Oh so refreshing to cast musicians as musicians! A heartfelt story, well written and ably acted, with the unique and so appreciated approach that the music central to the story is performed (and in many cases composed) by the actors, who are also excellent professional musicians. There is thus nothing to distract from the story. Rather, it all contributes and moves the story forward. A wonderful, enjoyable and at times moving experience!
40 Reviews
A flawed, tonally inconsistent show with great music and acting
coltonkimmy11 May 2020
As a fan of (most of) Damien Chazelle's previous work and the main actors involved, I was really looking forward to this. Unfortunately, while it does have great moments, I was ultimately left disappointed.
Where this show does not disappoint is with the acting and music. All of the actors commit to the script and do an excellent job (for the most part). With all of his films, Chazelle has a way of drawing you further into the setting and characters' lives through flawlessly edited musical sequences that also provide as subtle exposition. The last episode especially is extremely well-crafted and entertaining. If I were to rate the whole show based on the final episode, I would give this an 8 out of 10.
Where this show does disappoint is with some major tonal inconsistencies, pacing issues, and two separate storylines that are meshed together in a very jarring and messy way. I wish that the show would commit fully to either the mafia storyline or just the club band players' lives. Having those two very different storylines alongisde one another didn't work for me. The first four episodes are definitely too long; in fact, all of the episodes (except for the last two) could've been trimmed down a little in post-production. Most of the time, the humor in this feels out of place, but this is just a minor issue. Another minor issue is that Joanna Kulig, who I love, does leave a bit to be desired in terms of her acting. This isn't really her fault, since English isn't her first language and about half of her dialogue is in English.
Overall, this is a flawed and tonally inconsistent show that does have great music, acting, and emotional moments. This definitely isn't going to be for everyone, but some will really enjoy this. I don't think I'll ever watch this again, but I don't regret seeing this.
Where this show does not disappoint is with the acting and music. All of the actors commit to the script and do an excellent job (for the most part). With all of his films, Chazelle has a way of drawing you further into the setting and characters' lives through flawlessly edited musical sequences that also provide as subtle exposition. The last episode especially is extremely well-crafted and entertaining. If I were to rate the whole show based on the final episode, I would give this an 8 out of 10.
Where this show does disappoint is with some major tonal inconsistencies, pacing issues, and two separate storylines that are meshed together in a very jarring and messy way. I wish that the show would commit fully to either the mafia storyline or just the club band players' lives. Having those two very different storylines alongisde one another didn't work for me. The first four episodes are definitely too long; in fact, all of the episodes (except for the last two) could've been trimmed down a little in post-production. Most of the time, the humor in this feels out of place, but this is just a minor issue. Another minor issue is that Joanna Kulig, who I love, does leave a bit to be desired in terms of her acting. This isn't really her fault, since English isn't her first language and about half of her dialogue is in English.
Overall, this is a flawed and tonally inconsistent show that does have great music, acting, and emotional moments. This definitely isn't going to be for everyone, but some will really enjoy this. I don't think I'll ever watch this again, but I don't regret seeing this.
A Strong Series with a Disappointing Conclusion
kaneeddy5 June 2020
Warning: Spoilers
The Eddy is a show that I found to be particularly enjoyable for the most part, the whole concept of the show is highly interesting, portraying a jazz club in France and the people that work for that club, the twists and turns it takes are interesting and keep you wanting more each episode. The performances were fantastic by everyone involved especially Andre Holland as the lead, who gave a relatable performance as Elliot Udo. The structure for the series was well conceived by having a new character from the club be the lead for each episode, this gives you a deeper connection to each character so that their revelations by the end of the show mean something to you.
The show has flaws however, such as: Injecting a mafia plot line that impacts the club. I felt the idea in the beginning to the middle of this plot line was strong as it put pressure on Elliot and made every episode intense, however, when this plot line unfolds it doesn't manage to keep it interesting, instead giving us something a little more generic. i also thought there was some inconsistent visions from each director, Damian Chazelle had a clear vision for the way that his episodes were to take place including the use of the cinematography, however the other directors looked like they had different views and changed it, this inconsistency was a small distraction from the great writing the show had until the last episode which feels like it goes too slow when it doesn't need to and then too fast when there is a nice moment to savour.
