I have to say That Night Manger was even better than I expected and I was expecting it to be good! Especially after reading all the great reviews and ratings. Tom Hiddleston is one of the most underrated actors working today. He's terrific in everything he does. The Night Manager follows former British soldier and now hotel manager, Jonathan Pine (Hiddleston). He is contacted by a spy operative for his help to spy on international businessman Richard Roper (Hugh Laurie). Roper is believed to be the leader of secret arms trade. Pine infiltrates Romper's inner circle while keeping his real mission a secret. If you're looking for a good spy thriller that will hold your attention throughout every episode then give this a try. You won't be disappointed.
296 Reviews
So Good
Supermanfan-1310 December 2023
The Night Manager really is one of the better mini-series that you'll ever see! It will draw you in from the first episode and keep you captivated and on the edge of your seat throughout each episode! This show won a bunch of awards including Tom Hiddleston (Best Actor), Hugh Laurie (Supporting Actor) and Olivia Colman (Supporting Actress) all winning Golden Globes for their performances and each one was well deserved! The rest of the cast is great too. It's also directed by an Oscar winning director in Susanne Bier. This has to be the best adaptation of John le Carre that's ever been made. If you haven't seen this yet then do yourself a favor and go watch it.
Very good miniseries plenty of suspense , mostly shot in Island Majorca and Egypt
ma-cortes5 August 2017
The night manager of a Cairo hotel called Jonathan Pine , Tom Hiddleston , is recruited by an organization commanded by Angela Burr , Olivia Coleman , to infiltrate a weapons dealer , Hugh Laurie. As he gets involved with the sweetheart , Elizabeth Debicki , of the mobster and his hoodlums :Tom Hollander , Alistair Petrie.
This is a suspenseful series plenty of emotion , intrigue , thrills ,crosses and double-crosses . The extreme intrigue and tension are extended from start to finish .This expensive miniseries is considered to be the most lavish TV drama in the history of BBC. Extraordinary acting by main cast , Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie , both of whom give magnificent performances . Support cast is frankly awesome as Douglas Hodge , Tom Hollander, Tobias Menzies , Alistair Petrie , David Harewood , Antonio De La Torre, and special mention for the pregnant Olovia Coleman.This was well rendered from a novel by prestigious author John Le Carre who has been adapted on cinema several times, such as: The spy who came in from the Cold , Call for the dead, Tinker , soldier and spy ,The little drummer girl, The tailor of Panama , The Russian house , The constant gardener , The most wanted man ,among others. The motion picture was compellingly directed by Susanne Bier .Debut TV miniseries for filmmaker Bier who has previously shot several foreign language theatrical feature movies such as: Brothers , Serena, In a better world , Second chance , Things we lost in the fire , After wedding . Colorful and evocative cinematography by Michael Snyman shot on marvelous locations from Spain , United Kingdom , Turkey , Egypt ,and Switzerland . Suspenseful and thrilling musical score by Victor Reyes. In 2016, it garnered 12 Emmy nominations including outstanding lead actor Tom Hiddleston , supporting players for both Hugh Laurie and Olivia Coleman , outstanding filmmaking for a miniseries for filmmaker Susanne Biet and writing for writer David Farr , but this renditíon is updated to the present day and it is not set in the era of the time John Le Carre source novel that was published in 1993.
This is a suspenseful series plenty of emotion , intrigue , thrills ,crosses and double-crosses . The extreme intrigue and tension are extended from start to finish .This expensive miniseries is considered to be the most lavish TV drama in the history of BBC. Extraordinary acting by main cast , Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie , both of whom give magnificent performances . Support cast is frankly awesome as Douglas Hodge , Tom Hollander, Tobias Menzies , Alistair Petrie , David Harewood , Antonio De La Torre, and special mention for the pregnant Olovia Coleman.This was well rendered from a novel by prestigious author John Le Carre who has been adapted on cinema several times, such as: The spy who came in from the Cold , Call for the dead, Tinker , soldier and spy ,The little drummer girl, The tailor of Panama , The Russian house , The constant gardener , The most wanted man ,among others. The motion picture was compellingly directed by Susanne Bier .Debut TV miniseries for filmmaker Bier who has previously shot several foreign language theatrical feature movies such as: Brothers , Serena, In a better world , Second chance , Things we lost in the fire , After wedding . Colorful and evocative cinematography by Michael Snyman shot on marvelous locations from Spain , United Kingdom , Turkey , Egypt ,and Switzerland . Suspenseful and thrilling musical score by Victor Reyes. In 2016, it garnered 12 Emmy nominations including outstanding lead actor Tom Hiddleston , supporting players for both Hugh Laurie and Olivia Coleman , outstanding filmmaking for a miniseries for filmmaker Susanne Biet and writing for writer David Farr , but this renditíon is updated to the present day and it is not set in the era of the time John Le Carre source novel that was published in 1993.
Outstanding classy thriller
linnet10014 March 2016
This is a rare thing: a genuinely classy thriller. I've become so used to dodgy story lines and plots that resemble Swiss cheese that this is something of a shock. Of course, it helps that the acting is so brilliant with top performances from the likes of Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie, Olivia Colman, Tom Hollander and Elizabeth Debicki but a great actor needs a great script. The bedrock for this classy thriller is, of course, John le Carre, supported in the adaptation by David Farr. Susanne Bier's direction is a masterclass. The cinematography is stunning.
It's become a cliché to say that they don't make them like this anymore, but they rarely do. For me, it's the finest thriller this decade.
Oh, and Tom Hiddleston would make a very Ian Fleming James Bond.
I keep coming back to le Carre though. Once upon a time thriller writers like him and Freddie Forsyth were painstaking in their attention to detail, writing plots that arose out of believable characters. There's many a TV series that could take note.
It's become a cliché to say that they don't make them like this anymore, but they rarely do. For me, it's the finest thriller this decade.
Oh, and Tom Hiddleston would make a very Ian Fleming James Bond.
I keep coming back to le Carre though. Once upon a time thriller writers like him and Freddie Forsyth were painstaking in their attention to detail, writing plots that arose out of believable characters. There's many a TV series that could take note.
started out well...
imizrahi200212 May 2016
but things started happening in the fourth episode that seemed implausible. not in the sense that someone grows wings and flies implausible... but even with the little we know of a certain character, they make a decision that seemed HIGHly unlikely. not for someone who's achieved their position in that sort of work. but that was the second seemingly 'off' move for a character. one had dire consequences, the other was ridiculously foolish, most things considered, as to context... i don't like spoilers. and i don't care to be more specific than the vagaries i've already mentioned... it's well played and photographed. some beautiful landscapes. some exotic... but the plot seems amateurishly thought out/clichéd in certain parts of the infrastructure...which, for me, weakened it as a whole...
A Masterful Adaptation
Pickwick1221 February 2016
Though updated for the present time and reworked slightly, The Night Manager stays forcefully true to the characterizations and atmosphere of Le Carre's classic spy novel. Tom Hiddleston shines as the complicated protagonist, and Huge Laurie and Olivia Colman provide forceful screen presence to offset his vulnerably self-contained persona.
Fans of Le Carre's work are likely to enjoy The Night Manager, as are those who enjoy an atmospheric mystery populated with beautiful men and women, intelligent writing, and international stakes. Not a series to watch without paying attention, it is a series well worth the time and effort to absorb and enjoy it fully.
