lot of “baggage”, namely a criminal record requiring her to check in with a parole officer who insists that she be employed. As the story begins, Millie is interviewing for the position of “general housekeeper (or that earlier title)” at a ritzy, right from the pages of “Architectural Digest” New Jersey estate. Quizzing her is the “lady of the house”, the gorgeous, blonde, refined Nina (Amanda Seyfried). After being told that the gig would involve cleaning, light cooking, helping with her ten-year-old daughter Cecilia (Indiana Elle), Nina bids Millie adieu, insisting that she’ll “be in touch”. Thinking that this was the “brush off” Millie hunkers down in her “beater” of a “home on wheels” for another long, cold night parked in an empty lot. Just as the cops tap on the car door, she gets a call from Nina offering the position. Millie zips over where Nina gives her the tour, taking her to the top floor location of Millie’s attic bedroom. Is this perfect, or what? Well, Millie meets the “master of the house”, Nina’s hunky hubby Andrew (Brandon Sklenar). No, no,no, she’s determined to keep things “professional”. But after the first night there, she gets a “front row seat” to a Nina “freak out”. This is the first of many scenes of erratic behavior from her, leading to threats of dismissal. Millie endures, needing to work, or it’s back to jail. But can she take the bizarre behavior and the unpredictable mania of Nina? And what’s up with the dark, brooding groundskeeper, the stoic Enzo (Michele Morone)? Could this dream home be the epicenter of a “nightmare manor” for Millie? And just what was her crime?

That “hot” darling of current pop culture is that “super-nova” Ms. Sweeney, who is given a chance to carry the dramatic weight of this tale. Though she burst out (I’ll not make a wardrobe comment), a couple of years ago, she’s bounced (watch it) from forgettable rom-coms to generic thrillers (though she did very well with a supporting role in ECHO VALLEY), she’s not gotten a real chance to test her star-power until this. Yes, Millie is often the victim that the audience frets over, but we also see her taking charge to find the truth. And she also embarks on a swoony forbidden romance, until Sweeney becomes a full action heroine. For much of the film she must hold the screen with the equally compelling charisma of Seyfried, whose Nina may be the “showier” role as she careens from sweet to unhinged with little warning, like a human pinball ricocheting off the tasteful-texured walls. With her wide expressive eyes, she draws us into the world of this pampered domestic diva, prepping us for another abrupt switch as we’re plunged into her own past. Sklenar is a slick, smooth charmer whose sympathy often feels too good to be true as he becomes Millie’s secret ally during Nina’s explosive displays. Morone emits a suave, sinister vibe as the terse gardener who seems to magically appear in Millie’s eyeline (yes, “jump-scares” a’plenty). Elle is also strong as the pouty, snooty rich kid who will not warm up to Millie, despite her efforts. Also of note is Alexandra Seal as Officer Conners,, a local cop who might just have a connection to the mysteries of the mansion.

Orchestrating all the over-the-top mayhem and machinations is acclaimed comedy director (the guru of that TV gem, “Freaks and Geeks”), Paul Feig. But he’s in a different “mode” here from the inspired hilarity of BRIDESMAIDS and THE HEAT. Instead, he’s diving into the sparkly “high class” camp of his thriller parody A SIMPLE FAVOR (and let’s erase that lackluster sequel from our memory, shall we) to create another homage to the classic “women’s pictures” of Hollywood’s “golden age”. Think back to that classic first film of THE WOMEN, where screen sirens “faced off” to fight for their desires (I guess there’s also a pinch of the Davis/Crawford dynamic from WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE). Here two extremely photogenic blondes battle for “the whole enchilada”, going just short of hair-pulling and punching (there’s some physical stuff in the finale). Plus, there’s even a take on the whole “rescued princess” fantasy that Feig expertly trashes. Speaking of, yes this is really good “high gloss” trash, a super-sized, souped up version of all the over-heated, soapy, sudsy, made for basic-cable TV thrillers, given a studio sheen. This superior silliness is lifted by Rebecca Sonnenshines’ juicy screenplay adaptation of the bestseller from Freida McFadden (guessing it was seen at last of beach pools over the last couple of summers). And with all the high fashion and furnishing, we still get a solid tale of strong ladies “gettin’ it done”. Speaking of, here’s hoping that these two are teamed once more (Seyfried and Sweeney certainly hammered that home in their press tour). During the cold Winter of somber Oscar hopefuls, take a fluffy, popcorn break with THE HOUSEMAID.

