STORIES that are ‘ripped from the headlines’ have always been popular, and with the current age of streaming where there is seemingly a never ending torrent of content, they are as popular as ever. But now they come with big budgets, A-list casts and great writing.
These three new shows all tell the story of what’s possible when someone possesses an absurd amount of confidence or is blessed with the social intelligence of being able to read other people. The art of knowing what to say and how to say it can get you very far.
These shows also bring up the debate on how much dramatic licence should be used when telling a ‘true’ story. When you fit events that happened over the course of a few years into eight to ten episodes, things end up left out.
The Dropout
True crime stories tend to be about serial killers or more violent types of criminals. In recent years, perhaps reflecting the times we are living in, there’s been more of an emphasis on white collar or financial crimes. There’s no body count (usually), but plenty of lives end up ruined just the same.
For those unaware, The Dropout tells the story of Elizabeth Holmes, who not too long ago became the youngest female self made billionaire in US history. She had pioneered a revolutionary new blood testing technology that promised to change the healthcare industry. As a woman CEO in a male dominated space, hers was an inspiring story. Respected US political figures flocked to the board of her company, Theranos.
Unfortunately, it was all built on lies.
The new technology was just an idea that never made it past the prototype stage. The company was kept afloat by strident self promotion on the part of Holmes and layers of deception. People became so invested in the story of a young woman’s meteoric rise in Silicon Valley that they overlooked all the warning signs.
As Holmes, Amanda Seyfried gives a great performance. She captures Holmes' various ticks and quirks in a very human way. She is going for it, playing Holmes as a shy yet ambitious teenager who becomes a duplicitous and driven woman. The transformation from one into the other is remarkable, including changing her voice to sound deeper, and culminates with her wearing a black turtleneck, the imperious uniform of the Silicon Valley titan.
In her quest for validation, Holmes is supported by Sunny Balwani (played by Naveen Andrews), a Pakistani immigrant turned tech millionaire, who happens to be about twice her age. It’s not a typical relationship that’s depicted in media, but it is shown to be ultimately corrosive as they enable each other to make further and further moral compromises.
Besides them, the rest of the cast is stacked with some of the best character actors working today, like William H. Macy (whose prosthetics have been memed about a fair bit) to Stephen Fry to Laurie Metcalf, who are given moments to shine. That’s just the tip of the iceberg, and while some parts are bigger than others, the strong casting livens up every scene.
While The Dropout can be quite serious, it is also deeply funny in a lot of ways, and often very naturally. It’s not about jokes per se. Holmes herself is a very awkward character, and her attempts to be ‘normal’ are just bizarre and a source of uncomfortable laughter. At one point a middle aged executive sings along to Katy Perry during a drive to the office and that just brings a smile to my face.
For those familiar with the tale of Theranos, there might not be a lot of surprises, but for those unaware (as I was) it’s quite effective. The rise-and-fall structure of The Dropout is a very well-worn formula for a reason. Anchored by strong performances, great writing and a skilled approach to tone, there is a lot to recommend.
* The Dropout is currently available on Disney+ Hotstar, with new episodes available every Friday. Currently, six out of eight episodes have aired.
WeCrashed
Set in a similar entrepreneurial milieu, this time in New York City, WeCrashed – as the name implies – follows the quick ascent and rapid downfall of WeWork, a company who made mainstream the idea of shared office spaces, and that expanded to cities around the world in a relatively short order.
While it does not cover a business as inherently dangerous as The Dropout’s fake healthcare solution, it does show the gullibility of the rich and those aspiring to be rich to believe anyone who comes along with a good story, and more importantly knows how to make them more money.
WeCrashed might not (at least initially) come with a stacked ensemble as The Dropout, but it does feature an Oscar-winning pairing of Jared Leto and Ann Hathaway. While how the story plays out in the show is still up in the air (only three episodes are currently available), both actors have a lot to work with when it comes to their characters.
