The Night Manager is a six-episode mini-series based on John Le Carré’s 1993 espionage novel, and AMC’s initial joint video venture with BBC One. Jonathan Pine (Tom Hiddleston), a disaffected British army veteran, is night manager at a high-end Cairo hotel during the 2011 “Arab Spring.” Pine engages in an intense sexual liaison with Sophie Alekan (Aure Atika), the beautiful mistress of arms dealer Freddie Hamid (David Avery). She gives Jonathan a weapons inventory intended for Freddie and instructs him to deliver it to the Egyptian authorities to cause the downfall of supposed global humanitarian (actually weapons magnate) Richard Onslow Roper (Hugh Laurie), “the worst man in the world.” Instead, Jonathan forwards it to MI6 and eventually to British agent Angela Burr (Olivia Colman). This change in routing unwittingly triggers Sophie’s brutal murder and sets the wheels in motion for Pine’s personal vendetta.
Four years later, Pine, now working at an exclusive Swiss resort, registers “Dickie” Roper and his entourage including the sadistic little Lance “Corky” Corcoran (Tom Hollander) and drop dead gorgeous girl friend Jed Marshall (Elizabeth Debicki). Agent Burr recruits Jonathan and gives him a new “bad guy” identity so that he can infiltrate the Roper organization and provide intelligence. Pine does as ordered and after receiving a brutal beating when he disrupts the staged kidnapping of Roper’s son, he recovers at the weapon dealer’s secluded Mallorca compound. Gradually, Roper begins to accept him and introduces him to arms trade.
The Night Manager exposes the complexities of inter-agency handling of international espionage between British and American intelligence groups that include MI6’s undersecretary Rex Mayhew (Douglas Hodge), Permanent Secretary (Katherine Kelly), senior “River House” representative, Geoffrey Dromgoole (Tobias Menzies), and CIA operative Joel Steadman (David Harewood). With the help of Pine’s intelligence and the reluctant assistance of Roper’s personal attorney Juan Apostol (Antonio de la Torre), Burr discovers that Roper’s sales representative Sandy Langbourne (Alistair Petrie) is arranging a major arms deal with Abdul Barghati (Nasser Memarzia). Burr also comes to find out that there is much more than meets the eye where the British secret service is involved.
As the sexual brew between Jonathan and Jed begins to percolate, Roper suspects that there is a turncoat in his organization, and the cat-and-mouse game between our two protagonists begins. In true Le Carré fashion, the pace picks up and The Night Manager progresses to an epic finale. Viewers will be kept on the edges of their recliners by a literal and figurative wild ride into the shady world of the international arms trade.
As in most Le Carré stories, The Night Manager features some fascinating characters who are meticulously developed. Le Carré’s script, co-written with David Farr (Hannah), renders a credible account of the heartless individuals who sell arms to the highest bidder and, in some cases, change the course of nations’ histories. Readers of the novel may detect changes in some of the characters, locations, and timelines, but this 2015 updating adds considerable relevance to today’s audiences. Viewers who cannot picture House, M.D.’s snarky title curmudgeon as an archetypal villain will be pleasantly surprised by Hugh Laurie’s masterful assumption of Richard Roper and romance-film director Susanne Bier’s (Serena) razor-sharp take on an entirely different cinematic genre. The rest of the cast led by the two Toms, Hiddleston and Corcoran, help to make The Night Manager one of the most effective screen realizations yet of a master spy-novelist’s work.
The Night Manager (TheaterByte TV Series Review)
4 / 5TheaterByte Rating
{{ reviewsOverall }} / 5User Rating(0 votes)
David Farr/John Le CarréShow Creator
19 April 2016Original Release Date
AMCNetwork/Streaming Service
60 Mins.Ep. Run Time
6No. Eps.
Ink Factory/BBC/AMCStudio/Distributor
TV-14 (LSV)Rating Certificate
The Creative Content
Summary
Bolstered by a strong script, direction, and acting, this joint production television debut from AMC and BBC One of The Night Manager is one of the most effective screen adaptations of the master spy-novelist's work.
Notice of Compliance with FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION 16 CFR Part 255
In accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR part 255 guidelines, this website hereby states that it receives free discs and other theatrical or home entertainment "screeners" and access to screening links from studios and/or PR firms, and is provided with consumer electronics devices on loan from hardware manufacturers and/or PR firms respectively for the purposes of evaluating the products and its content for editorial reviews. We receive no compensation from these companies for our opinions or for the writing of reviews or editorials. Permission is sometimes granted to companies to quote our work and editorial reviews free of charge. Our website may contain affiliate marketing links, which means we may get paid commission on sales of those products or the services we write about. Our editorial content is not influenced by advertisers or affiliate partnerships. This disclosure is provided in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR § 255.5: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
You must log in to post a comment.