Kate Winslet's appearances in HBO
limited series have been consistently exceptional, offering some of her most
substantial roles in the past 15 years. Her performances in these series stand
out, especially when compared to her role in the Avatar sequel as a blue,
underwater creature.
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| Matthias Schoenaerts and Kate Winslet in 'The Regime' COURTESY OF HBO |
In "Mildred Pierce," Winslet portrayed a character with brittle severity, a stark contrast to the bruised, self-destructive Delco shades she embodied in "Mare of Easttown." Unlike the long gap between these projects, Winslet has quickly returned to HBO with "The Regime," a six-episode story that struggles to match the quality of its predecessors.
"The Regime" is a political satire that often falls short of
delving into its targets beyond a surface level observation that autocrats are
usually bad because they are isolated from the people they rule. Created by
Will Tracy, known for his work on "Succession,"
the series invites comparisons that may lead to disappointment. However, Tracy
demonstrates skill in crafting bluntly profane dialogue, and with Winslet as
the lead, the dialogue becomes a powerful tool.
Winslet's portrayal of Elena
Vernham, the chancellor of an authoritarian regime in a fictional European
country, is a complex blend of physical and psychological choices. While the
series sometimes lacks clarity in its direction, Winslet's performance keeps it
engaging and intriguing.
Elena, a former physician married to a poetry-loving Frenchman, took over the country from its long-deposed leader and has established a rule characterized by fascistic maternalism. Despite the country's economy being based on cobalt mining and sugar beets, Elena remains popular among its people.
Elena is in a state of decline. Her
father passed away a year ago, and his presence seems to linger in the palace,
which was once a luxury hotel and now serves as her secluded home. She rarely
ventures outside, possibly due to her growing paranoia about mold infestations
in the palace. She has filled every available space with dehumidifiers and her
behavior towards the palace staff, particularly the household coordinator
Agnes, played by Andrea Riseborough, has become increasingly erratic.
A turning point occurs when Elena
hires Corporal Herbert Zubak, played by Matthias Schoenaerts, to inspect the
palace for moisture levels, becoming obsessed with the idea of fungal
intrusion. However, Herbert is dealing with his own demons, having been
involved in a military action where protesters at a mine were killed. Despite this,
Elena sees a redeeming quality in him, believing that "There’s a good man in there who deserves
love."
In a short span of time—The Regime's episodes skip ahead weeks and months, covering a year of decline—Elena and Herbert develop a toxic bond. Their relationship becomes a murky mix of manipulation, with unclear motives and outcomes. This dynamic begins to unsettle Elena's council of advisors, then draws the attention of the United States, including a disapproving senator played by Martha Plimpton, and eventually the civilians. Revolution seems imminent.
Will Tracy has placed the story in
a realm between allegory and tangible reality, resulting in a critique that
feels more superficial than deeply insightful. The series touches on the
tactics used by authoritarian regimes—Elena's televised speeches to the nation,
filled with soothing but hollow rhetoric, are her main link to the outside
world—but the issues at play remain either vague or oddly specific. When the
show briefly mentions the consequences of land reform in Zimbabwe and South
Africa, these are real-world issues with significant global impacts that The
Regime fails to address meaningfully.
The Regime offers a vague and
obvious critique of bombastic, media-bashing, blame-shifting demagoguery that
could easily be applied to figures like Donald Trump or Vladimir Putin. However,
one could also interpret (perhaps incorrectly) Elena as a reflection of the
more convoluted, gaffe-prone tendencies of Joe Biden. Thus, a simplistic "Anyone who seeks and wields power is
probably corrupt" interpretation is possible.
The series lacks depth, but compensates with a steady stream of profanity-laden dialogue, reminiscent of the style found in works by Iannucci and Armstrong. This makes it easy to sit back and enjoy the insults, unless you're haunted by the suspicion that The Regime might be as shallow and empty as some early critics claimed Succession to be.
Unlike Succession, The Regime seems
unlikely to be mistaken for a drama. Directors Stephen Frears and Jessica Hobbs
lean into a quirky, light-hearted tone, following bickering characters through
the opulence of the palace, accompanied by an aggressively whimsical score from
Alexandre Desplat. Despite being set almost entirely in an enclosed edifice,
the show manages to avoid feeling claustrophobic, thanks in part to production
designer Kave Quinn's stellar work.
Winslet delves deep into her
professional toolkit to make Elena's motivations and well-being inscrutable. At
times, there's a slur to her speech and a droop to her lip that suggest
fragility and instability. Other times, she's cold, calculating, and completely
in control. When her mind wavers, her posture conveys strength. When her body
fails, she uses her mind to manipulate everyone around her, including
Gallienne's Nicky, who comes across as a flighty and amusing cuckold, and Schoenaerts'
Herbert, a formidable figure with an ostensibly irresistible allure.
One could envision a more substantive version of The Regime that fully utilizes its brilliant yet underused ensemble cast. Plimpton and Grant, for instance, are present for only an episode each, with Plimpton expertly portraying an American imperiousness reminiscent of Hillary Clinton, and Grant adopting a Tony Blair-esque portrayal of a desiccated figure clinging to the remains of his charisma.
Riseborough, who gets more screen
time and arguably comes closest to being a sympathetic figure in the series, delivers
a somber, occasionally humorous, wraith-like performance as a woman who sees
the dysfunction in the palace but feels powerless to stop it. Agnes serves as a
stark contrast to Elena's sycophantic advisors, who are more like a cheery and
bewildered Greek chorus with barely distinguishable personalities, portrayed by
esteemed British actors like David Bamber, Danny Web, and Henry Goodman.
The Regime attempts to fit into the
tradition of satirical political comedies like Duck Soup, The Great Dictator,
and Bananas, but it doesn't unearth much wisdom on the nature of power and its
abuses in the modern world. After watching six episodes, the most compelling
power dynamic for me was Kate Winslet's ability to elevate any HBO project.
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