Boardwalk Empire burns slow, like a savored cigar. The pilot builds methodically, painstakingly to its climax before a slow unwind to let you mull over the fallout. The show sets up the slow build by showing some of the climax in the opening sequence before flashing back to a couple days before to show what led to it. I assure you, even seeing part of the climax at the start of the film didn't give too much away. There are plenty of new facets to that moment as well as the build up to it that make it surprising and exciting. One historical figure's appearance was a particularly pleasant surprise. The only clunky moment of the show happens within the first two minutes, as a convoy falls into an overly obvious trap that even a non-gangsta such as myself could spot from a mile away.
The set and aura of the show exudes a shiny and clean front of small businesses, honest politics, and ignorant men and women. But as the show goes on, we begin to see the violence, sex, and drinking that go behind the scenes. Much of the "business" occurs at night, and there's a brutal simplicity to the violence. Greed is the primary motive for the brutality and duplicity. Jimmy Darmody declares it to be his motive, and tells Nucky it's his motive as well. Only time will tell if that's the truth.
There's reason to believe Nucky is conflicted about his crimes. Jimmy tells him he can't be just "half a thug anymore". He clearly is still mourning his wife, who, it is implied, would have been ashamed of his actions. He spends a good portion of the episode trying to help a poor pregnant woman. His solution at the end of the episode is startlingly simple, efficient, and (maybe?) a kind thing. I'll leave that up to you to decide.
Something else you should decide for yourself is when you're going to make the time to watch this show. It's got the addictive quality and the accurate depiction of period that Mad Men possesses, but it has the brutal gangs and street warfare of Reservoir Dogs. I can't help but like this show, and you won't be able to either. My personal favorite part of the episode is the climax which is queued up by a bit of 20's comedy about how stupid the comedian's girlfriend is.(Everyone with me: "How stupid is she?")
So check this one out. I'm giving it 3.5 stars out of 4, because it does have room to grow and a few plot points it can cinch a bit tighter. I can't wait to see if it does.
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| "January 1920. On the eve of Prohibition, Atlantic City's Treasurer, Nucky Thompson, condemns alcohol at a Women's Temperance League meeting, where he is noticed by Margaret Schroeder, a pretty, pregnant housewife who comes to him for help in getting her abusive husband Hans a job. Later that evening, the duplicitous Nucky privately tells his ward bosses about the opportunity to make huge profits selling bootleg liquor. At a countdown-to-midnight blast at Babette's Supper Club, he assures Jimmy Darmody, a recently returned WWI vet, that his appointment as "Man Friday" to the new Chief Clerk of the Fourth Ward, Paddy Ryan, will lead to bigger things. Jimmy, meanwhile, has higher aspirations and ends up making an alliance that could have dire consequences for both him and Nucky." - HBO Publicity |
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