The Week in Rave Reviews: Culture Highlights from TV to Music
This week's culture scene delivers a rich tapestry of critically acclaimed works, spanning from a gripping Brazilian political drama to an introspective album from a celebrated US musician. The Guardian's best-rated reviews highlight standout picks across television, film, books, and music, offering audiences a curated guide to the most compelling releases.
Television: Must-Watch Dramas and Sitcoms
Gisèle Pelicot: The Newsnight Interview on BBC iPlayer emerges as a top TV recommendation. This interview with the feminist icon is described as a perfectly judged exploration, showcasing her innate dignity and strength. Reviewer Lucy Mangan praises Pelicot's calm and poised demeanor, noting her ability to inspire admiration through grace under pressure. The segment delves into complex themes of gender and justice, making it a thought-provoking watch.
Girl Taken on Paramount+ offers a deeply engaging psychological thriller about a family grappling with a daughter's kidnapping. With twists and reveals that maintain its thriller essence, the show provides more than just suspense, delving into emotional depth and family dynamics. Lucy Mangan highlights its complexity and engagement, making it a standout in the genre.
Dinosaur on BBC iPlayer marks a refreshing return for this Glaswegian sitcom. Groundbreaking and full of humor, it subverts typical British sitcom tropes through an autistic perspective from the character Nina. Chitra Ramaswany notes that while it treads familiar ground of dysfunctional families and regional quirks, it offers a unique and welcome twist, making it both innovative and entertaining.
Film: Political Intrigue and Emotional Depth
The Secret Agent, in cinemas now, stars Wagner Moura as an academic fleeing corrupt politics in 1970s Brazil. This mystery drama combines visual brilliance, sensual intrigue, and gruesome lowlife elements into an epically languorous story. Peter Bradshaw describes it as a novelistic study of corruption, blending shaggy-dog comedy with serious political commentary, creating something truly special.
If I Had Legs I'd Kick You features Rose Byrne as a psychotherapist nearing breakdown amid personal crises, including caring for a sick child. Bradshaw praises Byrne's terrific performance, capturing the tension of maintaining composure while internally unraveling. The film explores taboo themes with emotional resonance, offering a powerful look at mental health and motherhood.
Wasteman is a brutally violent British prison drama starring David Jonsson as an addict avoiding trouble and Tom Blyth as an inmate seeking control. Despite familiar tropes, Bradshaw notes its commitment to fierce storytelling and acting, sidestepping clichés to deliver a punchy narrative.
A Knight's Tale rerelease brings back the postmodern medieval romp with Heath Ledger and a Queen soundtrack. Bradshaw finds it entertaining with insouciant anachronisms, making it a cheerful and indulgent watch.
Man on the Run, a documentary by Morgan Neville, focuses on Paul McCartney's post-Beatles years with Wings and domestic life with Linda McCartney. While covering familiar ground, Bradshaw calls it watchable and mesmerising, highlighting McCartney's cherubic yet sharp presence.
Books: Explorations of Consciousness and History
A World Appears by Michael Pollan leads the book picks, with the bestselling author exploring consciousness. Reviewer Edward Posnett praises Pollan's ability to parse complicated ideas into pain-free prose, making it a fun and insightful ride into the nature of mind and reality.
Our Better Natures by Sophie Ward features Andrea Dworkin in a portrait of 1970s American power and revolutionary ideas. Lara Feigel notes Ward's dramatisation of ambivalence about activism, balancing rage against loss with personal justice themes.
The Last of Earth by Deepa Anappara is an intricately researched novel about 19th-century colonial exploration in Tibet. Sana Goyal highlights its immersive quality, detailing British expeditions and disguised ventures into forbidden lands.
Leaving Home by Mark Haddon is a memoir of a loveless childhood, illustrated by the author. Alex Clark observes Haddon's joy in creation alongside damage that needs examination, offering a poignant personal narrative.
Endling by Maria Reva is a witty Ukrainian caper about endangered snails and mail-order brides, disrupted by Russia's invasion. Marcel Theroux praises its discomfiting intensity and intimate register, making it a Booker-listed standout.
Music: From Misery to Global Folk
Mitski: Nothing's About to Happen to Me is the top album pick, with the US musician writing gorgeous songs about disconnection, flecked with horror and humor. Alexis Petridis describes it as thought-provoking, wrenching, and lol-inducing, worth keeping company with for its misery-loves-company appeal.
Hen Ogledd: Discombobulated features taunts in Welsh, bard rap, and spirited jigs from a British quartet. Ben Beaumont-Thomas notes its ragged yet rich arrangements with collective music-making, including guest contributions from children.
Johann Ludwig Bach: The Leipzig Cantatas offers the first recordings of JL Bach's cantatas, preserved by JS Bach. Clive Paget praises Johanna Soller's incisive conducting and sumptuous sound engineering as a remarkable rediscovery.
Hedera: Hedera is a Bristol-based folk ensemble's debut, exploring global influences with sparkling warmth. Jude Rogers commends its mastery in twisting together traditions without draining specificity, intensifying musical colors.
Raye on tour in the UK until 2 March delivers a big, bold show in her dramatic era. Daniel Dylan Wray highlights her seamless vocal skills and formidable band, transforming arenas from croons to dance parties.
This week's culture roundup showcases a diverse array of works that blend political intrigue, emotional depth, and artistic innovation, providing audiences with high-quality entertainment and thought-provoking content across all mediums.
