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"The Sympathizer": Robert Downey Jr. brings a twist to the Vietnam War on HBO

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Source: Slate
"The Sympathizer": Robert Downey Jr. brings a twist to the Vietnam War on HBO
Photo: Slate
TL;DR

HBO's adaptation of Viet Thanh Nguyen's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel "The Sympathizer" is a stylish and smart series that captures the complexities of the original work, although it occasionally struggles to maintain its dramatic momentum. The Vietnamese ensemble shines, but the series falters in the middle as it lingers over Robert Downey Jr.'s caricatured American characters. Overall, the adaptation successfully portrays the moral conundrums and cultural displacement experienced by its protagonist, the Captain, as he navigates post-war life in 1970s Los Angeles.

Topics:entertainmenttelevision#adaptation#hbo#television#the-sympathizer#tv#vietnam
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  1. The Sympathizer on HBO: A little Robert Downey Jr. goes a long way in the new show.  Slate
  2. Review | 'The Sympathizer' puts the Vietnam War back on American TV — with a twist  The Washington Post
  3. 'the Sympathizer' Reviews: Critics Cool on Robert Downey Jr.'s Roles  Business Insider
  4. ‘The Sympathizer’ Confronts Hollywood’s History of the Vietnam War  The Ringer
  5. 'The Sympathizer': Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Come Out?  Esquire

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