Darren Criss Fan Community
This is a fan forum to discuss Darren Criss\'s career and his public activities, including his theater, film, and TV projects, his music and musical performances, charitable work, interaction with fans, and interviews.
Please visit the site to give the article a number of "clicks." Source:Decider wrote:
‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story’ Episode 4 Recap: Drive
Feb. 8, 2018
But I’m saving my final praise for Darren Criss as Andrew one more time. Not just for the delicate balance he must strike around David between unpredictable violence and careful reassurance throughout the episode, nor even for his final act of tenderness toward his victim (who’d hallucinated a reunion with his father before dying) — curling up with the corpse for a last embrace before driving away. No, the highlight here is the endless closeup on Criss/Cunanan’s face as he listens to a roadhouse performance of the Cars’ “Drive” by guest star Aimee Mann while his beloved victim sneaks off to the men’s room, debating whether or not to try and flee. He breaks before your eyes, there’s no other way to put it, and he does so over the same sentiment David will eventually express to him, getting himself killed in the process: “You can’t go on thinking nothing’s wrong.”
Please visit the site to give the article a number of "clicks." Source: http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2018/02/09/the-assassination-of-gianni-versace-review-house-by-the-lakeBirth. Movies. Death wrote:
THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE Review: “House By The Lake”
Feb. 09, 2018
Criss continues to earn every ounce of praise that’s been heaped upon his performance as Cunanan this season - alternating from chilly, black-eyed stares, to callously dancing in the car to “Pump Up the Jam”, to cuddling with Madson’s body on the shore after he shoots him in the back.
As Andrew takes David’s hand in the middle of that dive, and the two listen to a shitty cover of The Cars’ “Drive”, we see Madson momentarily understand this lonely, desperate psychopath. Through all the abuse, punishment and (ultimately) death Cunanan doles out to this equal, the same struggle with loneliness and rejection can be found in his eyes.
Please visit the site to give the article a number of "clicks." Source: http://www.tvguide.com/news/assassination-of-gianni-versace-david-madson/TV Guide wrote:
The Assassination of Gianni Versace Actor Explains Why David Madson Didn't Run
Feb. 7, 2018
As Ryan Muphy did with The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, Versace makes decades-old events, the outcomes of which are already public knowledge, feel like they’re happening in the exact moment. Darren Criss’ intoxicating performance makes Jeff’s murder and David’s unforced captivity urgent and believable too — so much so that it’s almost impossible to watch the scenes play out and not hope, scream or pray that David runs.
Please visit the site to give the article a number of "clicks." Source: http://www.towleroad.com/2018/02/versace-recap-3/Towleroad wrote:
‘American Crime Story’ Goes On A Gruesome Road Trip Without Gianni [RECAP]
February 8, 2018
It was a tense hour-plus of television, anchored once again by a chilling performance from Darren Criss. (Give this boy an Emmy nom, folks, he’s quite literally killing it.)
Please visit the site to give the article a number of "clicks." Source: http://www.tracking-board.com/american-crime-story-review-house-by-the-lake/The Tracking Board wrote:
AMERICAN CRIME STORY Review: “House By the Lake”
February 8, 2018
Next week I assume we will flash back earlier than Minneapolis, though I also understand if the writers take us back to the present to show us what is going on with the Versaces post-death. But I am really digging this criminal profile of Cunanan and how they are unfolding it. I almost would be okay with the rest of the episodes were just surrounding him (Darren Criss is killing it, in more way than one). But I finally get what they are doing and am completely on board after being hesitant the first few weeks.
Please visit the site to give the article a number of "clicks." Source: http://www.slashfilm.com/american-crime-story-house-by-the-lake-review/Slash Film wrote:
‘American Crime Story’ Review: ‘House By the Lake’ Tells a Tragic Tale
February 8, 2018
As always, Darren Criss’ performance as Andrew remains a highlight, but Andrew has grown more and more despicable and detestable as the season has continued, which ultimately makes spending time with him distasteful. It’s a very tough balancing act, and Criss pulls it off for the most part. But there’s only so much we can take. A shot near the end of Andrew cuddling David’s dead body is particularly blood curdling.
Source: https://uk.news.yahoo.com/assassination-gianni-versace-episode-4-recap-toxic-friendship-042432559.htmlYahoo News! UK wrote:
'The Assassination of Gianni Versace' Episode 4 recap: Toxic friendship
7 February 2018
For the past two weeks we’ve seen Andrew Cunanan embody every gay fear and insecurity (both society’s and gay peoples’ own) and use his warped mind to destroy upstanding, good men. Good men, the kind he could never be and never would be. A smarter person than me could write an articulate essay about how Cunanan was a product of his time, or a symbol, or whatever. But the more important take-away from these two episodes, I think, was the greatness and dignity of Lee Miglin and David Madson. Though Cunanan ultimately wielded the tools by which they died, The Assassination of Gianni Versace wants to remind us that the world they existed in was at the very least complicit. It’s a dark thought, but a necessary one. And that’s how a show as complicated and frankly stomach-churning as this one is as essential as television gets.
