MGM+ is the newest streamer making an attempt to carve out an area for itself within the hyper-competitive world of 2020s tv. Its latest providing is the crime drama The Westies, co-created by fashionable grasp of the style Chris Brancato — the person behind hits like Narcos —and Michael Panes, who labored alongside Brancato on Godfather of Harlem. Led by Oscar winner J.Okay. Simmons and Bosch himself, Titus Welliver, and set in Hell’s Kitchen within the Nineteen Eighties, the present delivers a traditional story of crime, deceit, and violence centered on the Westies, a legal gang made up of Irishmen, and their contentious relationship with the Italian mafia.
The Westies would possibly outwardly appear to be the inheritor obvious to Boardwalk Empire, nevertheless it performs it too protected to achieve the heights of Terence Winter‘s Emmy-winning triumph. It isn’t a foul present by any means — in truth, it is a stable eight-episode saga with robust performances, respectable manufacturing worth, and a killer soundtrack. But, one can not help however ponder what the present may’ve been if it had a bit extra ambition and a tad extra meat on its bones.
What Is ‘The Westies’ About?
Set in Nineteen Eighties Hell’s Kitchen, The Westies focuses on the titular gang, led by Eamon Sweeney (Simmons), a businessman who negotiates a large stake within the building of the high-profile Javits Middle. Considered one of his most loyal males is Jimmy Rourke (Tom Brittney), whose troubled buddy, battle veteran Mickey Flanagan (Stanley Morgan), has not too long ago been launched from a psychological establishment following a tour in Vietnam. The Westies have a combative relationship with the Italians, notably mob boss John Gotti (Hamish Allan-Headley), and the gangs’ animosity in the direction of one another seemingly will increase by the day.
Considered one of Sweeney’s police informants is Glenn Keenan (Welliver), whose estranged son is turning into concerned with the Westies, a lot to his chagrin. Over the course of the plot, Keenan additionally enters into a sophisticated partnership with Birdie Polk (Jessica Frances Dukes), a detective seeking to carry down Sweeney. In the meantime, Jimmy’s girlfriend, Bridget (Sarah Bolger), finds herself dragged again into the reason for Irish independence after a mysterious man from her previous, Brendan Cahill (Allen Leech), reenters her life.
‘The Westies’ Options an All-Too-Acquainted Story
The Westies is a story-driven present to a T — which is to say, the characters exist to serve the narrative. The actors right here will not be enjoying characters however quite archetypes: the ruthless crime boss, the ethical legal, the amoral revolutionary… you get the gist. There’s nothing inherently incorrect with a story-driven strategy — a few of tv’s all-time greats might be categorised as story-driven — however The Westies takes that strategy a bit too actually. The important thing gamers obtain little to no growth, merely going from Level A to Level B as a result of the story calls for it. As for the narrative, it is superb, however nothing you have not seen earlier than: lies, betrayals, ruthless killings, cocaine, whiskey, and a few muscular struggle scenes.
Fortunately, the forged of The Westies is participating sufficient to make up for his or her characters’ lack of development. Brittney is a personable lead, enjoying Jimmy as somebody who may not have a coronary heart of gold, however not less than has an ethical compass. Equally, Stanley’s work because the free cannon Mickey is sweet, primarily as a result of he is by no means truly unlikable even though he is a hothead. As for Simmons, he is enjoying a job he may do in his sleep, however it’s enjoyable to see him and Allan-Headley making an attempt to outsmirk one another. If anybody has it hardest, it is Bolger, and Bridget’s revolutionary plot appears misplaced in a story about ruthless criminals.
Welliver, finest identified for enjoying the titular protagonist of Bosch, is given way more to work with than anybody else, as Glenn offers with a troubled son, an inferiority advanced, and a shifting sense of loyalty, discovering himself between the police and the Westies. Welliver does a superb job within the function, embodying Glenn’s stiffness and indifference and slowly dropping each with every new episode. His private storyline converges properly with the Westies’ overarching narrative, and it is arduous to not want that Simmons, Brittney, and Bolger obtained the identical therapy.
‘The Westies’ Does a Respectable Job Bringing ’80s New York to Life
Visually, The Westies shouldn’t be notably robust, with the identical subdued, grayish look that so many streaming exhibits as we speak bear, and only a few cases of something near memorable or impressed. Behind the digicam, the sequence’ administrators undertake a extra simple strategy; there’s little panache however tons of dynamism, notably in Episode 3, the place director Chris Grismer brings actual aptitude to one of many present’s most elaborate hours. The modifying is quite good, most notably within the struggle scenes. The stunts aren’t fast-paced and hectic like so lots of as we speak’s finest motion motion pictures; quite, they’re exact, tough, nearly messy, immersing the viewer within the Westies’ fashion of reactive avenue combating.
The manufacturing design is respectable, however the wigs are really terrible, and the costumes and total staging often make it arduous to find out whether or not The Westies is about within the early ’80s or the early ’90s, with some late ’70s thrown in for good measure. The units are few however lived-in: an Irish pub, a small workplace, a rundown residence, a lavish mansion. They’re used a number of instances — the present has a quite restricted strategy to Hell’s Kitchen — however, in all equity, it actually would not want extra to inform its story.
Total, The Westies is not reinventing the method, it isn’t notably formidable, and it isn’t involved with providing greater than what’s on the display. Should you like your crime tales with a bit extra chunk, this one will most likely go away you unhappy. Nevertheless, if you happen to’re a fan of robust males doing dangerous issues and conventional tales of underworld crime, you then’ll seemingly have a superb time. Furthermore, there are already plans for Season 2, so maybe The Westies solely has room to develop with its potential return, discovering extra confidence and a greater grasp of its id.
The Westies premieres July 12 on MGM+.