Fans of Le Carre's work are likely to enjoy The Night Manager, as are those who enjoy an atmospheric mystery populated with beautiful men and women, intelligent writing, and international stakes. Not a series to watch without paying attention, it is a series well worth the time and effort to absorb and enjoy it fully.
The perfect spy tale
robert-temple-17 April 2016
This TV series is the best ever adaptation of a John le Carré novel. The direction by Danish director Susanne Bier is sheer genius. She knows exactly when to insert a closeup of a single malevolent eye of Hugh Laurie, just to unsettle us. The casting is perfect, the script by David Farr is perfect, the direction, the story, are all perfect. Hugh Laurie is so brilliant at being a master criminal with charm that it is difficult to imagine anyone else doing anywhere near as well in the part of arch-villain Dickie Roper. Tom Hiddleston is a revelation. Even though he played Scott Fitzgerald in Woody Allen's MIDNIGHT IN Paris (2011, see my review), I must confess that I had never otherwise heard of him before. He seems to have 'come out of nowhere', nowhere being a long series of TV things and rather obscure productions one does not easily incline to see. But here he is, all super-starish, sprung fully fledged from the brow of whoever had the inspiration to cast him in the lead for this series. And then there is the amazing Elizabeth Debicki, lithe and beautiful and spell-binding. And then there is the truly wonderful Olivia Colman, one of my favourite actresses. (Am I allowed to prefer her even to Elizabeth Debicki? Am I mad?) With a cast like this, nothing could go wrong. And another of my favourite actors, David Hodge, with his look of earnest conscience, is in there too. It is all simply too wonderful. Nor dare I forget to mention the amazing Tom Hollander. Who could have imagined that he could so readily play a psychopathic killer? Once again, one cannot imagine any other actor having been better in the role of 'Corky'. This was just perfection, that's what it was. Tom Hollander has become so versatile it is almost scary. As he is so good at everything, I expect to see him come down my chimney next Christmas as Santa. This six-part series is gripping edge-of-the-seat stuff for every second. A huge budget was lavished on the production, with a great deal of use made of locations, namely Morocco, Mallorca, Zermatt, Egypt, the UK, and Turkey, and many aerial drone or helicopter sequences were used to great effect. TV series do not usually have that kind of money to spend. And it all paid off, every penny of it. This was truly TV drama of the highest imaginable calibre. This inside portrait of an international arms dealer's world, and the attempts to penetrate it, is riveting. Le Carré reminds us of the duplicity of all governments and venality of so many civil servants by showing the insider treachery of the Foreign Office and 'River House' mandarins in London, who, far from wishing to catch Dickie Roper and put him out of business, are actually supplying him with the very arms which he is selling to unsavoury people in the Middle East. So Tom Hiddleston and Olivia Colman, who are risking their lives to bring a monster down, are being blocked at every turn by the 'Establishment'. Alas, too true, too true. If you are the nervous sort, you won't have many fingernails left if you watch this all the way through. But it is a series of such rare excitement and spectacular impact that we can only cry out pathetically: 'More! More!' It is streets ahead of HOMELAND and any other possible competitor. It has style and brilliance like no other suspense series.
Complete entertainment package
imrigu31 October 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I was searching for a one-season story series and luckily i found this. Every series or tv-show now just gets stretched and stretched, also it is becoming a norm too. I wanted to see something entertaining without having to waste time watching 4 seasons or five of a series/show which also in future could get unnecessary stretching.
So due to the above reason i convinced myself to watch this and woow i don't have any negative criticism towards this show. It is a brilliant entertaining worthy of my time show. Casting is great, Actors are great, Acting is great, story is good, and what else do i need?? nothing.
Binged this series!!
So due to the above reason i convinced myself to watch this and woow i don't have any negative criticism towards this show. It is a brilliant entertaining worthy of my time show. Casting is great, Actors are great, Acting is great, story is good, and what else do i need?? nothing.
Binged this series!!
Stylish Game of Cat and Mouse
urthpainter30 June 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Very flash and dazzle television highlighted by attractive cast, exotic locations, and cloak and dagger plot.
So you're ex British military, disillusioned from your war experience, and currently a night manager at a four star Cairo hotel. Well... you aren't, but this is how the lead actor finds himself wrapped into the role of an undercover asset trying to take down an international arms dealer.
When you got the skills, are ridiculously hansom, I suppose life moves pretty fast! The Night Manager gets off to a great start, setting up a nice six part series of some serious undercover action. And I'm not just talking about the quickies with equally beautiful women.
If this all sounds too awesome to pass up - quit reading here, and fire this series up! It is unlikely you will be disappointed. However, if you want to know my negative marks, proceed.
The disappointment comes in the last third, where an increasingly unlikely set of choices, circumstances, and results unfold to wrap up the story - just not in most savory of ways to the experienced mediaphile. If one reads or researches enough actual historical espionage - spies are one cold group of mo-fo's who will use any variety of tactics to achieve their ends. This includes lies, betrayal, seduction and true moral ambiguity. Unfortunately, The Night Manager simply doesn't turn the dark corner to deliver the logical payoff. The writers choose to keep the protagonist likable and a man of honor - which sounds good in theory, but the choices rely on a lot of luck and suspension of disbelief to rationalize the outcome.
This may sound harsh - but I'm hoping anyone who reads this watches this series (or already has), to understand my viewpoint. It's really good, recommended - but falls far short of a classic, 7 out of 10.
So you're ex British military, disillusioned from your war experience, and currently a night manager at a four star Cairo hotel. Well... you aren't, but this is how the lead actor finds himself wrapped into the role of an undercover asset trying to take down an international arms dealer.
When you got the skills, are ridiculously hansom, I suppose life moves pretty fast! The Night Manager gets off to a great start, setting up a nice six part series of some serious undercover action. And I'm not just talking about the quickies with equally beautiful women.
If this all sounds too awesome to pass up - quit reading here, and fire this series up! It is unlikely you will be disappointed. However, if you want to know my negative marks, proceed.
The disappointment comes in the last third, where an increasingly unlikely set of choices, circumstances, and results unfold to wrap up the story - just not in most savory of ways to the experienced mediaphile. If one reads or researches enough actual historical espionage - spies are one cold group of mo-fo's who will use any variety of tactics to achieve their ends. This includes lies, betrayal, seduction and true moral ambiguity. Unfortunately, The Night Manager simply doesn't turn the dark corner to deliver the logical payoff. The writers choose to keep the protagonist likable and a man of honor - which sounds good in theory, but the choices rely on a lot of luck and suspension of disbelief to rationalize the outcome.
This may sound harsh - but I'm hoping anyone who reads this watches this series (or already has), to understand my viewpoint. It's really good, recommended - but falls far short of a classic, 7 out of 10.
The BBC has done much better with far less.
Mobithailand4 April 2016
Warning: Spoilers
This was one of BBC's most expensive productions ever, which apparently came in at a cool £18million for the six episodes.
Night Manager is based on John Le Carré's book of the same name. Le Carré is my all-time favourite 20th Century author and I have read every single one of his books, so you will understand that I awaited this adaptation with very high expectations.
After all, with a movie-type budget of £18m; with the eminent BBC producing it; with 'A' list British actors in the lead roles, and with Le Carré himself on board in an advisory capacity – what could go wrong?
Nothing could and nothing did, is the opinion of the vast majority.