Please visit the site to give the article a number of "clicks." Source: https://www.gqindia.com/content/american-crime-story-assassination-gianni-versace-tv-show-follow-right-now/GQ India wrote:
American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace is the TV show to follow right now
Feb. 8, 2018
And with the search for Andrew Cunanan, the not-so-charming psychopathic prostitute, comes an inquisition of a homophobic society: The America of the Eighties and Nineties, also the time that the AIDS crisis was at its peak.
[. . . ]
Edward Ramirez’s Gianni is a gentleman, dignified and generous, driven by the pursuit of beauty; Penelope Cruz’s Donatella molded in granite compared to him, enchanting, persistent, business-minded; Ricky Martin slightly over-doing the heartbroken ‘partner’, but it works. And Darren Criss, magnificent as the beautiful and grotesque Cunanan, oozing charm and becoming whatever people wanted him to be, saying whatever they wanted to hear.
Over nine episodes, the show will show us all five murders, and countless other petty crimes of Cunanan’s. And it’s pretty hard stuff: such as the scene just after Cunanan’s finished with Lee Miglin in the third episode, “A Random Killing”, . . . . It’s nausea-inducing stuff, but there’s other, more to make you queasy: Like that scene described at the beginning of this piece; Or when suits at the FBI office discussing the murders confuse Versace with Liberace; or when the cop interrogating Antonio D’Amico refuses to ‘comprehend’ what he means by being Gianni’s ‘partner’. Makes you think the ‘assassination’ in the title isn’t just for dramatic effect, after all.
Of course, there’s a lot of attention to detail in re-creating that Nineties atmosphere – the discotheques and La Bouche thumping through sunny, progressive Miami’s streets and Speedo-dotted-beaches and denim cut-off shorts. But who has time for nostalgia when there’s a murderer on the prowl; and a tabloid-hooked society bent on keeping the closet locked?
Please visit the site to give the article a number of "clicks." Source: http://www.roguesportal.com/tv-review-the-assassination-of-gianni-versace-american-crime-story-s02e02-manhunt/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitterRogues Portal wrote:
TV Review: The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story S02E02 “Manhunt”
February 8, 2018
Andrew Cunanan’s American Psycho-lite presentation is both aesthetically interesting and completely horrifying. The show seems to even quote Michael Mann’s Manhunter when Andrew emerges from the bathroom, face taped up like the man he picked up earlier. It’s important to display those awful elements and keep into perspective that, even though Andrew seems to be the centre of the series, he was a monster. The moments when he isn’t performing are morbidly intriguing. Darren Criss shines in every scene, but there’s something deeper when we see Andrew being Andrew. When he’s doggedly trying to track down Versace. Or, when he says this to a man at the club who just wanted to know what he does:
I’m a serial killer… I said, ‘I’m a banker’. I’m a stockbroker. I’m a shareholder. I’m a paperback writer. I’m a cop. I’m a naval officer. Sometimes I’m a spy. I build movie sets in Mexico and skyscrapers in Chicago. I sell propane in Minneapolis. I import pineapples from the Philippines. You know, I’m the person least likely to be forgotten. I’m Andrew Cunanan.
Jeremy wrote:But, in this show, as we go backwards, the death of a character doesn't mean we won't see him or her again.
The series could get less dramatic until now, as we have already seen all the murders.
Jeremy wrote:
The series could get less dramatic until now, as we have already seen all the murders.
Stills of Darren Criss and Finn Wittrock in Episode 5 of The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story | 9 February 2018
acsversace-news wrote:
Episode 2 of the Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story drew in a total of 3.41 million viewers and a 1.1 in the 18-49 demo in L+7 ratings.
Source: http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/dvr-ratings/cable-live-7-ratings-for-jan-22-28-2018/TV by the Numbers wrote:
‘Waco’ premiere doubles in cable Live +7 ratings for Jan. 22-28
February 8, 2018
Please visit the site to give the article a number of "clicks." Source: https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/02/american-crime-story-aimee-mann-who-is-the-singer-listen-drive-the-cars-audioVanity Fair wrote:
American Crime Story: The Truth Behind That Surprising Musical Cameo
February 7, 2018
Yeah—the lyrics “you can’t go on thinking nothing’s wrong” seem pretty appropriate here. I wanted to ask for your take on what Darren Criss is giving in that scene as he listens to the song. We see Andrew overwhelmed by emotion—what emotion do you think that is?