3 Out of 4

THE HOUSEMAID opens in theaters everywhere on Friday, December 19, 2025

WAKE UP DEAD MAN – Review

*Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. (L-R) Josh O’Connor and Josh Brolin in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. Cr. John Wilson/Netflix © 2025*

Enormously entertaining, WAKE UP DEAD MAN offers more than a good murder mystery, delving into the soulful with an ex-boxer priest, playing excellently by Josh O’Connor, seeking his own forgiveness and an unforgiving monsignor, played menacingly by Josh Brolin, with his own little kingdom in a Gothic church isolated in a rural upstate New York that feels straight out of “The Headless Horseman.” Rian Johnson’s third installment in his Knives Out mystery series may be his best yet, featuring his droll Southern detective Beniot Blanc, the two Joshes and a star-studded cast of supporting players including Glen Close, Andrew Scott, and more.

A murder in a church sounds wrong but in Rian Johnson’s capable hands it turns into the perfect place in a story that pits faith and love against power and evil. The Gothic setting lends itself well to the tale of long-buried secrets and hidden motives in this isolated, claustrophobic small community. But director/writer Johnson makes you wait a bit for the crime and the detective, focusing first on Josh O’Connor’s priest as he grapples with his spiritual journey, trying to put love at the forefront, and overcoming the rage that led to him killing a man in the boxing ring.

To help him in wrestling those inner spiritual demons, and to help the church to unravel the curious goings-on at a remote little parish, his bishop (an unexpectedly darkly funny Jeffrey Wright) gives the young priest his first assignment. Not to replace the mysterious long-time priest, a monsignor, at that ancient church but as to be the assistant priest, and perhaps figure out what is happening there.

Josh O’Connor’s priest starts out with a firm belief in the power of love but a more knowing eye for human failings, his own and others. He arrives at the ancient church, which looks more like it was transported whole, complete with churchyard graves, from old England than something in New England. Josh Brolin’s parish priest gives the newcomer a chilly greeting, insisting on being called monsignor, and immediately asking him to hear his confession, a scalding one that leaves the young priest staggering. The battle of the Joshes is on.

Rian Johnson spins out this tale brilliantly, crafting the characters and the mystery to draw you in, and adding plenty of humor and twists along the way. Daniel Craig’s detective arrives a bit late but from that point on, the film takes the brakes off for a wild, massively entertaining ride, while still keeping it’s good versus evil. Figuring out who is good and who is evil is part of the fun.

Reportedly, this is the last of Rian Johnson’s Knives Out mysteries, which is disappointing news if true. This mystery is the best of the series, demonstrating the elastic nature of the genre and showcasing Johnson’s considerable talent.

Of course, that is aided mightily by the wonderful cast, especially first-rate performances from Josh O’Connor, who is really having a year, and Daniel Craig, as the clever, quipping detective. Some of best moments are between these two, as the believer debates the non-believer, in dialog that is both though-provoking and entertaining. Who wants to see that kind of film-making come to an end?

WAKE UP DEAD MAN opens Wednesday, Nov. 26, in theaters.

RATING: 4 out of 4 stars

WEAPONS – Review

As we get past the majority of Summer (Two months down, one to go before Labor Day), perhaps we can cool down a bit from the still sweltering temps by taking a trip into some Halloween-like fare at the multiplex. Why not, since this big cinema season kicked off with the jazz-loving bloodsuckers of SINNERS, and the trick ‘r’ treat supplies are starting to take over lots of retail shelf space (really, Walgreens). And speaking of those lil’ “candy-demanders”, this new flick utilizes them for the frights. Yeah, the movies have been showcasing scary kids for many decades. Wow, those blank-eyed British tots for VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED were in my “nightmare rotation” long before Regan MacNeil spewed pea soup in THE EXORCIST. Now an acclaimed horror director has mixed terror tykes with some small-town scandal and a big-time mystery in (the title is another puzzler) WEAPONS.