The Night Manager is the story of Johnathan Pine, an ex-army officer who works as a night manager in a prestigious Hotel in Cairo. His life changes one day when he becomes embroiled with a classy Egyptian prostitute. She is staying in the hotel with a young, influential Egyptian rich kid who is involved in the illegal arms trade.
The poor young lady passes on information about these illegal deals to Johnathan and gets mercilessly killed for her efforts. Pine is outraged and is subsequently co-opted by a British Intelligence unit to go after a certain Dicky Roper, an arch-villain arms dealer, who was involved in the girl's demise.
This sets up the remainder of the story. Pine goes undercover in Dicky Roper's criminal organisation, and he reports back to the intelligence unit in London. The British spooks who recruited Pine are also fighting their own corrupt bosses and they set out – against all odds – to nail the villains and stop a major illegal arms shipment.
It is staple Le Carré fare. Intrigue and double-dealing in the corridors of power in Westminster; uncertain alliances with a friendly CIA operative; and will Pine be found out as he rises to the top of Roper's criminal hierarchy. Then we have Pine's suicidal love affair with Roper's high-class bit of fluff.
As the series progressed, I could tell that the writer hadn't stuck to Le Carré's story. Indeed le Carré himself admitted as much. There was something too mainstream and too conventional about it. Too little cynicism and not enough gritty realism to have come from the pen of the master spy writer.
It's a glitzy piece of work and the 'money' shows. Exotic locations, expensive stars, incredible special effects, including displays of 21st century, hi-tech armaments lighting up the night sky as Dicky demonstrates his wares to a buyer. Night Manager is more in the style of a James Bond movie than Le Carrés The Spy who Came in from the Cold, or Tinker Tailor, Soldier Spy.
Written in the 90's, the novel was Le Carré's first post-cold war novel, and the minutiae of the plot creaks with age as the producers try to update it to become a 21st-century tale. There are several elements of the plot which don't work well in 2016; such as Pine's use of a stolen mobile phone to send messages to British Intelligence. There are also later uses of mobile phones by Pine, his illicit lover and his colleagues back in London which simply wouldn't happen into today's tech-savvy world. A billionaire arms dealer like Roper would have had all manner of technical protections and listening devices that would have alerted him of such goings on in his house.
The plot also stretches the bounds of credibility in several areas, especially with regard to Pine's love affair with Roper's girlfriend. Roper and his gang are merciless killers. Who in their right mind would risk their lives – and the whole operation, by meeting each other in secret and stealing loving glances and holding hands – even in Roper's presence? It is silly, corny and drags the story down to a lower level than it might otherwise merit.
The biggest sin of all was to change the end of Le Carré's story - for the worst. What a shame!
Hugh Lawrie as Dicky Roper is a tour-de-force and plays the part of the brilliant but evil villain to utter perfection. Whenever he is on screen – which is most of the time, he holds you spellbound with his witty, smarmy, scary charm. He has a steely core that is capable of mass murder in the blink of an eye. But to believe that such a brilliant mastermind wouldn't have smelled out Pine's deceit way earlier than he finally did is stretching our credulity too far. (Even the fawning Telegraph reviewer agrees with me on this)
Tim Hiddleston, as Pine, does a reasonable job. Everyone seems to be in love with his performance, but for me, he did well without being exceptional. There were many times when I felt I couldn't totally buy into the role he was supposed to play. He didn't convince me that he was a genuine spy – he looked too worried and gave uncertain smiles most of the time, which would surely have been spotted by Roper.
Tom Hollander excelled as Roper's deposed right-hand man, and like Lawrie, he delivered a great, very believable performance.
The rest of the cast were pretty good, but I'm afraid I must single out Olivia Colman as being woefully miscast as the intelligence boss with a personal mission to bring down Roper.
I love Colman's work and I think she is a great actor, but she simply wasn't the right person. There was nothing about her performance that rang true, and the fact that she was pregnant (really) didn't help one iota. It was just plain silly.
So my final verdict on The Night Manager is that it was good entertainment, but not exceptional. I have seen many spy/police dramas produced by the BBC over the past few years that were much better, and which cost far less.
Night Manager is based on John Le Carré's book of the same name. Le Carré is my all-time favourite 20th Century author and I have read every single one of his books, so you will understand that I awaited this adaptation with very high expectations.
After all, with a movie-type budget of £18m; with the eminent BBC producing it; with 'A' list British actors in the lead roles, and with Le Carré himself on board in an advisory capacity – what could go wrong?
Nothing could and nothing did, is the opinion of the vast majority.
The Night Manager is the story of Johnathan Pine, an ex-army officer who works as a night manager in a prestigious Hotel in Cairo. His life changes one day when he becomes embroiled with a classy Egyptian prostitute. She is staying in the hotel with a young, influential Egyptian rich kid who is involved in the illegal arms trade.
The poor young lady passes on information about these illegal deals to Johnathan and gets mercilessly killed for her efforts. Pine is outraged and is subsequently co-opted by a British Intelligence unit to go after a certain Dicky Roper, an arch-villain arms dealer, who was involved in the girl's demise.
This sets up the remainder of the story. Pine goes undercover in Dicky Roper's criminal organisation, and he reports back to the intelligence unit in London. The British spooks who recruited Pine are also fighting their own corrupt bosses and they set out – against all odds – to nail the villains and stop a major illegal arms shipment.
It is staple Le Carré fare. Intrigue and double-dealing in the corridors of power in Westminster; uncertain alliances with a friendly CIA operative; and will Pine be found out as he rises to the top of Roper's criminal hierarchy. Then we have Pine's suicidal love affair with Roper's high-class bit of fluff.
As the series progressed, I could tell that the writer hadn't stuck to Le Carré's story. Indeed le Carré himself admitted as much. There was something too mainstream and too conventional about it. Too little cynicism and not enough gritty realism to have come from the pen of the master spy writer.
It's a glitzy piece of work and the 'money' shows. Exotic locations, expensive stars, incredible special effects, including displays of 21st century, hi-tech armaments lighting up the night sky as Dicky demonstrates his wares to a buyer. Night Manager is more in the style of a James Bond movie than Le Carrés The Spy who Came in from the Cold, or Tinker Tailor, Soldier Spy.
Written in the 90's, the novel was Le Carré's first post-cold war novel, and the minutiae of the plot creaks with age as the producers try to update it to become a 21st-century tale. There are several elements of the plot which don't work well in 2016; such as Pine's use of a stolen mobile phone to send messages to British Intelligence. There are also later uses of mobile phones by Pine, his illicit lover and his colleagues back in London which simply wouldn't happen into today's tech-savvy world. A billionaire arms dealer like Roper would have had all manner of technical protections and listening devices that would have alerted him of such goings on in his house.
The plot also stretches the bounds of credibility in several areas, especially with regard to Pine's love affair with Roper's girlfriend. Roper and his gang are merciless killers. Who in their right mind would risk their lives – and the whole operation, by meeting each other in secret and stealing loving glances and holding hands – even in Roper's presence? It is silly, corny and drags the story down to a lower level than it might otherwise merit.
The biggest sin of all was to change the end of Le Carré's story - for the worst. What a shame!
