Sugar is certainly one of the more interesting tv shows to come around in a while -- even though the big plot twist is foreshadowed a little too much if you're paying attention, and even though the actual plot line is skimpy. What works is the acting and the direction. First, Colin Farrell is one of the few actors whose presence screams Movie Star. He takes up the entire screen when he's in it, and no matter what the scene is, and no matter how many people are in it, it all belongs to him. It's too bad he hasn't had great luck finding projects that allow him to shine like this show does. And the other actors are all excellent as well, especially the great James Cromwell, who rarely seems to appear in a bad production. Even the dog is a terrific actor.
Also wonderfully done is the homage to the noir films of the 40s and 50s, interspliced in the film in a way that instead of seeming pretentions seems exactly like they belong there. Really fun to watch and try to identify each movie.
What's weakest is the plot. The twist (every noir film has to have at least one) is inventive and fun, but the actual story line that threads through the show is weak and feels as though it was added when someone said, Hey, we forgot a plot! But other than that, which isn't a small issue, this is a show worth watching mostly because the odds are great you haven't seen anything else like it.
Also wonderfully done is the homage to the noir films of the 40s and 50s, interspliced in the film in a way that instead of seeming pretentions seems exactly like they belong there. Really fun to watch and try to identify each movie.
What's weakest is the plot. The twist (every noir film has to have at least one) is inventive and fun, but the actual story line that threads through the show is weak and feels as though it was added when someone said, Hey, we forgot a plot! But other than that, which isn't a small issue, this is a show worth watching mostly because the odds are great you haven't seen anything else like it.