A soft-voiced pre-teen narrator introduces us to the town of Maybrrok, USA. Everything’s “off” at the elementary school (grades kindergarten through fifth) since seventeen of the students in Justine Gandy’s (Julia Garner) class ran from their homes at 2:17 am and seemingly vanished into the night. No clues, no leads other than some front door security camera footage (eerily silent) of several fleeing in a weird way (arms sort of dangling dead at their sides). But Ms. Gandy still has one student left, the somber, stoic Alex Lilly (Cary Christopher). The police grill both of them, but they don’t provide any answers. The town’s parents aren’t satisfied with that and start hounding and harassing her, the loudest being home contractor Archer Graff (Josh Brolin). Flustered principal Andrew Marcus (Benedict Wong) tries to diffuse the tension, while Justine turns to booze, reality TV, and an old beau, now-married policeman Paul Morgan (Alden Ehrenreich). But he has to deal with a drug-addled, thieving drifter named Anthony (Austin Abrams), who might know something about those missing kids. Ditto for the eccentric elderly aunt of Alex, the brightly garbed and heavily “made-up” (think Bozo in a tracksuit) Gladys (Amy Madigan). Can any of these victims and suspects lead to the location of those dearly missed children? And what sinister forces compelled them to disappear?

Adding her considerable acting chops to another spooky scenario, Ms. Garner (fresh off the surfboard in the F4 flick) brings a compelling vulnerability to the shunned Ms. Gandy. But we see that she’s no quivering victim. Garner also gives her a tough outer shell as she ventures out of her comfort zone, rather than cocooning in her home or “hoteling” miles away, she stands her ground against her accusers. Yeah, she can “blow off some steam” as she ignites a “former flame”. Now, not all the parents of “the missing” are shrill harpies. Brolin projects another kind of strength that somehow remains despite her crushing grief, spending nearly sleepless nights in his boy’s bedroom. We also see the anguish taking a toll on his work. Then Brolin shifts into the proactive mode, as Archer uses his work skills to follow a chancy lead. As that “flame” Paul, Ehrenreich conveys a man on the “edge”, desperate to stay on the right path, but frustrated by not only the “kid case”, but having to deal with a now listless marriage, then trudge to deal with his father-in-law (the Chief of Police) at work. He aims some of that anger at Abrams, who brings a nice twitchy energy to the “small potatoes” criminal nuisance. Kudos to the strong performance by the gifted young Christopher, who makes Alex a sad enigma, briskly trudging to and from the school where he somehow escaped that chaotic night. Also quite good is Wong as the school’s overseer, pushing back against the panic while trying to hold in his own worries and concerns. The bravest, nuanced work may be from screen vet Madigan, who makes the clown-like Gladys a lot more than a senior citizen caricature, projecting a quiet, menacing mania in every encounter.

Following up his surprise horror hit from 2022, BARBARIAN, writer/director Zach Cregger, has cooked up a delicious premise, building on the remarkable visuals of the kids almost gliding from their cozy suburban homes into a dark oblivion. He keeps us on our toes with his non-linear storytelling style, relaying info in chapters named after the characters, shifting the timeline, and often repeating scenes from different angles and viewpoints. And as with most thrillers, he piles on the shocks with lots of nightmares, with “was that actually real” payoffs. Yes, the “jump scares” work without much of the usual reliance on sound mixing (though it’s good along with the cinematography that works well in both night and day). It’s such an inspired “how” and “whodunit”, full of tension and suspense, that the final act resolution doesn’t have the strength of the “setup” and the small town “sinning”. Without giving anything away, I keep wondering if the final moments were going for horror or for humor (it can be a thin line between the two), making me question the filmmaker’s true intentions. Sure, there’s nervous laughter early on, but the titters in the finale could have leaked over from the theater next door running THE NAKED GUN. Still, the big ending veers away from the now-standard “wrap-ups” in genre flicks, so that’s to be applauded along with the cast and the overall feeling of dread and gloom hanging over these cursed villagers. For fans of these flicks, it quickens the pulse, but a convoluted third act somewhat muffles the considerable “firepower” of WEAPONS.