Hugh Lawrie as Dicky Roper is a tour-de-force and plays the part of the brilliant but evil villain to utter perfection. Whenever he is on screen – which is most of the time, he holds you spellbound with his witty, smarmy, scary charm. He has a steely core that is capable of mass murder in the blink of an eye. But to believe that such a brilliant mastermind wouldn't have smelled out Pine's deceit way earlier than he finally did is stretching our credulity too far. (Even the fawning Telegraph reviewer agrees with me on this)
Tim Hiddleston, as Pine, does a reasonable job. Everyone seems to be in love with his performance, but for me, he did well without being exceptional. There were many times when I felt I couldn't totally buy into the role he was supposed to play. He didn't convince me that he was a genuine spy – he looked too worried and gave uncertain smiles most of the time, which would surely have been spotted by Roper.
Tom Hollander excelled as Roper's deposed right-hand man, and like Lawrie, he delivered a great, very believable performance.
The rest of the cast were pretty good, but I'm afraid I must single out Olivia Colman as being woefully miscast as the intelligence boss with a personal mission to bring down Roper.
I love Colman's work and I think she is a great actor, but she simply wasn't the right person. There was nothing about her performance that rang true, and the fact that she was pregnant (really) didn't help one iota. It was just plain silly.
So my final verdict on The Night Manager is that it was good entertainment, but not exceptional. I have seen many spy/police dramas produced by the BBC over the past few years that were much better, and which cost far less.
New twists on an old formula
rich-fouts26 December 2019
Warning: Spoilers
In 2003, UK Intelligence Officer Angela Burr (Olivia Colman) is a first-hand witness to the murderous aftermath of over 100 children near the Iranian border (she sees lung tissue seep from the mouths of these youngsters, thanks to a mustard gas specifically designed to prevent them from wearing gas masks). This unimaginable event motivates her to bring down a man named Richard Roper (Hugh Laurie), who after learning of this same event, decides to exploit the properties of this horrific gas by selling it to the highest bidders.
Ten years later, Roper is still outmaneuvering Burr in a global game of cat-and-mouse despite Burr's throwing dozens of satellites at the problem. Then, in the first of several critical milestones, Burr unknowingly hits pay dirt when she places a casual, yet critical phone call to Jonathan Pine, the night manager at a Cairo hotel (Tom Hiddleston) in an effort to interfere with yet another one of Roper's terrorist transactions in Cairo. Her efforts, too late, result in more tragic death.
Fast forward to 2011 and Hiddleston's Jonathan Pine has moved on to another night manager position at a highly-exclusive, luxury Swiss resort. When evil-genius Richard Roper coincidentally checks in one cold winter night, Hiddleston recognizes his name and associates it with the Cairo event. Shaken, he places a call to Burr, who is still sustaining her efforts to bring Roper to justice. After a clandestine meeting, Burr enlists Pine as a deep-cover asset to infiltrate Roper's organization. Though a hotel manager is hardly qualified for such a dangerous operation, Hiddleston's character just happens to be a former, two-tour Iraq solider (giving him a few necessary skills that will come in handy later on).
After a reluctant decision to help Burr, Pine's initial assignment is to place himself into Roper's debt by thwarting the kidnapping of Roper's young son. The idea for achieving this first of many mini missions -- is both spell-binding and horrifying in its uniquely innovative, very unexpected, high-risk execution. It is this event that also triggers the rest of the story in a series of dramatic twists and turns that keep us completely engaged.
Though The Night Manager is another take on good versus evil, against glamorous James Bond style music and images of elegant hotels, island resorts, yachts and champagne - it is executed through masterful direction and unique story lines supported by the acting talents of Hugh Laurie and the fabulous Elizabeth Debicki (who plays Laurie's girlfriend). Debicki does some of her best acting as she learns to mobilize fear into strength. She also uses great skill to reveal glimpses of vulnerability and terror through a convincing act of confidence and cunning. This is an actress to watch.
David Harewood, who is always good, plays Burr's equally-committed American counterpart (the two of them had a previous fling, though it's not pivotal to the story, hence fairly out-of-place. British acting veteran Tobias Menizes (from Game of Thrones) is excellent as always, this time as one of Burr's MI6 associates (who would later deliver an exquisite Prince Philip to Colman's Queen Elizabeth -- in The Crown). To say Menizes has range is the century's understatement.
Like most spy tales, the story logic depends on its audience overlooking some fairly big flaws, starting with the assumption that a hotel night manager, with no spook training at all, has the necessary skills and fortitude to participate in such a sophisticated operation. When Roper's front man (played by Tom Hollander) suspects our night manager is a fraud, he puts all his cards on the table in full view. Any good solider would keep this information to himself and use it to his advantage. Though Hollander's bad judgment is supported by excess drinking and an obsession with sex, it is nevertheless a bit painful to witness such a big oversight as his many "I'm onto you" speeches become repetitive and monotonous. The plot also involves the corruption of several MI6 executives, who oddly have no contingency plans in place when things start to unravel.
All of these flaws could have been used to create even more dramatic conflict, hence in my view were missed opportunities. My suspicion is that veteran director Susanne Bier, certainly aware of this, believed playing them out would add even more complexity to already-tangled web (perhaps throwing its viewers into sensory overload). The usual time-and-money constraints likely played a role as well.
Bier is easily forgiven when Hiddleston engages a brilliant contingency of his own (in real-time) after learning his cover is about to be blown, sending the series into its exciting tailspin.
Overall, Bier, who has boatloads of experience in this genre moves the series to the top of its game aided by the flawless performances of its stars: Laurie (who is especially steely), Hiddleston and Colman -- who all get lost in their characters. A stunning soundtrack by Victor Reyes (who composed the score for Grand Piano) is key to moving the story along.
Like any script that revolves around the destruction of a businessman who trades in terror, there are several critical dependencies, and you need to pay attention to the names and positions of the players, especially the corrupt government officials. Minus the benefit of having read the book, I found myself rewinding a few scenes to avoid missing important details. It was well worth it however in a series that will keep you completely on the edge of your seat.
It's been said a good film needs to have at least five, superbly-executed scenes. The Night Manager's superb director and cast certainly pass that test.
Ten years later, Roper is still outmaneuvering Burr in a global game of cat-and-mouse despite Burr's throwing dozens of satellites at the problem. Then, in the first of several critical milestones, Burr unknowingly hits pay dirt when she places a casual, yet critical phone call to Jonathan Pine, the night manager at a Cairo hotel (Tom Hiddleston) in an effort to interfere with yet another one of Roper's terrorist transactions in Cairo. Her efforts, too late, result in more tragic death.
Fast forward to 2011 and Hiddleston's Jonathan Pine has moved on to another night manager position at a highly-exclusive, luxury Swiss resort. When evil-genius Richard Roper coincidentally checks in one cold winter night, Hiddleston recognizes his name and associates it with the Cairo event. Shaken, he places a call to Burr, who is still sustaining her efforts to bring Roper to justice. After a clandestine meeting, Burr enlists Pine as a deep-cover asset to infiltrate Roper's organization. Though a hotel manager is hardly qualified for such a dangerous operation, Hiddleston's character just happens to be a former, two-tour Iraq solider (giving him a few necessary skills that will come in handy later on).
After a reluctant decision to help Burr, Pine's initial assignment is to place himself into Roper's debt by thwarting the kidnapping of Roper's young son. The idea for achieving this first of many mini missions -- is both spell-binding and horrifying in its uniquely innovative, very unexpected, high-risk execution. It is this event that also triggers the rest of the story in a series of dramatic twists and turns that keep us completely engaged.
