BELOW AVERAGE

IT’S A GIFT WHEN SOMEONE TRIES TO TAKE YOU DOWN.

When Atlanta real estate mogul Charlie Croker (Jeff Daniels) is facing bankruptcy, both his finances and masculinity are threatened.

There was reason to expect good things from this adaptation of a classic Tom Wolfe novel. It starts promisingly, with a grandiose performance by Daniels as a Southern tycoon. The story examines different aspects of manhood as we also follow a pathetic banker who’s made it his mission to crush Croker, and a Black man in prison who’s channeling his inner rage to survive.

However, the treatment never really finds the right absurd tone and the ending is too abrupt.

2024-U.S. 266 min. Color. Created by David E. Kelley. Novel: Tom Wolfe. Cast: Jeff Daniels (Charlie Croker), Diane Lane (Martha Croker), Tom Pelphrey (Raymond Peepgrass), Aml Ameen, Chanté Adams, Jon Michael Hill, Lucy Liu. 

Trivia: Originally shown in six episodes. Three of them were directed by Regina King, who also co-executive produced.