3 Out of 4

WEAPONS is now playing in theatres everywhere

“Makari” Season 3 – TV series review

*A scene from the Italian light murder mystery series “Makari.” Courtesy of MHz Choice*

It’s been almost two years since I reviewed the earlier seasons of this light, charming Italian murder mystery series, “Makari,” set in sunny Sicily. I encourage you to read the prior reviews to refresh your memory (as did I), to better understand the players and relationships for this third season. Here’s the link to that review: https://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/2023/07/makari-season-2-tv-series-review/.

This round includes four separate cases, with some significant story arcs running throughout. The episodes are a bit longer than before – each about 2 hours – but the light tenor of the series continues. Peppe helps Saverio with everything, while providing the rest of us with the comic relief of his clumsy, overly-friendly puppy personality.

This year, Saverio is enjoying some success as a novelist, leading to his being offered a guest teaching position at a nearby school. The students couldn’t possibly be less interested in books at the start. But he, of course, wins them over. Suleima has completed her architecture studies and is working on a project for Saverio in their eponymous village of Makari. Their blissful co-habitation is threatened when an old beau of hers, Guilio (Eugenio Franceschini), suddenly appears with a sob story of failed romance that makes him turn to his former best friend for solace. He becomes a thorn in Saverio’s side throughout the season, as ulterior motives emerge.

In the first episode, Saverio is asked for help from an old girlfriend who is being sued by another of his exes; one of their husbands is killed, making the other’s a prime suspect. Suleima becomes suspicious that one or both of the women might still have the hots for her guy. In the second, the restoration of a nearby village leads to sharply divided factions among the locals on its direction; one side demands emphasis on historical purity; the other wants to create more of an active arts center. That results in one of the leaders gettin’ hisself kilt. Also, it starts to appear as if the foxy teacher Michela (Serena Iansiti) who recommended Saverio to the school may have more intimate aspirations.

The third is both the funniest and most irritating of the lot, as Suleima’s parents arrive unexpectedly to also stay in their house. Her overbearing dad still thinks of Giulio as the son he never had, and the son-in-law he should have had, fawning over him endlessly, while criticizing and nitpicking at everything about Saverio. That drags on alongside a vendor’s murder at a major book festival. The last episode takes place at a swanky spa that may not be the miraculous new-age health and healing operation that it purports to be. Naturally, while our little crew of protagonists is there, a doctor turns up dead. As has happened several times in the series, Saverio first has to convince the cops that it wasn’t an accident before working towards a solution.

As before, the series thrives on Saverio’s easygoing charm and Peppe’s levity, plus the rocky course of his love for Suleima. The mystery element continues to remain well-written, maintaining suspense throughout each. No need to binge, but watch them in order to follow the course of several relationships. By the end, you’ll likely join me in hoping for a fourth season.

“Makari” Season Three, mostly in Italian with English subtitles, begins streaming on MHz Choice on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.

RATING: 3 out of 4 stars

“Off Track” – TV series review

*Sara Mortensen as Elsa, in the French mini-series “Off Track.” Courtesy of MHz Choice*

The 2023 six-hour miniseries from France, “Off Track” (originally, “L’abime”) delivers a truly suspenseful tale in an unfortunately bloated package. Elsa (Sara Mortensen) and Laurent (Gil Alma) have been happily married for 20 years, apart from enduring the bitchiness of their teen daughter, Lucie (Marie Mallia). At least that’s how it seems until Elsa vanishes without explanation, and dead bodies start littering the landscape. After a frantic search for the first couple of episodes, Elsa turns up, as she must since she’s the friggin’ star of this show.