Though The Night Manager is another take on good versus evil, against glamorous James Bond style music and images of elegant hotels, island resorts, yachts and champagne - it is executed through masterful direction and unique story lines supported by the acting talents of Hugh Laurie and the fabulous Elizabeth Debicki (who plays Laurie's girlfriend). Debicki does some of her best acting as she learns to mobilize fear into strength. She also uses great skill to reveal glimpses of vulnerability and terror through a convincing act of confidence and cunning. This is an actress to watch.
David Harewood, who is always good, plays Burr's equally-committed American counterpart (the two of them had a previous fling, though it's not pivotal to the story, hence fairly out-of-place. British acting veteran Tobias Menizes (from Game of Thrones) is excellent as always, this time as one of Burr's MI6 associates (who would later deliver an exquisite Prince Philip to Colman's Queen Elizabeth -- in The Crown). To say Menizes has range is the century's understatement.
Like most spy tales, the story logic depends on its audience overlooking some fairly big flaws, starting with the assumption that a hotel night manager, with no spook training at all, has the necessary skills and fortitude to participate in such a sophisticated operation. When Roper's front man (played by Tom Hollander) suspects our night manager is a fraud, he puts all his cards on the table in full view. Any good solider would keep this information to himself and use it to his advantage. Though Hollander's bad judgment is supported by excess drinking and an obsession with sex, it is nevertheless a bit painful to witness such a big oversight as his many "I'm onto you" speeches become repetitive and monotonous. The plot also involves the corruption of several MI6 executives, who oddly have no contingency plans in place when things start to unravel.
All of these flaws could have been used to create even more dramatic conflict, hence in my view were missed opportunities. My suspicion is that veteran director Susanne Bier, certainly aware of this, believed playing them out would add even more complexity to already-tangled web (perhaps throwing its viewers into sensory overload). The usual time-and-money constraints likely played a role as well.
Bier is easily forgiven when Hiddleston engages a brilliant contingency of his own (in real-time) after learning his cover is about to be blown, sending the series into its exciting tailspin.
Overall, Bier, who has boatloads of experience in this genre moves the series to the top of its game aided by the flawless performances of its stars: Laurie (who is especially steely), Hiddleston and Colman -- who all get lost in their characters. A stunning soundtrack by Victor Reyes (who composed the score for Grand Piano) is key to moving the story along.
Like any script that revolves around the destruction of a businessman who trades in terror, there are several critical dependencies, and you need to pay attention to the names and positions of the players, especially the corrupt government officials. Minus the benefit of having read the book, I found myself rewinding a few scenes to avoid missing important details. It was well worth it however in a series that will keep you completely on the edge of your seat.
It's been said a good film needs to have at least five, superbly-executed scenes. The Night Manager's superb director and cast certainly pass that test.
Brilliant
Harun_Karali23 February 2016
Warning: Spoilers
The Night Manager centers on the story of Jonathan Pine, who is fed up with the corruption that surrounds him everyday, Until, He meets Sophie who gives him a invoice of weapons that are going to be used. He decides to take action and sends the information to an intelligence agency in England, And in a perfect world that might have been sufficient, but that isn't the case in this one, politicians decide that acting on this Intel might do more harm then good.
The storyline is well written, As for the acting cast; Hugh Laurie & Tom Hiddleston do what they do best. This show has great potential and if the writers don't drop the ball, I am sure that we will enjoy it for a long time.
The storyline is well written, As for the acting cast; Hugh Laurie & Tom Hiddleston do what they do best. This show has great potential and if the writers don't drop the ball, I am sure that we will enjoy it for a long time.
Entertaining suspense and a welcome change from reality rubbish
Symonb29 February 2016
At last a good old fashioned yarn where bad guys are bad and the good guy has a moral position. A flick through the average night of TV and the schedules are filled with low-cost reality rubbish, The Night Manager breaks the mold it has a good storyline, high production values, and a great cast. More like watching a Bond movie, for example, using three million pound plus speedboats to go out to a restaurant just to get a beautifully choreographed overhead shot framed against the Med. Certainly looks and, with its intelligent script, sounds more like a big budget movie filmed on location in Europe than TV series. What more do you want for your licence fee? Forget it is reminiscent of a bygone era it is entertainment. As long as it doesn't degenerate into an overlong series with filler episodes that go nowhere I will keep watching...
Great expectations
amkn7516 June 2022
With the cast in this little series, nothing could go wrong. I guess it could, but it didn't.
Great story, and it captured my interest so much I had to watch it properly instead of having it as just some background entertainment while doing other things.
It's like a nice short story where the viewer is dragged in slowly, and ends in a climax. The last episode is definitely a highlight, where some are really slow.
If I could I'd probably give it an 8.5/10, but since that's not an option I went up instead. A 9 it is then!
Great story, and it captured my interest so much I had to watch it properly instead of having it as just some background entertainment while doing other things.
It's like a nice short story where the viewer is dragged in slowly, and ends in a climax. The last episode is definitely a highlight, where some are really slow.
If I could I'd probably give it an 8.5/10, but since that's not an option I went up instead. A 9 it is then!
Mildly intriguing - quite dry
grantss24 April 2016
Mildly intriguing - quite dry.
An Englishman, Jonathan Pine (played by Tom Hiddleston), is working as the night manager of a Cairo hotel. He gets involved with a local woman who is the girlfriend of a local gangster. Through her relationship with the gangster she has acquired information linking illegal international arms sales with Richard Roper (Hugh Laurie), an English billionaire. She is soon found dead, murdered due to her having this information. Fearing for his own life, Pine flees, ending up working at a remote hotel in Switzerland. Two years pass, and then Roper visits the Swiss hotel. This rekindles Pines thirst for revenge, and he is enlisted by British Intelligence to spy on Roper. What follows is a very dangerous game of intrigue and deception.
Interesting story, based on a John le Carre novel, but not told in a very exciting way. Just seems like a standard, join-the-dots espionage drama. The excitement is ramped up in the final episode but even then it comes in fits and starts. There's never any real momentum in the series. Conclusion feels rushed too - too neat and easy, after all the setbacks that came before.
Tom Hiddleston is one of the reasons I found the series less than great. He was okay initially, as the night manager. However, he then transformed into a ruthless thug and then a smug, swarmy businessman. The thug part wasn't believable, both from a character development perspective and an acting perspective. The swarmy businessman was also a bit of a character stretch (though not as much as the thug), and was a fairly irritating character to boot.
Solid work by Hugh Laurie as Roper. Interesting to see him in an arch-villain role, and he pulls it off with aplomb.
Good supporting cast - Tom Hollander, Olivia Colman, Elizabeth Debicki, David Harewood.
An Englishman, Jonathan Pine (played by Tom Hiddleston), is working as the night manager of a Cairo hotel. He gets involved with a local woman who is the girlfriend of a local gangster. Through her relationship with the gangster she has acquired information linking illegal international arms sales with Richard Roper (Hugh Laurie), an English billionaire. She is soon found dead, murdered due to her having this information. Fearing for his own life, Pine flees, ending up working at a remote hotel in Switzerland. Two years pass, and then Roper visits the Swiss hotel. This rekindles Pines thirst for revenge, and he is enlisted by British Intelligence to spy on Roper. What follows is a very dangerous game of intrigue and deception.
Interesting story, based on a John le Carre novel, but not told in a very exciting way. Just seems like a standard, join-the-dots espionage drama. The excitement is ramped up in the final episode but even then it comes in fits and starts. There's never any real momentum in the series. Conclusion feels rushed too - too neat and easy, after all the setbacks that came before.
