The Eddy (TV, 2020)

Creator: Jack Thorne

Stars: André Holland, Leïla Bekhti, Randy Kerber

Synopsis: A French club owner deals with the everyday chaos of running a live music venue in the heart of Paris.

Performances: 8/10
Screenplay: 5/10
Editing: 7/10
Cinematography: 7/10
Score/Soundtrack: 8/10

Verdict: Damien Chazelle hasn't been around for long but has already proven himself in such a way that I'll watch anything he's involved in, even if it's an eight-episode long limited series that garnered mixed reactions. His involvement in "The Eddy", which is the name of a small bar in Paris in which the events take place, isn't immense as he only directed the first two episodes and executive produced the rest but his signature jazzy approach to filmmaking is felt throughout each segment, and that's what makes it a recommendable watch.

I'll be honest, the Netflix show is probably my least favorite project he's been involved in, but that doesn't mean that it lacks any redeemable qualities. In fact, the immersive mood and amazing soundtrack (duh) are reason enough to at least give the first two episodes a try. The struggles faced by the characters, each of which are given one chapter to lay out, feel genuine, and it was very easy to sympathize and relate to them despite some of them not being as interesting as the others. Even the setting, which shows Paris as a city of diversity and culture is rather fascinating and very rarely shown in that manner before. The main issue I had with "The Eddy" came unfortunately with its uninteresting overarching story, which revolves around gang threats following some nasty involvements by one of the bar owners. The narrative truly felt out of place in a show in which I was enjoying myself most when it was at its most intimate, displaying the passion these characters have for music and the struggles that came from working in such a volatile line of work.

Even though I don't think it's going to be everyone's cup of tea, I'd definitely still recommend checking out at least the first couple of episodes. If you find yourself invested in the mood, characters, and soundtrack, then check out the rest.

FINAL GRADE: 6/10