Gradually we learn that Elsa wasn’t always Elsa, and that her bio before Laurent was considerably different from what she’d told him. The truth unfolds slowly throughout the rest of the series, aided by a slew of flashbacks. Elsa suffers nightmares about the death of a boy that have her plagued with guilt. She’s also constantly in conflict with Lucie over every sort of thing that occurs. When it starts to seem as if Elsa has dark secrets from the past, and may be killing a couple of guys in the present to keep concealing her true identity, the energy level picks up. Was she a criminal? Fleeing from an abuser? In France’s version of Witness Protection? Amnesiac? Psycho? Disclosing more about the plot and the players would spoil key parts of the mystery. Suffice it to say that the tale is intricate and keeps one guessing to the end.

Mortensen’s performance is compelling, creating a bouncing ball of empathy vs. suspicion throughout. Coline Bellin, who plays Elsa in the flashbacks to her teen years, also delivers the goods. The whole cast does well in filling their variety of roles, from overly judgmental cops to sympathetic friends, among others. The rural and small-town scenery is another plus.

The only negative – a big one for me, but perhaps less so for others – is that it feels 50% longer than need be. Tighten this to four episodes and it’s a winner, without losing any plot-moving or story arc essentials. But binge-ers who prefer leisurely tales to nestle in with during their viewing hours may find the slow pace a comfy fit.

“Off Track,” in French with English subtitles, begins streaming on MHz Choice starting Tuesday, Apr. 15.

RATING: 2 out of 4 stars

*Sara Mortensen (Elsa) and Gil Alma (Laurent), in the French mini-series “Off Track.” Courtesy of MHz Choice*

“Lake Trilogy” TV Series Review

In the past several years, I’ve reviewed a bunch of TV series – mostly crime dramas – from many European countries. Here’s my first from Slovenia. “The Lake Trilogy” is a collection of three miniseries (“The Lake”, “Leninov Park” and “Valley of Flowers”) following veteran police detective Taras Birsa (Sebastian Cavazza) and his team through an array of homicides and major crimes in their city

The first is six 50-minute episodes; the others are only three. Each set features a new case (or set of cases) with mostly the same cast on the law-and-order side.

The package reminds me of our Harry Bosch series. Both are led by gray-haired, street-savvy cops, usually in a dour mood. Both have grown daughters and romantic complications in their lives. Both have contacts outside the department who help our heroes because of respect earned earlier in their careers. Both also start as cops before winding up as private eyes, due to frustrations with “the system” and unreasonably intrusive bosses hampering their efforts. One major difference is that Birsa relies on his squad more than Bosch, providing a broader protagonist base, and lightening the mood a bit.

As ”The Lake” opens, Tina (Nika Rozman) is imposed on the existing unit of Taras, Brajc (Gregor Cusin) and Osteric (Matej Puc). She’s got computer skills but little field experience, which makes Taras skeptical about her value. As the title suggests, a young woman’s body is found at the lake shore, nude, decapitated and unidentifiable. It takes several episodes just to ID the body, during which other killings occur and several possibilities evolve of connections and motives among them. Passion or profit? One perp or more?

“Leninov Park” picks them up several months later, switching the scenery from snowy winter to sunny summer. A bag lady is shot in the head in a park near the police station, raising questions of whether it’s due to a personal conflict or a hate crime, and embarrassing the department, either way. Neo-Nazis maybe in the mix.

The third, “Valley of Flowers”, involves the triple homicide of an old rich guy, his hot young wife and her lover, just as Taras is starting his new career as a private detective. That unfortunately lands him in the suspect pool.

Locations in and around the capital city of Ljubljana make fine use of the mountains and environs in this northwest section of the former Yugoslavia. All the scripts are well written, keeping the suspense alive until the end. The pace is somewhat slower in the first set than in the latter years. None are long on shootouts or fights, as the stories mostly unfold on mood, logic and character development.

