English Abstract

The Romanovs is a series co-written and directed by the creator of Mad Men, made up of eight independent films of about an hour and a half in length (barely linked by any mention or minimal reappearance of a character), characterized by being starred by some supposed descendant of the Russian imperial family, which covers a wide variety of registers, genres, narrative structures, themes, locations and casts that in some cases have big stars.

English Review

The Romanovs is an ambitious series co-written and directed by Matthew Weiner, creator of Mad Men and author of two seasons of The Sopranos.

It is actually made up of eight independent films of about an hour and a half in duration (barely linked by any mention or minimal reappearance of a character), that happen today, which can be seen in any order and are characterized by being starred by some supposed descendant of the imperial family Russian.

The “chapters” (which could be seen in any order) cross a wide variety of registers, genres, narrative and thematic structures, take place in different cities (from Paris to Hong Kong and Vladivostok) and each one has its own cast, in some cases with big stars.

Each chapter has a partly surprising and sometimes non-linear development, so it is not convenient to advance their plots much.

The genres are family drama, comedy, thriller, fantasy, police, even with changes within the same chapter and metafictional irruptions.

Among the topics addressed are (in disorder and without exhausting them): family abandonment, loss, frustrated fatherhood and motherhood, cultural and class clashes, rivalries in the entertainment world, illness, adultery, the power of rumor, gender identity, trust, show and editorial business, journalism.

As expected, the quality and interest of the chapters are uneven, but in all there is a welcome intention to tell a story, cinematic level, very good performances, beautiful or interesting locations and fortunately none falls into the lightness and cool tone of Modern Love, for example.

At least four of the chapters are very good: the first, with a sophisticated sense of humor (and a huge performance by Marthe Keller), the second, for its development and changes in weather, the last, for its sophisticated narrative structure and the seventh, perhaps the best and most moving, about a married couple traveling to Vladivostok, for the original, disturbing and oppressive way in which it addresses its theme. Some will surely prefer the chapter about a film, perhaps the most ambitious, for its cast and its gender drift.

I dare to say that these chapters surpass several hot movies on Netflix.