MovieChat Forums > Low Winter Sun (2013) Discussion > Finally Some Spark.... Ann Arbor

Finally Some Spark.... Ann Arbor

posted 11 years ago by wheresgrant
5 replies | jump to latest

OK LWS... NOW you have my attention. Finally after eight meandering, sloggy episodes. For nearly 45 minutes I felt like I was watching another show. A show LWS could've been... a show LWS should have been! toward the end of the hour I realized why I was so riveted to the screen when in past episodes I'd be looking at my watch 35 minutes in. The answer: Mark Strong... and some really artful direction. His manic breakdown of his psyche (and heart attack) was mind blowing and the gut wrenching scene with his ex-wife was Emmy worthy. Why did it take this long for this show to creep from the bog. Honestly I hoped that Frank put a bullet in his head right there... in the living room. It would have been the perfect ending! Because what came next in 'Surrender' was a return to the same ham fisted delivery of every previous episode.

So Bravo to Ann Arbor which I grade an A+!
Surrender which I'd grade a B

And a C+/-B for the entire first season of Low Winter Sun.... a show with so much potential squandered by meandering subplots, ratty dialog and story delivered at a snails pace. I'd like to see this show return with some major retooling. Honestly I could watch Frank Agnew walk around with a GoPro POV cam for 45 minutes kicking over garbage cans and putting his gun in his mouth. It is far more interesting than Geddes, Maya, the memory of Katia or anything else this show tried to add to create some dynamics. As Breaking Bad proved story is important but delivery is prime. This show has a decent story... it needs to improve it's delivery.

PS... watching Boyd freak out was possibly the best scene in Ep 10. Too bad we didn't get more of David Constable. He brought bright light to very scene he was in.

[–] cj71378 11 years ago

It was a good episode, but I am unsure if its in my top 3. No way could the whole series have been like that.

And I love all the subplots. Sean was my favorite character.

[–] wheresgrant 11 years ago

Sean definitely turned into one of the more interesting characters on the show and his decision and fate (foreshadowed when he delivered the files to Frank "Judge Judy wasn't grabbing me so I read through your files") was a nice twist! I generally enjoyed the last two episodes and like the way they deconstructed Frank from this supercop into an empty shell of a man who was in love with a hooker who he didn't even know her 'real' name.

The show reminds me of the Killing in it's wasted secondary characters. We didn't have nearly enough Boyd. If he returns I hope he's unhinged looking to bring Frank down. Dani was great throughout the show as the 'moral' center. The conflict between Frank and Geddes was wasted. Shame but I was hoping for more development on this front. Lennie James spent most of this series sneering. Damon is gone and Maya could go right behind him. The underdeveloped 'war between Skeelos and Damon was underwhelming and that entire subplot mishandled. I saw the 'hit' a mile away... and although I was shocked at Damon's fate I felt immediately 'relieved' knowing his character won't return. No disprespect to James Ransome... he's a fine actor and did what he could with the material given.

[–] Okeelani 11 years ago

.....into an empty shell of a man who was in love with a hooker who he didn't even know her 'real' name."
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Good point. And it just dawned on me, during Frank's nervous breakdown, how much of a deal he made out of the bank not truly knowing who HE was after all that time--not even knowing his name. You're right, that whole 20 minute extended scene during Frank's breakdown is Emmy worthy. Even the little things....like when he was at the old, abandoned swimming pool, trying in vain to break the doors down to that building. So much intensity and emotion. That went beyond what most actors could do in a scene like that. And the scenes w/ his ex wife....absolutely masterful. Mark Strong may be my new favorite actor.

[–] wheresgrant 11 years ago

They gave Strong and entire episode and he let loose... and I decided at that moment I didn't care about the rest of the cast at all. He really deserved a better show. He's a phenomenal actor.

[–] DPatts 11 years ago

THe show has been so disappointing but they pulled it together for Ann Arbor because it was centered on Strong. And the scenes with his ex(Jennifer Ehle) were fantastic. Great work by both and if the show continues, I hope it continues in this vain.