The personal stories of the principals are intertwined well with the crime plots, steering clear of soap opera overload. No annoying cliffhangers, but not all end with tidy wrap-ups of the subplots. You don’t need to binge, but watch the sets in order for ongoing plot threads and recurring characters to make the most sense. Some questions remain that tease a tetra-logy extending the trilogy. The last aired in 2022, so hope remains for another round.

“Lake Trilogy,” in Slovenian with English subtitles, is available streaming on MHzChoice starting Tuesday, Oct 22.

RATING: 3 out of 4 stars

MIDNIGHT TAXI – Review

*A scene from MIDNIGHT TAXI. Courtesy of Slated*

First of all, if you’re a vintage film buff who has already seen 1937’s MIDNIGHT TAXI, this new movie one bears no similarity beyond the shared name. This is a surreal indie drama featuring Eddie (Ladi Emeruwa), a London cabbie who likes the night shift with its relatively light traffic. After dozing off in his cab, he awakens to find a murdered woman lying on the street in front of him. After that, he’s so haunted by the memory and the cops’ seeming indifference to finding her killer that he begins his own obsessive investigation.

The rest is a suspenseful ordeal with a few wrinkles and twists. One cop seems hell-bent on blaming Eddie for the crime. We gradually learn more about Eddie’s past and psychological issues that blur the picture for him and the viewer. There are a few moments of peril and violence but it’s mostly conversations with passengers and others that fill the screen. Co-writers/directors Bertie and Samantha Speirs keep the mystery up in the air to the end, while fleshing out a protagonist to root for, even as his good-guy nature becomes questionable.

The surreal part is that there’s hardly any traffic on the roads or the sidewalks in this dense urban setting. Ever. Eddie’s cab is usually the only vehicle in motion. Most of the people on foot are a handful of hookers plying their trade despite the dearth of passersby to solicit. Presumably, budget was a consideration in how to fill the frames but the result is a product that looks like they crept onto film set exteriors after shooting of the studio’s movies wrapped for the day. That does have the benefit of adding an eerie mystique to the proceedings that might have been an artistic choice, rather than financial. But the ending comes so abruptly that it reinforces the thought that they may have been running out of time or money. Even so, it’s an interesting story in a tight little package.

MIDNIGHT TAXI is available in digital formats and VOD starting Tuesday, July 23.

RATING: 2 out of 4 stars

“Captain Marleau: Wind and Tides” – TV series review

*Corinne Masiero as Capitaine Marleau. Photo Credit : Josée Dayan. Courtesy of MHzChoice*

MHzChoice has already imported almost four full seasons of the light-hearted French crime series, “Captain Marleau.” This upcoming release “Captain Marleau: Wind and Tides (Entre Vents et Marees)” is the two-part, three-hour pilot that hadn’t been part of the previous packages. For newbies, Marleau (Corinne Masiero) is a Columbo-esque itinerant police detective who goes from village to village to solve their latest murder(s). She drives in looking almost homeless, and plays the fool to mask her considerable skills. She also dissembles with irreverent wisecracks, annoying the witnesses and suspects while delighting viewers, and learning more than she would with straightforward questioning. Each episode is a new crime in a new locale with a mostly different cast, so the way she flusters the local cops just meeting her provides a reliable source of humor.

For series devotees, the pilot may have more historical than entertainment value. That’s because there’s less time with Marleau on camera, and less of her sarcastic, self-effacing wit than we’re used to from the further episodes. It’s not like an origin story, since there’s virtually nothing about her past in the script. But my impression is that the writers and producers had yet to realize what a unique comic gem they had in their star. Two of the opener’s four credited writers only did this one. The slew of writers throughout the rest, including Masiero in many, mined the comedy gold within her to much better avail.

In this beginning, Marleau’s unkempt hair is darker but her overall look is the same. She rolls into a quaint fishing village during a raging conflict over its future. The mayor and her hubby are pushing for a massive overhaul of the harbor and surrounding area to create upscale tourism. The plan includes a yacht-friendly marina, resort hotel and casino. The downside is that it would also crowd out the fishermen, who had always provided the city’s economic and social foundations.

