Netflix's LUPIN

REVIEW BY: ROBERT CHANDLER

Netflix's LUPIN is a triumph! Omar Sy is foxy and beguiling as Assane Diop in this contemporary spin on the classic stories of Arsene Lupin. 

The series is set in present day Paris, where Diop plays a high stakes thief inspired via a personal connection with the Gentleman Thief of French literature. It is through this connection that the story dips into the past to explore Diop's childhood.

Ludivine Sagnier (hoorah!) plays Diop's ex-wife and the mother of his child. One of the joys of the opening episode was seeing their relationship not fall into the tired old trope of post-marital conflict. The depiction of their ongoing friendship and the way they were dealing with their son was as thrilling to watch as the planned theft of Marie Antoinette's necklace from The Louvre. Both actors worked their scenes beautifully.

The episode moved from the polished gleam of the capital's art gallery and the generous stately home of one of its affluent white benefactors to the compact, graffitied quarters of the mixed race suburban projects (where one can't help but think of La Haine.) Sy came from the projects, making his mark as a comedian and actor; I hope the series shows more of his character back there. 

The opening episode dealt with issues of race and privilege without being preachy, indeed they were a fundamental part of its story-telling engine.

LUPIN is to be embraced, but please watch in the original language with sub-titles.