Overall, The Eddy was a great 8 part series that gave us an interesting concept, great performances, and strong characterisation, However it is weighed down by a weak final episode, a generic mafia storyline and inconsistent directing. This show is not for everyone, however fans of art house cinema and Television might find this enjoyable.
The show has flaws however, such as: Injecting a mafia plot line that impacts the club. I felt the idea in the beginning to the middle of this plot line was strong as it put pressure on Elliot and made every episode intense, however, when this plot line unfolds it doesn't manage to keep it interesting, instead giving us something a little more generic. i also thought there was some inconsistent visions from each director, Damian Chazelle had a clear vision for the way that his episodes were to take place including the use of the cinematography, however the other directors looked like they had different views and changed it, this inconsistency was a small distraction from the great writing the show had until the last episode which feels like it goes too slow when it doesn't need to and then too fast when there is a nice moment to savour.
Overall, The Eddy was a great 8 part series that gave us an interesting concept, great performances, and strong characterisation, However it is weighed down by a weak final episode, a generic mafia storyline and inconsistent directing. This show is not for everyone, however fans of art house cinema and Television might find this enjoyable.
Stylish and Brilliant
stevenewman-7394310 May 2020
Worth a watch
bjboulden21 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Absolutely great acting and the music Is top notch. But this mystery show, which shows the areas of Paris tourists don't see has one of the worst endings I've ever seen. Its like no one wrote a real ending.
I do hope, but I'm not planning on it, there will be more so the story will wrap up.
Beautifully filmed. Still worth watching once.
I do hope, but I'm not planning on it, there will be more so the story will wrap up.
Beautifully filmed. Still worth watching once.
Babel
bacarciaca25 May 2020
Wonderful series!
The characters spoke French, English, Spanish, Polish, Arabic, Croatian and many more languages and still this diversity was not the reason they were unable to understand each other. Sometimes, miscommunication goes beyond language, race, religion, gender, age...
These people were unable to express their feelings. They could not take a moment to open up and speak their minds, say what they really wanted to say. Their miscommunication was not because of a language barrier but because of the obstacles they created themselves despite the love and care they actually had for each other. Jazz was their escape, their universal language and when they played, the moments where they actually freed themselves..
Beautiful, heartbreaking series. Excellent performances, amazing soundtrack.. (Got the soundtrack on Itunes and it's been playing for days!)
I only wish there were more shows like these out there.
Should have been much better
kljuc-111 May 2020
Love jazz, love Paris, love the story about a jazz club in Paris, love Damien other work.. What could go wrong? (ep3) I care so little about the characters that i am trying to figure out why that is.. . Music is great.. But the way some of the characters behave and act.. Not sure in what works that is :) some reviewer said the last couple of episodes are good.. Let's try to make it to those
In love with the tv-shows
yassjamou11 May 2020
I liked The way they managed to show barely every member's story and their difficulties in each episode , And how the music remains their only refuge from life pressure.
And the acting is just magnificent ,such talented casts and musicians
Who stole the script?
TerDale24 May 2020
Warning: Spoilers
They made it! I mean, they succeeded in showing that having "Names" is not enough to deliver a good series! Quite like in sports: hiring all the best players doesn't mean you'll have the best team, or even a team!
To me the whole thing is just a pretext for music moments, and those are pretty good, even if I'm not a jazz fan. But where is the story? Who had that idea to kill Farid at the end of the first episode? Was Tahar Rahim called on another set? Who decided that Elliot would be continuously pissed off, so much that it sounds so odd? OK, we progressively figure out that he lost a son, but still he doesn't look "real", and neither his relation with his daughter nor the one with Maja do. I found that most of what is related to his character is missed. All of this is really a mess, as the Paris jazz club idea could have been a nice start for a good, well written, story... Actually, all sounds as if different people involved in this production had very different interests, and if each did what they wanted without thinking of what that would give as a final result... Such a mess!
The Eddy
matt_millowick8 May 2020
The Eddy
bahadirshn9 May 2020
Wonderful and original job. Damien Chazelle show us again his magical talent with this series. Cast was really perfect . The Eddy has warm tones and really good music scenes. I think this serie will favorite for jazz lovers
Jazzy but made me dizzy
turgan12 May 2020
frank and wonderful play
gabriellatimar12 May 2020
I've rarely seen such a unique play. It is real, not fake, it shows life in its real nature, simply, without wanting to create any certain effects on the viewer. Instead it shows life how it rolls without any simulation. Instead it trusts the viewer to create his own buzz himself, without any manipulation. The actors harmonize this concept and all of this creates such a warm and intimate atmosphere with the lovable characters that it is a real remedy for soul. I can't wait the next season to come out. When will this be please?
