I Told You I' m Cursed | Expats | Prime Video
# Expats: A Sobering Exploration of Grief and Displacement
Expats is a new Prime Video series that follows the lives of three expatriate women in Hong Kong who are torn apart by a tragic event. Based on the novel Expatriates by Y.K. Lee, the series is written and directed by Lulu Wang, the acclaimed filmmaker behind The Farewell. Expats stars Nicole Kidman, Brian Tee, Ji-young Yoo, Sarayu Blue, and Jack Huston.
## The Plot
The series begins a year after the disappearance of Gus, the youngest son of Margaret (Kidman) and Clarke (Tee), a wealthy American couple living in Hong Kong. Margaret is obsessed with finding her son, while Clarke tries to move on with his life. Their marriage is strained by their different ways of coping with their loss.
Meanwhile, Hilary (Blue), an Indian-American expat and Margaret's friend, struggles with her own marital problems. Her husband David (Huston) is having an affair with Mercy (Yoo), a Korean-American woman who works as a nanny and tutor. Mercy is also the person who was responsible for Gus's disappearance, a fact that haunts her every day.
The series alternates between the present and the past, revealing the events that led to the tragedy and its aftermath. It also explores the complex dynamics of the expat community in Hong Kong, where cultural clashes, social pressures, and personal secrets abound.
## The Themes
Expats is a series that deals with heavy themes such as grief, guilt, identity, and displacement. The three main characters are all women who are trying to find their place in a foreign land, while facing the consequences of their actions. They are also women who are expected to fulfill certain roles as wives, mothers, and friends, but who are often dissatisfied with their lives.
The series also examines the contrast between the privileged and the marginalized in Hong Kong, a city that is known for its wealth and diversity, but also for its inequality and unrest. The series is set in 2014, during the Umbrella Movement, a pro-democracy protest that challenged the political status quo. The series shows how the expats are affected by the social and political turmoil, but also how they are detached from the local reality.
## The Reviews
Expats has received mixed reviews from critics and audiences. Some praised the series for its ambitious scope, stunning cinematography, and excellent performances, especially from Kidman, who delivers a nuanced portrayal of a grieving mother. Others criticized the series for its slow pace, uneven tone, and lack of humor. Some also found the series to be too depressing and melodramatic, without offering much hope or redemption.
According to Rotten Tomatoes, the series has a 64% critics score and a 52% audience score. Here are some excerpts from the reviews:
- "Expats is a powerful but harrowing watch, an exercise in prestige-drama misery that’s best absorbed in small doses." - Clint Worthington, Roger Ebert
- "Expats unfortunately suffers from a feeling of sluggishness, with uneven pacing making these characters not the easiest to follow." - Flora Carr, Radio Times
- "Expats on Prime Video review: Nicole Kidman is mesmerising in this noirish psychological thriller" - Anna van Praagh, Evening Standard
- "Amazon Prime Video’s Expats review: Nicole Kidman leads an excellent cast in sobering exploration of displacement and grief" - Pradeep Menon, Moneycontrol
## The Verdict
Expats is a series that is not for everyone. It is a dark and complex drama that requires patience and attention from the viewers. It is also a series that offers a different perspective on the expat experience, one that is not often seen on screen. If you are looking for a challenging and compelling series that tackles relevant and universal issues, you might want to give Expats a try. You can watch it now on Prime Video.
I Told You I' m Cursed | Expats | Prime Video
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