12 May 2024

First Feelings re 'The Sympathizer' (the HBO miniseries, based off the book THE SYMPATHIZER by Viet Thanh Nguyen [2015])

Bon grapples with the Major, and in Park Chan-Wook style, the camera opens wide to a static shot that frames the entire stage of action. The Captain skirmishes around the car port wall as he and Bon beat a fighting Major. Headlights swipe over the scene, and just as the men are about to be revealed in the lights, an off-camera dumpster hides them in shadow. 

^..^

At first, based solely off of "RDJ Plays Multiple Roles In New HBO Miniseries 'The Sympathizer'"-type headlines, I thought it was so strange that RDJ playing multiple roles was newsworthy; and also, like, why wouldn't you just hire more actors? 

I thought nothing more of/about the show.

&then the bodybuddy/lifemate says to me one day, "You wanna try 'The Sympathizer'?," to which I quickly respond with an air of as if, "No," to which he responds, "It's that new Park Chan-Wook show," to which I respond, "What the fuck!," to which he responds, "What?," to which I respond, "Why wouldn't you lead with that? All I've heard about that show is how Robert Fucking Junior is playing 'multiple characters.'"

So, we started watching it, right then and there.

And after patiently watching episode one unfurl, I definitely understand that the production probably wanted to pay as few white actors as they could logically "get away with," etc. Genius. Also, RDJ sorta represents a certain type of white person, as a whole, and also, he fills in as the joke that all white people look the same to Asians, lol. 

^..^

I couldn't decide whether or not the Captain is gorgeous or hideous. I've decided that he's fucking gorgeous. *swoon*

^..^

The "Asian perspective" makes me feel so happy. I laugh so much in every episode. The humor is perfection, and I just love the scathing commentary being made on and about white people. It's so so good. *sighs* It's so so satisfying. I obviously wish I had read the book first, but I think it'll still be a great read, cause I can pore over the writing for myself. *drool*