HBO’s The Idol is the talk of the time and, creator Sam Levinson is making headlines for all the wrong reasons. The latest show on Max ended with a rather bizarre finale which seemed rushed and too twisted to be real. Additionally, the show has received a lot of negative remarks in regard to its screenplay which featured torture porn and abuse. Levinson, who co-created the show with The Weeknd and Reza Fahim also serves as the director for the show.
Strangely, it is not the first time Levinson has been facing a backlash from critics and fans. Euphoria Season 2 generated a lot of negative responses as it lacked character development and focused too much on skin-show. However, there’s more to the story. So, here we have a list of Sam Levinson movies and shows that are ideal for binge-watching due to a mixed bag of reasons.
Sam Levinson Movies and Shows to Binge
Malcolm and Marie
This 2021 release might just be the only film in the list we stand strongly for because of how well the film has been directed and, might just be Sam Levinson’s best film to date. A black-and-white romantic drama, the film came out during the COVID-19 pandemic and was watched widely. It stars Zendaya and John David Washington and the story takes place over the course of one night where we see a relationship power struggle unfolding between a writer-director and, his girlfriend after the premiere of his latest film.
Like much of Levinson’s works, the loud male gaze in the screenplay undermines the female presence in the film and, might just be the only negative thing about this movie. You can watch it now on Netflix.
Assassination Nation
Levinson wrote the screenplay for this film along with directing and is one of those few works by the director that is so visually enticing that you want to stick to watching it, although the characters are shallow and the screenplay does nothing extraordinary. The film features an ensemble cast that includes Odessa Young, Suki Waterhouse, Hari Nef, and Abra and, unwraps in the fictional town of Salem, where a computer hacker wreaks havoc after leaking personal secrets about the town’s residents.
Also Read: When and Where to Watch And Just Like That Season 2 Episode 4?
Euphoria
Possibly one of Levinson’s most renowned works, Euphoria, much like The Idol, was created by the director for HBO. The series is based on the Israeli miniseries of the same name by Ron Leshem and Daphna Levin and has steadily become one of the most-watched shows ever. In all honesty, Sam Levinson does an incredible job with the show’s first season as he introduces us to a drug addict teenager named Rue (played by Zendaya) and chronicles her struggle to get sober as he also explores the lives of different people Rue interacts with (friends, family and more).
However, the second season loses its sight in some sense becoming a teenage drama that runs on sexual content and does not prioritise its characters but rather objectifies them. Nonetheless, the series has been renewed for a third season. It boasts incredible cinematography along with good performances by the cast members such as Zendaya, Hunter Schafer, Sydney Sweeney and others. The show is currently streaming on Max.
Another Happy Day
Sam Levinson’s directorial debut, this 2011 family drama stands tall on the acting performances but, falls short when it comes to the direction and screenplay. With a 119 minutes runtime, the film takes place during a wedding where some touchy family dynamics are explored that triggers a series of uncomfortable affairs. The cast for the film includes Ellen Barkin, Kate Bosworth, Ellen Burstyn, Thomas Haden Church, Jeffrey DeMunn, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, George Kennedy, Ezra Miller, Demi Moore, Diana Scarwid and Daniel Yelsky.
Deep Water
Although Sam Levinson only holds co-writing credits for this film, the script is enough to make it very iconic of the director- a prominent male gaze telling you the story, villainizing the female lead. The film is based on the 1957 novel of the same name by Patricia Highsmith and directed by Adrian Lyne. Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas play the lead roles in this film which tells the story of a ‘good’ husband who allows his wife to have affairs to avoid divorcing her but, becomes the prime suspect when her lovers start disappearing. Stream the film now on Hulu.
Have you watched any of the above-mentioned Sam Levinson pieces? Let us know your thoughts about it in the comments down below.
Also Read: The Idol Season 2: Is HBO Planning to Renew the Sam Levinson Series?