Tom Hiddleston is one of the reasons I found the series less than great. He was okay initially, as the night manager. However, he then transformed into a ruthless thug and then a smug, swarmy businessman. The thug part wasn't believable, both from a character development perspective and an acting perspective. The swarmy businessman was also a bit of a character stretch (though not as much as the thug), and was a fairly irritating character to boot.
Solid work by Hugh Laurie as Roper. Interesting to see him in an arch-villain role, and he pulls it off with aplomb.
Good supporting cast - Tom Hollander, Olivia Colman, Elizabeth Debicki, David Harewood.
With no shortage of gorgeous characters and scenery, also the cloak-and-dagger sheathed behind their backs, "The Night Manager" delivers excitement beyond the job description.
quincytheodore23 February 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Suave, confident and sexy, "The Night Manager" offers a spy thriller from an interesting perspective, the hotelier's. Often neglected and barely visible, it's quite the dynamic take on a thriller protagonist. Both Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie carry themselves well, it's a delight to see them trade banters at TV mini0series while the visual takes full advantage of the exotic locations.
Jonathan Pine (Tom Hiddleston) is a manager of a hotel who either unluckily or serendipitously comes across sensitive material about certain dealings. As usual of smooth espionage a lady is involved, however this situation escalates further against their interests. Meanwhile, Richard Roper (Hugh Laurie), a philanthropist and alleged party concerning the shady dealing eventually meets with Jonathan.
This is a high stake cat-and-mouse game, and in a sense Jonathan is hiding is open view where he casually has mild conversations with people who might or might not be hostile. There's a sense of dread at play, fascinatingly so, even at simple tasks of daily housekeeping. It builds up anticipations whether Jonathan would be exposed or not, while Roger is charismatically imposing as Hugh Laurie demands every spotlight when he is present.
Visual is not only limited to beautiful people, it spans into various engaging scenery. It relocates with incredibly fast pace either, wasting no step in showcasing the lovely ambiance. The trademark BBC setting of clean and smooth vistas, as seen on Sherlock, is visibly present. Contest of wit between Loki and House is already a delightful spectacle, having enthralling environment as the battleground is a brilliant investment from the production.
Trailing for secrets beneath the sand and snow, presented with the appeal rivaling Bond's, "The Night Manager" delivers excitement beyond the job description.
Jonathan Pine (Tom Hiddleston) is a manager of a hotel who either unluckily or serendipitously comes across sensitive material about certain dealings. As usual of smooth espionage a lady is involved, however this situation escalates further against their interests. Meanwhile, Richard Roper (Hugh Laurie), a philanthropist and alleged party concerning the shady dealing eventually meets with Jonathan.
This is a high stake cat-and-mouse game, and in a sense Jonathan is hiding is open view where he casually has mild conversations with people who might or might not be hostile. There's a sense of dread at play, fascinatingly so, even at simple tasks of daily housekeeping. It builds up anticipations whether Jonathan would be exposed or not, while Roger is charismatically imposing as Hugh Laurie demands every spotlight when he is present.
Visual is not only limited to beautiful people, it spans into various engaging scenery. It relocates with incredibly fast pace either, wasting no step in showcasing the lovely ambiance. The trademark BBC setting of clean and smooth vistas, as seen on Sherlock, is visibly present. Contest of wit between Loki and House is already a delightful spectacle, having enthralling environment as the battleground is a brilliant investment from the production.
Trailing for secrets beneath the sand and snow, presented with the appeal rivaling Bond's, "The Night Manager" delivers excitement beyond the job description.
Superior Sunday night fare, but not quite as smart and grown up as the production and dark edges suggest
bob the moo2 July 2016
It was after the fact and the positive reviews that I watched The Night Manager, and I did so not quite sure what to expect as all I had heard was that it was good. The shows lays out its stall with an adult edge; having darkness to the plotting and the characters, while also enjoying the glitz and tension of it all. I was not totally sold on the journey of Pine to 'inside man' however the pace that made it less convincing also meant we moved beyond that quickly.
The episodes move around nicely from locations as well as from the inside world and those of the intelligence teams in London. This movement is combined with a mix of violence, sexual intrigue, tension, and dialogue driven drama. The combination of themes and locations and plots works pretty well and keeps each episode moving pretty well. The high production values allow for great locations which are then beautifully presented; it also means we have plenty of strong cast members. Hiddleston is not actually that great as a performance but he does have charisma which holds the attention. Laurie is better as a villain while Hollander, Colman, Akhtar, Harewood and others are all good value.
It is not quite as good as suggested though. It does have plotting weaknesses, and the dark edge and adult tone is very much presentation and not as deep in the characters and material as one would like. The conclusion is a bit too neat and tidy in particular. As a result it does feel like a good fit for the Sunday night slot, and is not as brilliant as it appears, even it is enjoyable with an easily digestible darkness.
The episodes move around nicely from locations as well as from the inside world and those of the intelligence teams in London. This movement is combined with a mix of violence, sexual intrigue, tension, and dialogue driven drama. The combination of themes and locations and plots works pretty well and keeps each episode moving pretty well. The high production values allow for great locations which are then beautifully presented; it also means we have plenty of strong cast members. Hiddleston is not actually that great as a performance but he does have charisma which holds the attention. Laurie is better as a villain while Hollander, Colman, Akhtar, Harewood and others are all good value.
It is not quite as good as suggested though. It does have plotting weaknesses, and the dark edge and adult tone is very much presentation and not as deep in the characters and material as one would like. The conclusion is a bit too neat and tidy in particular. As a result it does feel like a good fit for the Sunday night slot, and is not as brilliant as it appears, even it is enjoyable with an easily digestible darkness.
This Could (Shoud) Have Been Much Better
leftbanker-111 May 2016
Warning: Spoilers
From the start this looked superior to most British TV series which are light on budget and lazy in direction. A John Le Carré novel adapted at great cost seemed like a perfect mix for a short series. Very quickly I found that it wasn't quite short enough and they really dragged out some episodes. They could have told the story in four episodes and told it better. I haven't read the novel but the story just wasn't clever enough at times. The book probably explained things much better as was the case in The Little Drummer Girl which was the best spy novel I have ever read and incredibly intelligent.
The ending made little sense and I came away wondering just what in the heck happened. I also thought that the pregnant station chief was the weakest link in the acting chain but I always blame acting faults on the director and I happen to think that British TV suffers from bad direction. I also thought the love interest was just stupid. Why, why, why would he go after the girlfriend of the man he was trying to bring down? It was artificial, unbelievable, and just not very interesting.
The ending made little sense and I came away wondering just what in the heck happened. I also thought that the pregnant station chief was the weakest link in the acting chain but I always blame acting faults on the director and I happen to think that British TV suffers from bad direction. I also thought the love interest was just stupid. Why, why, why would he go after the girlfriend of the man he was trying to bring down? It was artificial, unbelievable, and just not very interesting.
A genuinely outstanding piece of work
Sleepin_Dragon10 July 2016
Warning: Spoilers
The Night Manager ranks as one of the finest pieces of drama to be made for quite some time. It managed to be unique somehow, it's been a while since we've seen a current day espionage thriller. They truly got this one spot on, an incredible story and plot, as one would expect from the pen of John le Carré, a book I've read but not taken a huge deal of interest in.
