Lupin is the most watched Netflix show in many countries of the world, including the U.S. Many people in the States are unfamiliar with the tales of Lupin; I know I was. In France, however, the fictional character Arsene Lupin is a Sherlock Holmes-like popular figure created in 1905 by Maurice Leblanc with 17 novels and 39 stories to his credit. The character has been brought to life in lots of productions on the big and little screens (including a Hollywood take in 1932 with John and Lionel Barrymore).
Omar Sy (Intouchables) plays Assane Diop, an immigrant from Senegal who is out to avenge the death of his father. It’s 25 years after that fateful event and Assane becomes inspired by a Lupin book his Dad had given him on his birthday as a child. He becomes the honorable thief as depicted in Lupin’s stories and takes on aliases based on anagrams of the name Arsene Lupin. There’s an element of Robin Hood here as he steals from the very wealthy and morally questionable, all part of the overall plan to make the man who was responsible for his father’s death pay. The show also has a James Bond flavor at times, however, Omar’s heists are decidedly low-tech and he is a family man, or at least tries to be. His ex-wife and son are a big part of his life (and yes, once again, we have a main character so caught up in their mission that he misses family occasions).
This is Assane’s show. You marvel at his charm. He’s a master of disguise and deceit sometimes vanishing in plain sight like when he becomes a janitor to gain entry into a facility. His ploy of delivering food on his bike is hilarious and the ultimate example of his trickery. No guns or violence, just outsmarting his pursuers. His confidence knows no bounds, such as breaking into the Louvre to steal a treasured item or getting himself intentionally into jail while never worrying about the getting back out part.
This is not your dark and gritty revenge thriller. It’s slick, shiny, and lighthearted. Almost comical at times in a good way. Some of the dialog and situations he finds himself in, and gets out of, are eye-rolling. Sometimes that would bother me more, but I could overlook it this time due to the show’s fun patina and charismatic swindler. The show doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Netflix automatically runs Lupin in English, so switch to French with English subtitles. The dub sounds lame, particularly with Omar, and hey, the show is French, about a beloved French literary character, and filmed in beautiful “par EE.” It’s a two-part series with five 45-minute episodes each. Part One is available now with Part Two available this summer. The cliffhanger ending of the first part is a great setup.
D² Rating ◼◼◼◩☐
Trivia ? – Omar Sy will reprise his role as Barry next year in the second part of this movie trilogy?
Answer: Jurassic World