| Creator | Mark Protosevich |
| Director | Fernando Meirelles |
| Writers | Mark Protosevich, Donald Joh, Sam Catlin, David Rosen |
| Cast | Colin Farrell, Kirby, Amy Ryan, James Cromwell, Anna Gunn, Dennis Boutsikaris, Nate Corddry, Sydney Chandler, Alex Hernandez |
| Episodes | 8 |
| Genre | Crime, Drama, Mystery |
– No Spoilers –
Colin Farrell’s Sugar is a beautifully made genre-bending series that will leave you stumped till the last moment that it plays. It follows a detective fighting his own demons as he tries to find a young abducted woman from an affluent family. Soon, he runs into several obstacles that make him question everything that he has worked for until then and leave him reeling from the loss that he experiences in the end.
Farrell’s grungy detective is nothing short of amazingly done, so much so you want to follow his every move at every moment. Dark, grisly and utterly mind-boggling, Farrell’s thrilling watch keeps you at the edge and makes you ponder over and over again about the truth, the dark secrets of the past and the horrible things that human beings are capable of. Making us question the morality of our species, the series is tense but takes it slow, leaving us questioning things as John Sugar rides off into the sunset to end scores with his nemesis.
There is a familiarity and nostalgia with this series and its editing is so good that even when things get chaotic and bizarre, you don’t feel like it’s happening out of the realm of possibilities or even that it comes out of left field. Throughout the runtime of the movie, we get no inkling of the shocking revelations that are about to hit us in the last few episodes and although they do subtly hint about them, the insanity that is Sugar’s life will almost never let you make the connection. Only after you get all the facts will you be able to get two and two together.
That being said, I am certain that a lot of people might not be receptive to the crazy plot twist, which I totally get. For someone who loves the genre, I was left absolutely baffled at first but warmed up to it eventually, even getting the point of the series and the characters and how everything ties together. Although I will keep this review spoiler-free, I must say that anyone who wants to spice up the old detective genre will find this watch appealing.
The series’ general tone reminded me of Tails Noir, a role-playing indie game, and now that I really think about it, a dystopian version of Vancouver makes sense in my mind when it comes to the series as well! There’s something very familiar about the series and Farrell’s voiceover is consistent and ever-present throughout the runtime and makes things stick together. The action sequences, peppered in between long moment of no action, are smooth and engaging and will leave you hooked.
Horror lovers who love blood and gore, there is some of that for you as well – it looks great and doesn’t look fake for the most part. Plus, the horrific realities that come out in the end will make your blood run cold. Although the revelations are shocking and the tone towards the end extremely grim, the subject matter isn’t too far-fetched and we have seen similar stuff previously as well.
Farrell and Amy Ryan play the primary characters in the series, along with Nate Corddry and Sydney Chandler. Everyone plays vulnerable, insufferable and deeply flawed characters and is easy to feel some sort of emotion. I am not going to go deeper into the series because it’s revelations are delicious but Ryan and Farrell steal the show and their chemistry has a charm to it rather than sexual tension that makes you take note and wonder where their camaraderie will go. Since every character has a side to them that is revealed over the course of the episodes, it’s difficult to love or hate anyone completely and make you feel for them thoroughly.
Sugar Review: Final Thoughts
In the end, Sugar might be a bit slow sometimes but the story is interesting and engrossing and leaves you with many questions until they are answered in the last episode. The twist ending might be too much for some but for fans of the genre, you will love every bit of it because it’s done quite subtly and will answer some inconsistencies that will come up. Plus, we are left on a fresh cliffhanger to make us look forward to what’s to come without leaving us with questions that are brought up in the first season. All in all, a very interesting and nostalgic show in a way that will keep you hooked till the end.
Apple TV+’s Sugar will stream every week from April 05, 2024.
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