'The Eddy is a remarkably done tv show that swoons you with its music but keeps you around for the amazing acting.'
newyorkgangster0526 April 2020
The Eddy is a remarkably done tv show that swoons you with its music but keeps you around for the amazing acting. The episodes are their own unique pieces within the broad scope of the story. I would highly recommend checking out the show when it drops on Netflix.
Finally We See TV Reviving Jazz
karen-4863910 May 2020
Disappointed about the technical quality
Felixhug8 May 2020
I know i know, its supposed to be authentic and artsy and real and what not.
But there is no point in all of the above if you just screw everything up with sloppy technical production.
There is no point in great acting, good tunes and a solid story, if half of the time the footage is out of focus when its not supposed to be or the light so dark and flat that you hardly can make out the action.
I was so looking forward to this show, but after the first episode i'm very dissatisfied.
I'm a professional photographer and i just get so distracted from the story when it looks like its shot carelessly with no regards to focus, lighting or composition. Don't get me wrong, i'm all for alternative filmmaking, but even with a minimum of production you can be mindful of focus pull and light conditions.
The sad part is, it does a disservice to the story and the community its supposed to uplift to the center of attention. Because ultimately a lot of people will stop watching because its distracting from what's important.
Its on the opposite scale of lets say a blockbuster where over production, stupid dialogs and CGI is distroying the story. In The Eddy the opposite happens, carelessness is distroying and distracting from the otherwise promising content.
Maybe its getting better, but after part 1 i give it a 5, because i love Jazz and i love most of the actors.
But there is no point in all of the above if you just screw everything up with sloppy technical production.
There is no point in great acting, good tunes and a solid story, if half of the time the footage is out of focus when its not supposed to be or the light so dark and flat that you hardly can make out the action.
I was so looking forward to this show, but after the first episode i'm very dissatisfied.
I'm a professional photographer and i just get so distracted from the story when it looks like its shot carelessly with no regards to focus, lighting or composition. Don't get me wrong, i'm all for alternative filmmaking, but even with a minimum of production you can be mindful of focus pull and light conditions.
The sad part is, it does a disservice to the story and the community its supposed to uplift to the center of attention. Because ultimately a lot of people will stop watching because its distracting from what's important.
Its on the opposite scale of lets say a blockbuster where over production, stupid dialogs and CGI is distroying the story. In The Eddy the opposite happens, carelessness is distroying and distracting from the otherwise promising content.
Maybe its getting better, but after part 1 i give it a 5, because i love Jazz and i love most of the actors.
The Best Ever Overlooked Series!
stevenewman-7394328 August 2020
..superbly acted - realistic script and depth of characters. Best of all, there is some great music played by some great musicians. It makes you really want to be a part of the loving community which circles around a Jazz Club in Paris.
To Chazelle's manager
jasalango18 May 2020
What a start, very promising first two episodes, great Chazelle work to set the tone and style of the series, from the third on, all that great work stablished went to complete trash, to start with the bad dialogues and awefully rare script beats, mostly on episode 4 (where I stopped watching this series), aweful script decisions. Truly sad that Netflix has to be that insecure not letting the entire series being shot with the same 16mm film camera Chazelle started with, that change to digital completely ruins the experience, also the music Chazelle started with (la la land like chords, musical freedom and connection) turned to a waste when they decided to use a different composer for the next episodes, extremely bad idea taking to mind that in the story is the same band. Wish they had let one musical mind for the entire series, and also let Chazelle direct more than 2 episodes, at least the last one. Had very high expectations for this, I'm very dissapointed.
To the Netflix gods...
cdawgla24 July 2020
...please let there be a season two. There's so much I loved about this series: the slow burn, the dedicated episodes to various bandmates, the MUSIC, the nuanced performances, the long camera shots, the DIVERSITY, and of course Andre' Holland. To give us only one season would be robbing those of us who are starving for this type of gritty grown-folk-television.
