Review: The Residence (Netflix)
REVIEW: THE RESIDENCE (NETFLIX)
There are many things to like and enjoy in The Residence, the new comedy series that recently debuted on Netflix. However, I also have some strong criticisms and a few reservations about recommending this otherwise fun caper to everyone.
The 8-part series tells dueling stories — before and after — of a murder that takes place inside the White House residence (primarily where the first family lives). It’s a “whodunnit” tale of mystery. Accurately billed as a romp dark comedy, I laughed out loud numerous times throughout. Think of the old board game “Clue”….meets mystery-writer “Agatha Christie”….meets the wackiness of stylish film director Wes Anderson. Did the crime take place inside the game room or the study; and was the murder weapon a knife or a candlestick? Everyone seems to have a motive for murder. Artfully speaking, it’s fantastic. The performances are all first rate. The story is compelling too, keeping us on the edge of our seats for more than eight full hours, which plays to a somewhat unsatisfying conclusion and revelation. I won’t divulge any specifics about the lackluster ending, but I didn’t think it delivered nearly enough of a final payoff given the considerable investment of time.
I won’t go into details about the plot or cast, which has a number of familiar faces — most notably Giancarlo Esposito (so wonderful as the villain in Breaking Bad) and comedian-turned-former-U.S.-Senator Al Franken (what else–playing a U.S. Senator). The real standout is the star, the DC Metro Police lead detective played brilliantly by Uzo Abuba (terrific in Orange is the New Black). She carries every scene with a steely determination reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot. She nails it.
Another point of praise: The opening 15 minutes of Episode 8 (the final chapter) is as great television as you’ll watch this year. At times, this murder mystery really gets bogged down in detail with so many suspects and moving parts, so the scriptwriter and filmmaker give the audience a summation of where we are now and how we got to this moment before the viola! final revelation. The synopsis is re-told showing each suspect, rehashing all the key evidence using simultaneous boxes. Think of the Woodstock movie footage boxes. Fantastic. I have a thing for boxes, and loved this flashback synopsis of the story, which is the best part of the entire series. Perhaps it’s because this segment was so well done that the remaining hour can’t possibly deliver a more satisfying ending. Watch and decide for yourself.
To the credit of everyone involved in what could have been a divisive mess, this film is largely apolitical. We don’t see any contemporary political leaders or Presidents. It’s mostly non-partisan humor, and key characters are among the White House staff of ushers, cooks, maids, and plumbers. I also really enjoyed the sprinkling of past presidencies into the story, when some historical references were needed, and those too were apolitical. Making something so generic politically, but also look and feel very real deserves salutation. Well done.
My criticism will surprise a few readers, especially given my own habits on language and the use of profanity. “The Residence” is utterly packed with profanity. Unnecessarily so. There are as many “F-bombs” in this series as a Tarantino or Scorsese gangster movie. I fail to understand why all the cursing was necessary. Sure, people who work in high places do curse like the rest of us. Nonetheless, this was so way over the top that I cringed on occasion. Fact: White House staff aren’t running around dropping F-bombs all the time, and certainly a place like the White House would require adherence to tradition and civil decorum. The story didn’t need this, and it detracts badly from otherwise crisp and wildly entertaining back-and-forth dialogue. I also rolled my eyes many times at ridiculous scenes, such as a foreign minister having sex with a chef under the Truman Balcony. Some other moments, too. This all might seem like nitpicking, but in a story with so much going for it with authentic sets and a bona fide police investigation, why muddle it with unforced errors? Perhaps some viewers will like this mad, mad, mad, mad world of the White House style. I didn’t.
Oh, and one glaring fissure of credibility: There’s no way a D.C. police detective would be given FULL CONTROL of the entire White House and effectively shut it down for days during a criminal investigation. It’s preposterous.
That said, I really enjoyed most of The Residence and recommend it to those who enjoy outlandish crime capers comparable to The Grand Budapest Hotel. If you’re willing to overlook some glaring flaws, there’s enough to watch and laugh along with–and Uzo Aduba alone is enough to make this worth seeing.