In the case of Leto, much like his recent role in House of Gucci he is hidden behind facial prosthetics (though nowhere near the same extent). He’s also speaking in an accent, specifically the Israeli accent of Adam Neumann, who is at the centre of this story. These choices take a bit of getting used to and you can never quite forget this is Jared Leto with a fake nose, but if you buy into it, it’s a very fun performance.
There’s a paradox to the character in that he seems so comically ridiculous, that there’s no way he can pull off his schemes, but he also possesses an overpowering sense of self confidence that he repeatedly powers through any opposition. He also knows what to say, when to say it and how to say it. Neumann can be charming and he can be manipulative in equal measure. The only question is whether there’s anything to him under the surface.
For Hathaway, this is probably the meatiest role she’s had in awhile, and it fits her strengths. The big thing about Rebekah Neumann is that she happens to be a cousin of Gwyneth Paltrow and is a less successful version in almost every way. Her acting career is floundering so she pivots to being a yoga instructor, but is constantly reminded of her inadequacies. Her marriage to Adam gives her the legitimacy she craves.
Together they build WeWork into not just a business but a lifestyle. At least that’s their stated intention. But they’ve been bluffing others and themselves for so long that they believe their own lies.
It’s called WeCrashed after all, so even if you’re not familiar with the details of the story, you can guess where everything is headed. Adam built a house of cards and though the extent of his success – at least in terms of making money – is quite remarkable, the end result is all but inevitable.
* WeCrashed is available exclusively on Apple TV+, with new episodes releasing every Friday
Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty
While those other two shows deal with enterprises teetering on the brink of collapse from the moment they are launched, Winning Time is about an unmitigated success story.
Set in 1979, professional basketball is in a sorry state, behind in the ratings to bowling and golf. Into this vacuum enters the flamboyant business playboy Dr Jerry Buss, played with verve and swagger by John C Reilly. He scrounges up whatever money he can to become the owner of the Los Angeles Lakers, with the goal of building a dynasty and an entertainment experience that transcends people’s notions of basketball.
He quickly butts heads with the establishment, as well as the staff of his own team led by the foul mouthed and ill-tempered Jerry West (a lot of Jerrys on this show), played by Jason Clarke, a legend of the sport who’s hit a wall. Buss is an outsider who needs to push through a lot of headwinds, and central to his mission is an exciting new player, Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson (newcomer Quincy Isaiah).
Winning Time has to thread the needle of telling a story that is exciting and interesting enough for people who have no knowledge or interest in basketball, while also being accurate enough that it doesn’t push away fans of the sport.
There are some conventional plot lines, especially with Magic, that are predictable but can’t really be changed because of the facts. Some personalities depicted on the show who are still alive have voiced displeasure with their portrayals.
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Instantly apparent within the first few seconds is the distinctive style of the show which attempts to ape the look and feel of shows from the time. There’s changes of film stock from shot to shot, freeze frames with character names in bold, and characters speaking directly at the viewer, among other tricks. This is easily one of the most divisive aspects of Winning Time.
An argument could be made that the story is a simple rags-to-riches tale and it needs an injection of style to make it more dynamic. Three episodes in and there is very little actual basketball, with most of the drama taking place in boardrooms and restaurants. The style at its best injects humour into a scene, but having this much might be too much of a good thing.
If anything, Winning Time is buoyed by its loaded cast. The show orbits around Dr Buss and Reilly is completely up for it, a carnival barker who is a lot smarter than he lets on. Though he’s best known for his variety of comedic roles, he is equally adept at drama and both sides are at play on this show.
It is in many ways a classic HBO show, with profanity-laden dialogue and gratuitous sex. It’s plenty entertaining, even more so if you are a fan with a knowledge of the real history. Outside of that, the show has an energy that’s unlike anything else.
* New episodes of Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty premiere on Mondays on HBO and HBO Go. – The Vibes, March 26, 2022