The up-graders’ plans are obstructed by the irate locals, with particular focus on two families – one rich and titled; the other working-class – whose homes are on pieces of land essential to the massive project. A seemingly pertinent murder brings Marleau to town to head the investigation. The inevitable mare’s nest of motives and suspects swirl, while we observe the machinations of the property players. There are some surprises and twists along the way. We see more of Marleau’s usual shrewdness but much less of her edgy, Doctor House-like sarcasm and disdain.

So fans should slightly downscale expectations, and newbies should know that if you kind of like what you see, the best is yet to come. This 2.5-star rating is a bit lower than what I’ve given the previously-reviewed 30-plus episodes already streaming on the MHz site, in which Marleau became my favorite French TV sleuth not named Captain Sharif (that full series also available on MHz). The only reason for that is less face time for the star than they soon learn she deserved.

“Captain Marleau: Wind and Tides (Entre Vents et Marees),” in French with English subtitles, is available streaming on MHzChoice starting Tuesday, July 23.

RATING: 2.5 out of 4 stars

“Fosca” Season 2 TV Series Review

*A scene from the Italian TV series “Fosca.” Courtesy of MHzChoice*

In the first season of “Fosca Innocenti” we followed the light mystery adventures of the eponymous Deputy Police Chief (Vanessa Incontrada) and her mostly-female team of detectives in the picturesque Tuscany city of Arezzo (where the series is filmed). Each of the four 100-minute episodes presented a different case, with ongoing subplots for the principals. Some were romantic. The major one was Fosca’s barely-repressed desire to transcend her lifelong Friend Zone status with Cosimo (Francesco Arca). But the charming café owner was planning to emigrate to the U.S. for a major career advancement, further reducing her odds of securing that upgrade. The scripts were appropriately suspenseful while developing a likable set of protagonists and making fine use of the beauty of the setting. For a unique element, Fosca’s acute, almost canine, sense of smell helps solve the crime in many of the episodes.

At the end of Season One, it looked like Fosca and Cosimo just might become a couple. Season Two picks up from there, with the two seeming blissfully happy, nestled into the magnificent estate she’d inherited from her adored father. But how dull would that idyllic state be for another quartet of adventures? Impermissibly is the answer. That’s when Lapo (Giovanni Scifoni), Fosca’s beau from 20 years earlier, shows up with a deed indicating that her dad had signed the property over his dad! Lapo’s coming home after a long absence to claim the mansion, grounds and contents, forcing her out so he can list it for sale. It soon becomes apparent that his underlying agenda is winning her back with a combination of this leverage and triggered nostalgia.

But wait! There’s more! Rosa (Cecilia Dazzi), the married member of the team, discovers that her long-term hubby is cheating on her. Lesbian Giulia (Desiree Noferini) runs through a handful of affairs, of which one is particularly frustrating. Pino (Francesco Leone), the only guy in the crew, finds himself torn between his fiancée who has moved to Sicily, imposing a difficult long-distance romance, and Rita (Caterina Signorini), the cute new member of the staff, who also seems drawn to him.

As for the crimes, the first involves a bride fallen or pushed from a window hours before tying the knot with the owner of a large vineyard. The second centers on a seamstress murdered in a dress shop, exposing a mare’s nest of secrets from her past, greatly expanding the suspect pool. The third gives us the attempted murder of Fosca’s neighbor and close friend, from which a successful offing ensues. The fourth puts us in the middle of crimes among those in the perfume industry occurring during a major trade show.

For Season Two, the producers switched to a different writer and director from those who crafted the first. It shows. This round shifts the running time balance considerably more to the personal stories than the subject crimes they’re solving. Depending on your preferences, that could be a plus by getting deeper insights about, and empathy with, the set of protagonists; or you might think their cluster of romantic story arcs veers too heavily into soap opera territory. There’s little nudity or on-screen violence, making the melodrama more prominent.