Simpson: When Tom was writing it, I think he wanted to have two things going on. It’s a turning point in the episode. For David, he’s looking out the window of the bathroom and realizing that he’s trapped with Andrew. Maybe he could climb through the window and maybe he couldn’t, but he returns to Andrew. One of the things that’s happening for Andrew in that scene—and it’s one of the few times so far that we’ve seen any real emotion—the way Dan Minahan directed [Darren] to play it, and the way that Tom had written it, was the idea of: you’re watching the singer, David’s gone to the bathroom, and you’re feeling this sense of loss. You think he may have escaped. But either way, there’s an undercurrent of dread that you may have lost him no matter what. Darren wanted to get psyched up and do it in one take—you know, the slow push in that ends with him crying. And we gave him the space that he needed, and just did the long, slow push into the tear, and then he follows up with such joy.
Last edited by Poppy on Sat Feb 10, 2018 10:56 pm; edited 3 times in total
Please visit the site to give the article a number of "clicks." Source: http://www.towleroad.com/2018/01/versace-recap/Towleroad wrote:
The Beautiful, Bloody World of ‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace: ACS’ – Premiere RECAP
January 18, 2018
Whereas last season’s The People v. O.J. Simpson explored the complex (and widely discussed) racial component to Simpson’s trial and cultural impact, Versace aims to contextualize the Versace murder and the manhunt that followed within American culture’s understand/acceptance of gay men in the ‘90s
[. . . ]
. . . Little is confirmed when it comes to if — and how much — they [Gianni Versace and Andrew Cunanan] ever interacted before the shooting, so these scenes liberally apply some poetic license.
Still, Criss does an incredible job as Cunanan. He’s got the natural charm and charisma to believably sell this compulsive liar, but he’s also got the intensity to bring some menace to the performance. This is not the Dalton Warbler we once knew, that’s for sure.
TV Insider wrote:
Ask Matt: Revival Boom and 'Murphy Brown,' 'Victoria' vs. 'The Crown,' 'American Crime Story,' 'Ray Donovan' and More
February 02, 2018
Darren Criss may be hard to watch when Cunanan is at his worst, but it’s an electrifying performance.
Please visit the site to give the article a number of "clicks." Source: https://www.purefandom.com/2018/02/11/american-crime-story-versace-2x04/Pure Fandom wrote:
The 4 best moments from ‘American Crime Story: The Assassination of Versace’, episode 2×04 “House by the Lake”
February 11, 2018
We was also introduced to upcoming actor of 2018, Cody Fern, who portrayed David Madson outstandingly and already has the public swooning over him. We must see him nominated for breakthrough actor of 2018 for this role or the world is doing something extremely wrong!
. . . This show is about remembering the loss of Versace and all of the fashion and glam he and his family provided, but we also need to sit down and remember the loss of Andrew’s other victims as well. If you do your research, all of these men gave so much to the world and need the recognition they was never given over two decades ago.
[. . . ]
It’s that time in my article where I once again have to describe Darren Criss’ portrayal of Andrew and once again, I can’t find a way to really sum up his talents. Darren is becoming more and more terrifying as the series goes on and you can’t help but be so mesmerised by his performances and how convincing he is as Andrew. All I’m going to say about Darren to finalise this week’s recap is, if I don’t see a photo of Darren struggling to carry all of the well-deserved awards that he wins in the coming months, did we ever really have a 2018?
Please visit the site to give the article a number of "clicks." Source: http://www.horrornewsnetwork.net/assassination-gianni-versace-american-crime-story-episode-2-review/Horror News Network wrote:
‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story’ Episode 2 Review
January 25, 2018
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story maintains its momentum in Episode Two by elaborating on what worked so well with last week’s episode. Like its predecessor, The People v. O.J. Simpson, Assassination offers incredible characterization as it unfolds its exposition through the clever use of flashbacks and present-day storytelling.
Darren Criss is the star of the show with his scene-stealing portrayal of serial killer Andrew Cunanan. Episode Two spends much more time getting to know him, and this ends up being both hypnotizing and traumatizing for the viewer. Criss’ Cunanan projects a special blend of iron confidence and crippling awkwardness. In some public scenes, we get the impression that he could sell bottled water to a fish; but in his private moments we can see him grappling with the fact that his world is unraveling as a nationwide manhunt closes in on him. Depending on the scene and his company, Criss’ character is sometimes unassuming, sometimes charming, or sometimes terrifying. I suggested in my previous review that Criss sometimes takes a page out of Christian Bale’s book when he portrayed Patrick Bateman in 2000’s American Psycho, and I was utterly delighted when Episode Two ended with a scene very similar to Bateman’s “misunderstood” night club conversations. One thing’s for sure: regardless of his inspirations, Criss is delivering an extremely engaging performance of an otherwise detestable character for this program.
