Dangerous Liaisons premieres Nov. 6 on Starz, with one new episode weekly on Sundays.
From the time-bending Outlander to an array of queens, Starz has cornered the historical romp market. A spin on Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’ popular 1782 novel, Les Liaisons dangereuses, is very much in the network’s passionate period wheelhouse. Thankfully, Dangerous Liaisons creator Harriet Warner’s adaptation isn’t simply retreading old ground and offers a reason to watch this version beyond its opulent aesthetic and attention to detail.
The 18th Century story became an incredibly successful mid-’80s stage production, quickly followed by the Academy Award-winning Dangerous Liaisons starring Glenn Close (among a very stacked cast) three years later. Next came the delicious contemporary teen twist in Cruel Intentions with Sarah Michelle Gellar. All of that is to say, it’s a well-known tale of lust, manipulation, sexual politics, and power games. Opting for a prelude to the novel gives Warner’s version room to breathe — even if it takes a few episodes to step out of the long shadows cast by Close and Gellar.
The year is 1783, and Paris is a city divided into extreme wealth and poverty. Revolution is less than a decade away, and the difference between those living lavishly and everyone else is stark. A title is everything in this world. Before they become the infamous Marquise de Merteuil and Vicomte de Valmont, Camille (Alice Englert) and Valmont (Nicholas Denton) use everything at their disposal to make a mark on the elite circles they will later rule. Adjustments have been made to their origin story, ensuring this series isn’t attempting to mimic the unforgettable performances that came before.
It is hard to put a price on the titles these characters covet in a society with this many rungs on the ladder. Camille and Valmont’s ongoing entanglement is at the core of this story, but it is very much in the fledgling stage of their dance with seduction-infused games. Idealism and cynicism are in a constant tug of war as trust is also hard to come by for the passionate young lovers fighting for everything they can snatch. Tension increases whenever they are on different sides of a fight, which means they are as likely to be throwing down a declaration of war as one of fiery intimacy. Englert is particularly adept at switching between vulnerable and hardened to the cruel Parisian surroundings, and she is excellent at navigating this story from the jump.
Of the pair, it is Camille who initially earns our sympathy in part because of the specific world she is trying to escape. Meeting the current Marquise de Merteuil (Lesley Manville) in the premiere offers her an opportunity unlike any other, and the presence of a titan like Manville elevates the material further. This savvy casting is a fun nod to the original 1985 RSC production of Les Liaisons dangereuses as Manville played Cécile de Volanges (Uma Thurman and Selma Blair in the 1988 and 1999 versions). Whenever the Oscar nominee is on screen, it is hard to look anywhere else.
Manville’s introduction at the opera sets the lavish scene and highlights the appetite for gossip shared by the noble crowd. The chatty audience is talking about the rumors surrounding a certain Empress and her relations with a horse, and viewers of The Great will be more than familiar with this alleged scandal. Unlike the Hulu series starring Elle Fanning, Dangerous Liaisons keeps within its period drama lane even if it indulges in the very on-trend scamming themes depicted in Inventing Anna, The Dropout, and WeCrashed. Not that the tech world invented conning the rich out of cash. Not to mention, it would be terribly dull if every show tried to put an overt contemporary twist on the aesthetic, tone, and dialogue. While this prequel marries modern ideas with its past setting, the finer details lean toward accuracy rather than satire.
Opulent locations such as gilded opera houses, country estates, and glamorous city dwellings are juxtaposed with the city’s festering underbelly. Some of the latter depictions tip into cliched caricatures, and the story fares better when exposing the hypocrisy of those longing to be in the royal court. The Czech Republic does a solid job of doubling for France, and I would be remiss if I didn’t mention David Roger’s exquisite production design and how the candlelight bounces off these various rooms.
There is often a high expectation for lavish gowns and sharp menswear in a costume drama. Considering James Acheson won the Oscar for his work on the 1988 film, it sets a high bar for the Starz prequel. Good news! Costume designer Andrea Flesch has more than risen to this challenge. Flesch recently wowed audiences with the memorable floral gown worn by Florence Pugh in Midsommar and tapped into French history with Keira Knightley's Colette. Whether it’s Camille playing dress-up, Valmont using his closet to match his ambition, or the endless stream of nobility, there is more than enough peacocking to fill Versailles.
I can’t go into much detail regarding Carice van Houten as the mysterious Jacqueline de Montrachet other than to say she has switched the red signature look of Melisandre in Game of Thrones for an all-white closet — with one exception later in the season.
Madame Berthe’s dress shop isn’t simply for picking up the latest fashions; much like Bridgerton, it is a hive of activity that Camille uses to her advantage. This factor reaches its pinnacle in the sixth episode, which takes the costumes to new glorious heights with a fun play on a masquerade ball. Sure, not everything is breaking the wheel as other recent period dramas have done, but something is reassuring about how Dangerous Liaisons sticks to the classics.
Inclusive casting has become more commonplace in shows like The Great, Bridgerton, and Dickinson. Dangerous Liaisons continues this welcome practice of eschewing an all-white cast for a period endeavor. There is still some stumbling as Camille’s best friend Victoire (Kosar Ali) is stuck as the voice of reason, which is a thankless role at times, and the show would benefit from showing more of her story. Ali is excellent in this role, particularly during a few daring and dangerous scenes, but she isn’t given enough to work with outside relating to Camille. However, Valmont’s stepmother Ondine (Colette Dalal Tchantcho) has plenty of bite and could be a formidable opponent if given the opportunity.
So what about Ondine’s stepson and the big John Malkovich shoes he has to fill? Denton is a chameleon who looks like Eddie Redmayne in Les Miserables when he is not wearing a full face of makeup and a freshly powdered wig. Not that this is anything to hold against him, but intrigue levels increase when he leans into all the cosmetic trappings of this time — perhaps because this is often toned down for men in other productions set during this pre-revolution era. Camille isn’t the only one navigating the different rules of French nobility and trying to take a piece of the pie using whatever tools are at his disposal. The duo is entertaining when tag-teaming these elements.
When the story falls more into love, not war, the pace slows down, but Englert and Denton certainly have heat and chemistry. While it cannot touch the heights of Close and Malkovich, there is a naivety to how they wield their survival skills which are hardened and softened as the episodes progress.
Seduction and deception are integral to Dangerous Liaisons, as is the way gossip becomes a cudgel to inflict on those who stand in the way. Both Camille and Valmont have lofty goals, and it is less about sport via manipulation and more rooted in personal history. Some parts of Camille’s story are drip-fed at a reasonable pace, and while revelations aren’t entirely unpredictable, it also doesn’t feel like we’re being strung along. However, some information is withheld from other characters occasionally because they need a reason to cause a rift; this rings hollow and contrived.
Even when Warner’s adaptation stumbles, it is still entertaining with some delicious heated moments that tick the Starz historical romp boxes while offering an escape and a playful twist on an old favorite. It takes a beat to get going but picks up the pace during the six episodes available to critics (out of eight overall). Starz has already renewed it for a second season and with a reliably great turn from Manville and Englert’s captivating lead performance, this is one liaison to keep.
from IGN Reviews https://ift.tt/FQP9EGt
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