LUPIN

This much talked about Netflix show is based on a series of books about Arsène Lupin, a fictional gentleman thief and master of disguise created in 1905 by French writer Maurice Leblanc.

Normally I am very skeptical of Netflix recommendations. Especially when they keep recommending the same shows over and over again. Or when they recommend me horror shows. But, I have a soft spot for France and decided to give it a try after reading about the show in TV trade newsletters. I have to admit that this series was refreshingly easy to watch. There are a lot of serious themes such as race, revenge, blackmail, false accusations, kidnapping, etc. But all of it is interwoven with a sense of fun, adventure and a very modern feel.

The most appealing aspect of the series is the lead actor, Omar Sy, who plays Assane Diop, aka Lupin. He grew up reading the Lupin books and incorporates the storylines into his real life. Assane’s father was falsely accused of stealing a valuable necklace and is sent to prison. He is manipulated into signing a confession and subsequently commits suicide. Or was it murder? There is a wide display of emotions as we learn more about Assane’s father. At times Assane is angry, but he always projects an extreme likability that makes this series work. The final episode of season 2 tested my sense of reality, but it was fun to watch how Lupin’s plan would play out. Stressful, but clear that everything would work out.

Omar Sy was in the movie Intouchables, released in 2011. Intouchables is a wonderful movie based on a true story about a paraplegic and his aide. There was a similar movie made in Hindi called Guzaarish with Aishwariya Rai. The Sea Inside with Javier Bardem was also based on the same theme, and is highly recommended. I’m not sure if these were official remakes but it is interesting to compare the different approaches and circumstances taken in each movie.

I imagine every culture has its fictional characters along the lines of Lupin. It’s a lot of fun to discover these characters that perhaps we would never have come across previously. The new emphasis on international content offers the opportunity to discover new characters, history, and sometimes even just random stuff! I hope more of these types of characters are brought to the TV screen in the future. And, I hope Netflix will continue to bring us more of the adventures of Lupin.