A Fehér Lótusz

An uncompromising critique of everything and everyone. Critics, supporters, men, women, straightforward, fake, none are spared from Mike White and his ironic commentary on the current world. At some point, everyone wins or loses to some extent, because in life, you have to lose at least once. I will remember most fondly the tour de force performance from Murray Bartlett, whose chameleonic Armond keeps popping up in my memory even several months after watching. In the end, what holds me back from giving it the highest rating is the amount of space given to Shane. I understand the point of his storyline, but Jake Lacy is once again the king of unappealing characters just like in Girls. And what about you? Can you get the Hawaiian soundtrack full of "peekaboo" out of your head? (2022.09.23)

Mike White the screenwriter once again plays the role of a malicious host. He punishes not just the unappealing culprits but also appealing victims and even just individuals floating through life. Their merits don't matter, nor do their offenses or karma; everyone gets a bitter pill and it's merely a question of whether one at a time or by the handful. Then Mike White the director surpasses the first season, the sea waves enveloping them in an even more irresistible guise and pulling out ever more surprising aces from his sleeve. Even this time I won't give in to the highest rating, even though for the second time only just barely. The reason is that painful conclusions sometimes have such staying power that I feel a palpable grief for up to several weeks after the vacation is over. (2023.01.23)