The acting is flawless, to say that the performances are truly remarkable would be an understatement, Hugh Laurie is outstanding, nice to see him cast against type. Olivia Coleman adds her usual qualities, but it's lead Tom Hiddleston who steals the show, he will have done his future career no harm at all with his performance here. Truly spectacular.
It's a drama that assumes the viewer's intelligence, a plot with a degree of complexity, which in itself makes a refreshing change.
Fantastic viewing from start to finish!! 10/10
The acting is flawless, to say that the performances are truly remarkable would be an understatement, Hugh Laurie is outstanding, nice to see him cast against type. Olivia Coleman adds her usual qualities, but it's lead Tom Hiddleston who steals the show, he will have done his future career no harm at all with his performance here. Truly spectacular.
It's a drama that assumes the viewer's intelligence, a plot with a degree of complexity, which in itself makes a refreshing change.
Fantastic viewing from start to finish!! 10/10
Not as good as it thinks it is.Thank God for Ms Colman.
ianlouisiana16 March 2016
Warning: Spoilers
The Night Manager gets his kit off at every opportunity but is still shown as sensitive and empathetic towards women which his not a bad trick if you can pull it off. Mr H.Laurie is not convincing as a megalomaniac evil arms dealer(are there any other kind?)and in fact is rather hammy,which is a disappointment. At the very start of the first episode when Pine(Mr Hiddlestone - now promoted as the "new" Poldark" who in turn was promoted as the "new" Mr Darcy...yawn,yawn) walks through a serious riot in Egypt it is clear he is not merely a hotel employee.Here is a man who is accustomed to being in the midst of anarchy and chaos.As imperturbable as Noel Coward in "Our Man In Havana" he strides towards the British Consulate. Clearly a person to be reckoned with. After that,Im afraid,things went a bit south for me. Various shades of crookery displayed by British diplomats,Spy vs Spy, typical le Carre minutiae regarding the S.I.S.'s different tentacles and rivalry and corruption at the very top of M.I.6. And these are just the good guys. Mr Laurie and his bad guys ( lots of requisite East Europeans included,natch) all overact like mad and it is left to the great Miss Colman to provide the only portrait of a believable human being as the woman who handles the material sent over by Pine. It must have cost a few bob to put together and doubtless the cast had a fine old time in Mallorca at the home of some multi - millionaire financier with links to the disgraced "Kids Company". Nice to see my licence money going where it is needed.
The life of a hotel manager
safenoe20 June 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Absolutely superb and gripping in all respects. Acting is top notch, and same with the locations and cinematography, particularly the contrasts between sunny Spain and grey sky London. Anyway, John Le Carre has a cameo in this fine series. Let there be a sequel please!
Leadenly Paced Cold War Update
l_rawjalaurence26 March 2016
THE NIGHT MANAGER seems to have a lot going for it - a big budget (enabling the action to be filmed in lots of exotic places such as Madrid, Mallorca and Morocco (standing in for Cairo), a good cast spearheaded by Hugh Laurie and current flavor of the month Tom Hiddleston, and a source-text by John le Carré, reminding us of those seminal adaptations of the late Seventies and early Eighties when Alec Guinness played George Smiley.
With such in-built advantages, why does Susanne Bier's production prove such a disappointment? Partly the fault lies in the hackneyed plot-structure: THE NIGHT MANAGER takes the familiar us-versus-them scenario characteristic of Cold War spy thriller and transposes it to the contemporary era. This time the enemies are the terrorists threatening to destabilize the "Middle East," who are being supplied with arms by dealer Richard Roper (Laurie). Bier's production is full of conventions characteristic of the genre: for example, sequences taking place in London where sharp-suited bureaucrats scowl at one another and talk in the kind of monosyllabic tones characteristic of those who don't want to reveal too many secrets. The action shifts rapidly between locations to suggest the extent of the plotting, while making us well aware that no one (except for the clean-cut hero, of course) can be trusted in the spying game.
The only snag with this plot-structure is that not much actually happens, except for the cliff-hanger at the end of each episode. Bier spends considerable time using close-ups focusing on Laurie's inscrutable expressions as he coolly deals with his enemies, contrasted with Hiddleston's perpetually worried look as he tries to find a way out of the predicament of being embedded with the enemies.
The production includes some familiar moments associated with so- called "adult" material. Hiddleston has numerous opportunities to get his kit off, as well as lasciviously eying the goods on offer when Laurie's girlfriend Jed Marshall (Elizabeth Debicki) goes skinny-dipping in the sea.
The performances are eclectic, to say the least. Tom Hollander's Corcoran is, quite simply, frightful; a diminutive ex-army type given to making wry comments that only serve to emphasize his lack of presence. Olivia Colman, her northern accent as intermittent as her on screen appearances, does what she can with a thankless role as the hero's boss. Laurie is all smooth smarmy charm as the bad guy, the kind of person bestowing largesse on his friends while having his enemies liquidated at the earliest possible opportunity. Hiddleston does not have much to do, but appears particularly unconvincing in his role as the eponymous night manager of two luxury hotels. He spends so much time chasing after a pretty girl (Aure Atika) that we wonder whether he has any time to devote to his professional duties.
Despite the resources lavished upon it, THE NIGHT MANAGER has to go down as a minor contribution to the Le Carré canon of adaptations.
With such in-built advantages, why does Susanne Bier's production prove such a disappointment? Partly the fault lies in the hackneyed plot-structure: THE NIGHT MANAGER takes the familiar us-versus-them scenario characteristic of Cold War spy thriller and transposes it to the contemporary era. This time the enemies are the terrorists threatening to destabilize the "Middle East," who are being supplied with arms by dealer Richard Roper (Laurie). Bier's production is full of conventions characteristic of the genre: for example, sequences taking place in London where sharp-suited bureaucrats scowl at one another and talk in the kind of monosyllabic tones characteristic of those who don't want to reveal too many secrets. The action shifts rapidly between locations to suggest the extent of the plotting, while making us well aware that no one (except for the clean-cut hero, of course) can be trusted in the spying game.
The only snag with this plot-structure is that not much actually happens, except for the cliff-hanger at the end of each episode. Bier spends considerable time using close-ups focusing on Laurie's inscrutable expressions as he coolly deals with his enemies, contrasted with Hiddleston's perpetually worried look as he tries to find a way out of the predicament of being embedded with the enemies.
The production includes some familiar moments associated with so- called "adult" material. Hiddleston has numerous opportunities to get his kit off, as well as lasciviously eying the goods on offer when Laurie's girlfriend Jed Marshall (Elizabeth Debicki) goes skinny-dipping in the sea.
The performances are eclectic, to say the least. Tom Hollander's Corcoran is, quite simply, frightful; a diminutive ex-army type given to making wry comments that only serve to emphasize his lack of presence. Olivia Colman, her northern accent as intermittent as her on screen appearances, does what she can with a thankless role as the hero's boss. Laurie is all smooth smarmy charm as the bad guy, the kind of person bestowing largesse on his friends while having his enemies liquidated at the earliest possible opportunity. Hiddleston does not have much to do, but appears particularly unconvincing in his role as the eponymous night manager of two luxury hotels. He spends so much time chasing after a pretty girl (Aure Atika) that we wonder whether he has any time to devote to his professional duties.
Despite the resources lavished upon it, THE NIGHT MANAGER has to go down as a minor contribution to the Le Carré canon of adaptations.
