I came into "The Dropout" knowing absolutely nothing about Elizabeth Holmes or Theranos. Ultimately, I think this perhaps worked to my disadvantage in watching this miniseries. However, when all is said and done, it still ends up being a solid peek behind the curtain of what blatant dishonesty and false images can lead to.
For a very basic overview, "The Dropout" tells the story of Holmes (Amanda Seyfried), the founder of Theranos--a medical blood-testing company that was supposed to revolutionize that industry. The problem? The entire company was as big of a lie as Holmes' made-up persona, debunking investors and putting real people's health at risk.
For the first 4 episodes, this series really focuses in on Holmes, from her college days at Stanford, to dropping out to start Theranos, and her transformation from young girl to turtleneck-wearing, bright red lipstick-touting icon. These are the episodes I enjoyed the most, as they gave off incredible "The Social Network" vibes. Not knowing what Holmes was ultimately going to turn into, this was all fascinating to me.
The back 4 episodes then shift the focus to Theranos as a company and its eventually downfall at the hands of journalistic reporting and federal regulations. A lot of time is given to Holmes' co-conspirator (or partner, depending on how you look at it) Sunny Balwani (Naveen Andrews). I found these episodes to be good, but not as riveting as the opening salvo. To me, the life of this story is "person" (Holmes), not "company" (Theranos).
Andrews is of course a LOST vet, while other acting talents like Laurie Metcalf, Kurtwood Smith, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, William H. Macy, Stephen Fry, Sam Waterston, & even Alan Ruck are present here and there. But it is truly Seyfried's remarkable performance that gives "The Dropout" almost all of its spark. This is the kind of turn that can (and should) vault Seyfried into the upper echelon of actresses currently plying their trade. Her quirky mannerisms, odd voice, and careful crafted visual presentation (makeup, lipstick, clothing, etc.) will draw your eyes and attention in every scene she is in. As slam-dunk of an award-winning performance as has ever been given.
Like I said, overall I think my enjoyment of "The Dropout" may have been hurt a bit by "coming in blind". I didn't know what Holmes would eventually become, so that dramatic shift was quite as thrilling for me. My main enjoyment came from the examination of Holmes from many different angles (familial, personal, psychological, etc.), and that was clearly only meant to be half the story here (the other half, of course, being Theranos itself, which wasn't quite as enthralling to me). Overall, though, I land on a solid 8/10 stars despite the potential slippage towards the end of its run.
For a very basic overview, "The Dropout" tells the story of Holmes (Amanda Seyfried), the founder of Theranos--a medical blood-testing company that was supposed to revolutionize that industry. The problem? The entire company was as big of a lie as Holmes' made-up persona, debunking investors and putting real people's health at risk.
For the first 4 episodes, this series really focuses in on Holmes, from her college days at Stanford, to dropping out to start Theranos, and her transformation from young girl to turtleneck-wearing, bright red lipstick-touting icon. These are the episodes I enjoyed the most, as they gave off incredible "The Social Network" vibes. Not knowing what Holmes was ultimately going to turn into, this was all fascinating to me.
The back 4 episodes then shift the focus to Theranos as a company and its eventually downfall at the hands of journalistic reporting and federal regulations. A lot of time is given to Holmes' co-conspirator (or partner, depending on how you look at it) Sunny Balwani (Naveen Andrews). I found these episodes to be good, but not as riveting as the opening salvo. To me, the life of this story is "person" (Holmes), not "company" (Theranos).
Andrews is of course a LOST vet, while other acting talents like Laurie Metcalf, Kurtwood Smith, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, William H. Macy, Stephen Fry, Sam Waterston, & even Alan Ruck are present here and there. But it is truly Seyfried's remarkable performance that gives "The Dropout" almost all of its spark. This is the kind of turn that can (and should) vault Seyfried into the upper echelon of actresses currently plying their trade. Her quirky mannerisms, odd voice, and careful crafted visual presentation (makeup, lipstick, clothing, etc.) will draw your eyes and attention in every scene she is in. As slam-dunk of an award-winning performance as has ever been given.
Like I said, overall I think my enjoyment of "The Dropout" may have been hurt a bit by "coming in blind". I didn't know what Holmes would eventually become, so that dramatic shift was quite as thrilling for me. My main enjoyment came from the examination of Holmes from many different angles (familial, personal, psychological, etc.), and that was clearly only meant to be half the story here (the other half, of course, being Theranos itself, which wasn't quite as enthralling to me). Overall, though, I land on a solid 8/10 stars despite the potential slippage towards the end of its run.