[. . . ]
The supporting actors of Assassination are all performing at the top of their game. Max Greenfield is particularly effective as Ronnie Holston, a young man who spends some time with Cunanan before his murder of Versace. Greenfield portrays the character with a certain level of vulnerability that causes the viewer to feel dread whenever the two are alone together. We know what Cunanan is capable of, and we just want Ronnie to make it out okay! Peggy Blow also holds her own opposite Criss in an appearance as Miriam Hernandez, the proprietor of the hotel serving as Cunanan’s temporary residence; and their scenes together are some of the most interesting parts of the second episode. A common theme here is that Criss’ excellent performance only gets better when he’s working with other actors, and Ryan Murphy and his team have selected excellent actors to bring out the best in Criss’ character.
[. . . ]
If The Assassination of Gianni Versace continues in this manner, Ryan Murphy has the second hit in a row with his American Crime Story franchise. I am deeply invested in the show’s story and characters, and I am eager to see which dark territories will be explored in next week’s episode!
Please visit the site to give the article a number of "clicks." Source: https://intomore.com/culture/The-Assassination-of-Gianni-Versace-American-Crime-Story-Episode-2-Recap-Andrew-Cunanan-and-the-Pink-Speedo/7ea0e27f33dd4785Into More wrote:
‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story’ Episode 2 Recap: Andrew Cunanan and the Pink Speedo
25 Jan. 2018
As depicted by Criss, Cunanan is a performer, a chameleon. His life is whatever he needs it to be in the moment. But he’s not quite convincing enough. There’s always a seed of doubt there. He has to supplement his decent-but-insufficient storytelling skill with charm and sex appeal — hence the Speedo reveal.
Cunanan strips down to his bright, pink swimwear to take a shower on the beach, all while bragging about his connection with Gianni Versace. . . His story is clearly bullshit, even to someone as trusting as Ronnie. But when he’s fit, cute, and wearing not much clothing, it’s easy to be charmed by Andrew Cunanan.
Throughout the series, we’ll see men with sharp minds being won over by Cunanan, either sexually or merely to succumb to his will. In this scene, we see exactly how hypnotizing Cunanan can be when he properly mixes his tall tales with his impressive physique. With historical hindsight, we can question why anyone ever trusted Cunanan. We can see how flimsy his stories were. But devils don’t lead with their horns; they appear in forms most tempting. His darkness is seductive, shrouded in grand stories of brushes with fame and fortune. The greatest danger of a man like Andrew Cunanan is in how charismatic he can be.
[. . . ]
[At a club,] He misses the designer, however, and instead ends up dancing with a random guy on the dance floor — yet another man entranced by Cunanan’s looks. This time, though, as the guy asks what Cunanan does, the killer’s chameleon colors fail him.
“I’m a serial killer,” he confesses. The guy questions him, confused. “I said I’m a banker!” Cunanan says. And then he breaks.
“I’m a stockbroker, I’m a shareholder,” he begins. “I’m a paperback writer. I’m a cop. I’m a naval officer. Sometimes, I’m a spy. I build movie sets in Mexico and skyscrapers in Chicago. I sell propane in Minneapolis, import pineapples from the Philippines. I’m the person least likely to forgotten. I’m Andrew Cunanan.”
Without his grand stories, the true Cunanan is laid bare: He’s a kid desperate to be remembered, to be interesting. History has remembered him, of course — not as a banker, or a stockbroker, a shareholder, or any of his other many disguises. In his desperation to be famous, he became infamous.
Please visit the site to give the article a number of "clicks." Source: http://www.4ye.co.uk/2018/02/4yes-tv-reels-feels-for-february-4th-through-february-10th/4 Your Excitement wrote:
4YE’s TV Reels Feels For February 4th Through February 10th
February 12, 2018
Top Episode
Clare: While This Is Us’ “Super Bowl Sunday” was the ep that we have all been waiting for, and it was an exceptional episode, it was kind of what we expected from This Is Us. It is for this reason I’m going with The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story’s “The House by the Lake”. This episode was shocking, horrific, painful, uncomfortable, and gut-wrenching. The performances by Darren Criss and Cody Fern throughout couldn’t be faulted. Criss continues his no-doubt award-winning performance, but Fern was the amazing find in this episode. He had me from his elevator scene with Jeffrey Trail (Finn Wittrock). Watch this episode if only for Criss breaking down during Aimee Mann’s cover of “Drive” and everything after this. Some of the best TV in the past year.