The season ends with reasonable closure for all the plot threads, making the package satisfying as an intact miniseries, if it’s over. Since it aired only last year, it’s still early enough for the cast to be around for a Season Three. I’d welcome it – especially if they return to more time for the crime.

“Fosca: Season 2,” in Italian with English subtitles, is available streaming starting Tuesday, June 18, on MHzChoice.

RATING: 2 out of 4 stars

WICKED LITTLE LETTERS – Review

*Olivia Colman as Edith Swan in ‘Wicked Little Letters’ Image: Parisa Taghizadeh. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics*

WICKED LITTLE LETTERS is one of those truth-stranger-than-fiction tales that remind us that people are weirder than we might think. Director Thea Sharrock opens her comedy/mystery tale with text informing us “more of this is true than you might think,” a comic mystery about on the sudden appearance of anonymous obscene letters sent to various residents of a quiet of early 1920s little British seaside town. The first victim is Edith Swan (Olivia Colman), prim and proper religious spinster who still lives with her parents, and who embodies the last-gasp of the Victorian era ideal of a quiet obedient woman against those uppity women demanding the vote. Suspicion quickly falls on Edith’s neighbor, a foul-mouthed new arrival from Ireland, Rose Gooding (Jessie Buckley), who has a daughter Nancy (Alisha Weir), and a live-in Black boyfriend Bill (Malachi Kirby), but who also frequents pubs, listens to jazz, and pretty much does and says what she likes.

While the male police force are only to happy to assume the foul-mouthed Irishwoman is behind the letters, the one woman on the police force,Gladys Moss (Anjana Vasan), is more suspicious. For one thing, the letters using more educated language than one might expect from the plain-spoken Rose, and the fancy handwriting seems not to fit either. However, Moss’ doubts are dismissed by the sexist, dim-witted male police, and she is told to stick to her assigned duties, providing emotional support for female crime victims or witnesses.

WICKED LITTLE LETTERS is a comic romp in a 1920s little village where part of the fun is in its true-story basis and the early feminist tables-turning. We actually do hear several of the “wicked little letters” read aloud, and they are funny, quirky, and surprisingly more obscene little personal insults than you might expect, and of a nature we won’t repeat here. They get a laugh, at least the first few times we hear them, which is often enough to get a bit repetitive.

The biggest delight are Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley, who are deliciously funny in all their scenes together. Colman and Buckley play off each other brilliantly whenever these two characters encounter each other. Despite what you expect, the characters actually kind of like each other, and even started out as friends, when the lonely, religious Edith decides to befriend her new neighbor Rose, thinking to bring her into her church circle, but instead discovers the strong-willed Rose’s capacity for salty language and humor.

The cast is filled with other gems, including Emma Jones as Edith’s devout, meek and kindly mother, and her more overbearing, bullying father, played by Timothy Spall in a rare more negative role. Edith’s father rails against the suffragettes fight for the vote as if it is a personal insult to manhood and demands complete obedience from his daughter. Among the women joining the police officer in her investigation are a trio of the over-looked and off-beat, Mabel (Eileen Atkins), Kate (Lolly Adefope) and Ann (Joanna Scanlan).

The comedy is broad, all the men are dumb and all the women are smart, but it is a lot of fun to watch, especially any time Colman and Buckley share the screen. Anjana Vasan as “Woman Police Officer Moss” as she is always called, is good too, a real expert at eye-rolling, and the rest of the cast add their bits too. Solving the mystery is less the problem than gathering the proof, which the script by British writer/comedian Jonny Sweet milks for humorous switches and near-misses.

WICKED LITTLE LETTERS is just a romp of a comedy, based on a true story set in a time when gender roles were bending and new possibilities opening, and featuring hilarious performances, especially from Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley in hilarious verbal sparring matches.

WICKED LITTLE LETTERS opens Friday, Apr. 5, in theaters.

RATING: 3 out of 4 stars

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: