Wizard of Lies, Sky Atlantic review ★★★★★
Wizard of Lies on Sky Atlantic tells the tale of Bernie Madoff and his Ponzi scheme, and stars Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeifer no less
Wizard of Lies, Sky Atlantic
What an amazing Hollywood cast this is. If you ever needed proof that the future of storytelling can be seen on our TV screens and not in the cinemas, forget about the petty debates at Cannes, just have a look at line-up for this brand-new, made-for-TV drama about the devastation caused by Bernie Madoff and his Ponzi scheme, starring Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeifer no less.
To be fair, this extraordinary cast was no doubt in part lured in by the extraordinary nature of the story, which arrives on Sky Atlantic this June. Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme ruined many lives and wracked in an estimate $64.8 billion in fraudulent gains.
Based on New York Times journalist Diane Henrique's account of the Madoff affair, The Wizard of Lies focuses on the impact Bernie's behaviour had on his immediate family, in particular his wife Ruth (Michelle Pfeiffer) and his sons Mark and Andrew (Alessandro Nivola and Nathan Darrow).
This is from the only drama to try to make financial crimes and crashes more relatable. There's Gold and Wolf of Wall Street and The Big Short to name a few – and even last year's mini-series on TV Madoff.
HBO's version take on the Bernie Madoff has been to turn him into a self-deluding monster, incapable of real understanding or empathy, determined to think of his victims as 'greedy' and more guilty than he. The impact his stupidity/selfishness/genius, whatever you want to call it, has had on his family is the real story. The infighting, the isolation, the lies and the trickery.
Michelle Pfeiffer and De Niro are wonderful, but the film demands too much sympathy for monstrous characters we have no right falling in love with. Don't be tempted to sympathise too with the devil.
Wizard of Lies airs on Sky Altantic 1 June 9pm
To be fair, this extraordinary cast was no doubt in part lured in by the extraordinary nature of the story, which arrives on Sky Atlantic this June. Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme ruined many lives and wracked in an estimate $64.8 billion in fraudulent gains.
Based on New York Times journalist Diane Henrique's account of the Madoff affair, The Wizard of Lies focuses on the impact Bernie's behaviour had on his immediate family, in particular his wife Ruth (Michelle Pfeiffer) and his sons Mark and Andrew (Alessandro Nivola and Nathan Darrow).
This is from the only drama to try to make financial crimes and crashes more relatable. There's Gold and Wolf of Wall Street and The Big Short to name a few – and even last year's mini-series on TV Madoff.
HBO's version take on the Bernie Madoff has been to turn him into a self-deluding monster, incapable of real understanding or empathy, determined to think of his victims as 'greedy' and more guilty than he. The impact his stupidity/selfishness/genius, whatever you want to call it, has had on his family is the real story. The infighting, the isolation, the lies and the trickery.
Michelle Pfeiffer and De Niro are wonderful, but the film demands too much sympathy for monstrous characters we have no right falling in love with. Don't be tempted to sympathise too with the devil.
Wizard of Lies airs on Sky Altantic 1 June 9pm
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| What | Wizard of Lies, Sky Atlantic review |
| Where | Sky Atlantic | MAP |
| When |
01 Jun 17 – 31 Jul 17, Wizard of Lies premiers on Sky Atlantic on 1 June at 9pm |
| Price | £n/a |
| Website |