Expats is a limited series created and directed by Lulu Wang (The Farewell) based on the 2016 novel, Expatriates, by Janice Y.K. Lee. Starring Nicole Kidman, it explores the lives of three American women living in Hong Kong whose lives become intertwined when tragedy strikes one of their families. Margaret Woo’s (Kidman) young son disappears while at a street fair ensnaring her best friend, Hilary (Sarayu Blue, Never Have I Ever), and young Korean-American woman, Mercy (Ji-young Yoo), in an intense, emotional plight. Hilary’s husband, David (John Huston, Boardwalk Empire), is having an affair with Mercy further complicating matters.
Relationships between the women, their husbands, and domestic workers highlight the dilemmas of expat life in Hong Kong. The relationships are spirited and ardent but also fated to be short-lived. Grief, loss, privilege, and class all impede the search for connection in a foreign land. The vibrancy of Hong Kong is on full display. The cast lives up to the tension of the dialog-driven drama. The double-length fifth episode shifts the spotlight from the main characters to “the helpers” and students amidst the civil unrest of the “Umbrella Movement.”
We’ve seen Kidman as the fragile, tormented upper-class housewife before (Big Little Lies, The Undoing, and Nine Perfect Strangers just to name a few of the more recent examples). I thought when Expats premiered in January 2024 that she had been ridiculously busy. Since then, she’s starred in three films and three TV programs. Don’t let Kidman burn-out keep you from viewing Expats. It’s not another spy or psychological thriller. It’s a unique and authentic depiction of Americans living abroad. And Kidman can always be counted on to deliver a poignant twist. The ending is an illuminating surprise as Margaret defies expectations and rejects closure.
(Expats, six episodes about one hour each, except for episode five, is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.)
D² Rating ◼◼◼◩☐
Trivia: Nicole Kidman has been nominated for Best Actress five times, winning once for what 2002 film?
Answer below
Answer: The Hours, for portraying Virginia Woolf.
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