It is, of course, about the notorious Gotham City villain, but there is no camp or #*KAPOW!%*. Instead, it’s dark and violent and sometimes a bit sad. It tells the story of Oswald Cobb aka the Penguin and how a disturbed young boy became a vicious criminal.
Colin Farrell is completely unrecognizable as the Penguin, although I told myself I could see flashes of the actor in certain eye movements and mannerisms. But honestly, had I not known who was in the title role, I would never have guessed. Never.
But the real standout and total surprise to me was Cristin Milioti as Sophia Gigante, another disturbed character who goes all in on bad. She was absolutely mesmerizing in every single scene, and I could not take my eyes off of her. Her performance was perfection, as were her hair, makeup and wardrobe.
And finally, kudos to Rhenzy Feliz, who played Victor Aguilar, the Penguin’s sidekick. He was great, and I hope to see him in other projects.
I predict Emmy noms for Farrell and Milioti, as well as for the makeup and wardrobe teams. And if Cristin Milioti doesn’t win, I’ll definitely be checking out the performance that does, because it is going to have to be phenomenal to beat her.
In case you’re wondering, the Caped Crusader never makes an appearance. That was a plus for me, but ymmv.