Heartbreak hotelier
Lejink2 April 2016
Let's start with the title sequence...the best I've ever seen for any film or TV show. Perfectly encapsulating the background plot of what follows, items of luxury effortlessly morph into sinister weapons culminating in a crystal chandelier mushrooming into an atomic bomb exploding.
What follows certainly matches it in terms of production values, acting skill and directorial quality. I've not read the John LeCarre parent novel, but right from the start was gripped by this involving tale of skulduggery in high places revolving around the at face value charismatic billionaire humanitarian Richard Roper, played by Hugh Laurie, who in reality is a cynical criminal mastermind supplying arms to the highest foreign bidder, with a luxurious lifestyle and entourage in tow.
Out to get him is a determined, very pregnant, middle-ranking British Intelligence agent, played by Olivia Colman, operating with a skeleton staff in a tiny, unheated London office but who gets a break in her mission when ex-Army man Jonathon Pine, played by Tom Hiddleston, crosses paths with Roper when the latter stays at the luxury hotel in Cairo where he's the night manager, right at the time of the Egyptian revolution. A chance encounter with a beautiful woman working for one of Roper's shady local contacts sees him drawn into a complicated plot orchestrated by Colman, principally involving another beautiful woman with whom Pine gets romantically entwined, designed to bring down Roper and his whole organisation. Over six exciting episodes, the drama plays out over a variety of locations including Egypt, London, Switzerland, Spain, Paris and present-day, war-torn Syria, the latter of course adding up-to-the-minute topicality to the tale.
The locations are absolutely stunning, from the high-end luxury which Roper enjoys in top restaurants, holiday villas, private jets and naturally only the best hotels, contrasted with the sparse, cold office of Colman and her team to the recreation of a refugee shanty-town in Syria. By a brilliantly conceived fake kidnap plot concerning Roper's son, Pine inveigles himself into Roper's network to become his right-hand man and so reach the position where he can execute Colman's plan to take him down.
Of course for such a complicated plot to work, the long arm of coincidence has to come into play for which the viewer has to suspend some disbelief as the handsome, debonair Pine gets two women inextricably linked with big-time criminals to fall for him (and vice- versa), plus he has a series of skin-of-his-teeth near-misses as his cover threatens to be blown, but all's fair in love and the dirty-war, so best just to go along with the ride as the story arcs to its nail-biting finish. There's also one delightful comic moment for fans of Hugh Laurie in "Black Adder" just as he meets his downfall.
Hiddleston surely marks himself out as a potential candidate to replace Daniel Craig as 007 with an assured, credible performance as the inside man moving in high places but quite prepared to ruthlessly maim and murder to maintain his position. Hugh Laurie too is excellent as the suave but ruthless Roper, believing right up to the end that his status and riches can protect him from harm while Olivia Colman is characteristically convincing as Roper's down-to-earth, determined pursuer, the Davina to Roper's Goliath. I was less impressed however with the performance of Elizabeth Debecki as Roper's gamine, eye-candy young girl-friend, although her part isn't helped by having to walk around mostly in a state of undress at Roper's beck and call.
Still, this was a stylish, high-end spy-yarn enriched by strong characterisation, excellent acting and slick direction which certainly made me glad I checked in for my six-hour stay.
What follows certainly matches it in terms of production values, acting skill and directorial quality. I've not read the John LeCarre parent novel, but right from the start was gripped by this involving tale of skulduggery in high places revolving around the at face value charismatic billionaire humanitarian Richard Roper, played by Hugh Laurie, who in reality is a cynical criminal mastermind supplying arms to the highest foreign bidder, with a luxurious lifestyle and entourage in tow.
Out to get him is a determined, very pregnant, middle-ranking British Intelligence agent, played by Olivia Colman, operating with a skeleton staff in a tiny, unheated London office but who gets a break in her mission when ex-Army man Jonathon Pine, played by Tom Hiddleston, crosses paths with Roper when the latter stays at the luxury hotel in Cairo where he's the night manager, right at the time of the Egyptian revolution. A chance encounter with a beautiful woman working for one of Roper's shady local contacts sees him drawn into a complicated plot orchestrated by Colman, principally involving another beautiful woman with whom Pine gets romantically entwined, designed to bring down Roper and his whole organisation. Over six exciting episodes, the drama plays out over a variety of locations including Egypt, London, Switzerland, Spain, Paris and present-day, war-torn Syria, the latter of course adding up-to-the-minute topicality to the tale.
The locations are absolutely stunning, from the high-end luxury which Roper enjoys in top restaurants, holiday villas, private jets and naturally only the best hotels, contrasted with the sparse, cold office of Colman and her team to the recreation of a refugee shanty-town in Syria. By a brilliantly conceived fake kidnap plot concerning Roper's son, Pine inveigles himself into Roper's network to become his right-hand man and so reach the position where he can execute Colman's plan to take him down.
Of course for such a complicated plot to work, the long arm of coincidence has to come into play for which the viewer has to suspend some disbelief as the handsome, debonair Pine gets two women inextricably linked with big-time criminals to fall for him (and vice- versa), plus he has a series of skin-of-his-teeth near-misses as his cover threatens to be blown, but all's fair in love and the dirty-war, so best just to go along with the ride as the story arcs to its nail-biting finish. There's also one delightful comic moment for fans of Hugh Laurie in "Black Adder" just as he meets his downfall.
Hiddleston surely marks himself out as a potential candidate to replace Daniel Craig as 007 with an assured, credible performance as the inside man moving in high places but quite prepared to ruthlessly maim and murder to maintain his position. Hugh Laurie too is excellent as the suave but ruthless Roper, believing right up to the end that his status and riches can protect him from harm while Olivia Colman is characteristically convincing as Roper's down-to-earth, determined pursuer, the Davina to Roper's Goliath. I was less impressed however with the performance of Elizabeth Debecki as Roper's gamine, eye-candy young girl-friend, although her part isn't helped by having to walk around mostly in a state of undress at Roper's beck and call.
Still, this was a stylish, high-end spy-yarn enriched by strong characterisation, excellent acting and slick direction which certainly made me glad I checked in for my six-hour stay.
John Lacarre As Agatha Christy
samkan16 March 2017
Warning: Spoilers
I think imizrahi2002 's COMMENT is dead right. The first episodes are great espionage, intrigue and just what one would expect from John LaCarre. Besides the fact that LaCarre published TNM in 1993, the viewer should be advised that the makers of this series vastly altered locales and characters. Such can be forgiven BUT NOT the series' descent into soapy melodrama. imizrahi2002 is correct that events in the last few episodes are both implausible and poorly staged. No offense to Elizabeth Debicki ("Jed") but her character was too stereo-typically femme fatale. Olivia Coleman's "Burr" (male in the book) becomes increasingly fussy and melodramatic ala Angela Lansbury. Hugh Laurie's "Roper" is too unflawed, erudite, etc. Enormous money spent on settings, props, etc., would have been better spent on writing, conceiving, etc.
If your are a fan of Espionage Genre then this series is a must watch
Hussain-AL-Naseer11 April 2020
Since Espionage genre is very popular among the mases that is why Bond Movies, MI- series are all established and profitable franchises, continuing the legacy of silver screen the Night Manager a short web series has justified its worth as it captures audiences with twists & thrills both at the same time.
Good writing with a powerful star cast including Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie & Elizabeth Debicki all contributes towards making a successful Espionage Genre short series. Especial Shout out to the Cinematographer, Dialogues writer and editor.
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