Excellent Series. And everyone I referred it to thanked me!
rickpucci-130 May 2020
Gritty, intense, loaded with top notch music, the acting is superb. I sure hope there is a second series. It's mind blowing how anyoe wouldn't give this at least an 8 but some people don't get jazz...or how it moves you...and the theme, how everyone always comes back t the band, the music. Just great.
Human Is Better Than Perfect
acuvox-5734730 May 2020
This is a series I have been waiting for all my life. I live for live, mostly acoustic music.sound. I attend over 100 concerts a year and recorded a library of over 800 sets. I designed and built two very different mobile recording studios because I could not relate to smoothed over studio recordings; and the rough edges are definitely in this drama.
The sound of the band playing live on camera was instantly recognizable as REAL, none of the gear is props and every audio detail is congruent with the specific fictional setting. This drew me in in a way that no post-production studio can.
Further, the music was acted. When the plot called for the band to be hot, they where; when personal and business problems spilled over, they were not, and in a realistic way - because they are all real musicians, good enough to have a dual career with no schism. How they thought about the music, felt about the music, it was all there in the sound as well as faces and body language - while they were (mostly) hitting the notes. In that sense, the flaws in the movie are perfect - the stumbles, the focus, the non-steady cam, the flattened color of a dark club, the intonation, the off-rhythm, losing the protagonists in crowd scenes was all evocative of the live Jazz environment.
So, too, the off-stage action although over-dramatic fit the rhythms of musicians' life and the range of other denizens in this world. The daily tensions came from the clashes between introversion (Elliott, Jude, Cristina, Sim and surprisingly Maja) and extroversion of Julie, Farid, Amira, Sami, and the rest of the band. Then there was the clash of business - well I promised no spoilers.
Checking the other movie people's reviews I understand this is not everybodies' glass of wine or bottle of beer. No tidy Hollywood plot lines, but bumps and knocks. If you know and LOVE live music, you will love this outing as I do, right down to a musically satisfying ended.
The sound of the band playing live on camera was instantly recognizable as REAL, none of the gear is props and every audio detail is congruent with the specific fictional setting. This drew me in in a way that no post-production studio can.
Further, the music was acted. When the plot called for the band to be hot, they where; when personal and business problems spilled over, they were not, and in a realistic way - because they are all real musicians, good enough to have a dual career with no schism. How they thought about the music, felt about the music, it was all there in the sound as well as faces and body language - while they were (mostly) hitting the notes. In that sense, the flaws in the movie are perfect - the stumbles, the focus, the non-steady cam, the flattened color of a dark club, the intonation, the off-rhythm, losing the protagonists in crowd scenes was all evocative of the live Jazz environment.
So, too, the off-stage action although over-dramatic fit the rhythms of musicians' life and the range of other denizens in this world. The daily tensions came from the clashes between introversion (Elliott, Jude, Cristina, Sim and surprisingly Maja) and extroversion of Julie, Farid, Amira, Sami, and the rest of the band. Then there was the clash of business - well I promised no spoilers.
Checking the other movie people's reviews I understand this is not everybodies' glass of wine or bottle of beer. No tidy Hollywood plot lines, but bumps and knocks. If you know and LOVE live music, you will love this outing as I do, right down to a musically satisfying ended.
Very disappointed from this series
paulalayy19 May 2020
Very disappointed from this series, I was attracted by its jazz ambiance that seemed cool, the first episode was good, intrigued me to continue watching, then the other episodes were inconsistent, poor dialogue writing and the ending anticlimactic.
An imperfect but aware modern jazz drama
emailgrant20 May 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Being a big fan of jazz, when I saw the premise for this series I was immediately interested, so took in a couple episodes to check it out. I found a series with deep an interesting characters, great dialogue, notable photography, and most important, quality music. The balance between music and story was just right for me. I was initially a bit disappointed in some of Ms. Kulig's performances - occasionally off key - but they improved dramatically as the series progressed. The story and subplots within it pulled you in as they went, and most were wrapped up at the end, with one glaring omission, IMO. The only other dig I had is that I've never heard of a jazz club that only has a single band, but perhaps they're out there. Fortunately, they were a talented one and the story was captivating enough to pull your focus off minor details like that. If you're into jazz and Paris check it out!
A disappointment!
xneo-1165610 May 2020
More than entertaining
sabine_pfeifle13 May 2020
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