Last edited by Poppy on Sat Feb 17, 2018 8:36 pm; edited 1 time in total
Source: http://ew.com/tv/2018/02/14/assassination-gianni-versace-finn-wittrock-jeff-trail/Entertainment Weekly wrote:
The Assassination of Gianni Versace star Finn Wittrock on his heartbreaking role as Cunanan victim Jeff Trail
February 14, 2018
How was that final fight between Jeff and Andrew to shoot? How was it working with Darren?
I remember that being a hefty day. It was a lot of dialogue and a lot of heated stuff. We kind of played with the temperature of how much is it an all-out battle. He’s a very easy partner to dance with. He likes to explore it and try different ways and try one way hotter and one way colder. It was a fun conversation in that way. It’s really interesting to watch him work. He was kind of playful on set and I know from playing some f—ed up people it can be a survival mechanism to kind of stay light when you’re not in it because otherwise it can kind of eat you.
Please visit the site to give the article a number of "clicks." Source: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/acs-versace-star-darren-criss-interview-dont-ask-dont-tell-episode-1084601The Hollywood Reporter wrote:
'Versace': Darren Criss Opens Up About the Revealing "Don't Ask Don't Tell" Episode
February 14, 2018
Before the midpoint of FX's The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, the narrative of serial killer Andrew Cunanan's life had been told in reverse chronological order, devoting episodes to each of the murderer's victims. But the fifth episode, titled "Don't Ask Don't Tell," lives up to the promise creator Ryan Murphy made to shed a light on institutionalized homophobia in the 1990s, juxtaposing the coming-out stories of two of Cunanan's victims with the moment the killer unravels.
Darren Criss, who plays Cunanan, spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about the pivotal episode, and how it helps fuse the past few episodes of the series — which have focused on Cunanan's victims Lee Miglin, David Madson, Jeffrey Trail and William Reese — back with the titular fashion designer. "Don't Ask Don't Tell" follows the struggle of military man Jeff Trail to come to terms with his sexuality while Versace toys with the idea of publicly revealing his own relationship status. Their two very different experiences — one leading to Trail's discharge from the service and the other leading to a high-profile piece in a national magazine — are both in conflict with Cunanan's spiral about his identity and self-worth.
. . . [Criss states,] "Two different worlds are trying to face the same obstacles and being met with very different resistance is really interesting because you can see this very harrowing world that Jeff is in constant conflict with versus this very ... glamorous side of the coin, which would be Gianni's side. There's a real heroism to both."
[. . . ]
It's interesting to see Andrew there for Jeff when he needs help accepting his identity as a gay man, but Andrew's entire trip to Minneapolis to see David and Jeff is a cry for help and he won't accept any from either of them.
Andrew has this savior complex, which is why I think he really thrived so much in a place as complex as San Diego in the '90s because you have a vibrant gay scene right on top of the vibrant military town. So it's sort of built-in conflict within a lot of young men who Andrew meets. Andrew stands for everything that these men would find attractive — not in a sexual sense but in a personality and joie de vivre sense, the guy that is now offering refuge and a place to celebrate what would otherwise be a source of conflict for them. It was a feeding ground for someone like Andrew to feel needed in a really fulfilling way.
[Andrew] has many tragedies, but one of his biggest tragedies is that I think he needs to be the purveyor of everything. He needs to be in control. He has to be the one that is buying the drinks, throwing the parties, introducing people. He needs to be the one that is giving the help, and as a result I think his output is so high that nothing goes in. And so his own help system, as far as gaining help, is manifested by only being able to help others. He just gives himself away to so many people to the point where he can sort of cover up his own shortcomings by being this constant giver.
Finding somebody like Jeff is sort of the gold mine Andrew gravitated toward. Even though he was really helping out Jeff — and he really does in a very earnest, beautiful way, I think — Jeff was also unconsciously there to help Andrew, just to give him some kind of purpose because he needed to feel love. So their meeting was very tragic.
Watching this episode from the perspective of someone who might not have really understood the nuances of the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" military policy at the time, what can you say about how the episode might have enlightened you?
Even if you are of an age where this is something that you were aware of, unless you were gay and in the military at the time, I feel like there's no way you'd have the same insight or experience as somebody like Jeff or his peers. You really can't have a shot at working with what that actually means on a day-to-day basis. It's a continuing question and struggle for our brothers and sisters in arms and people who serve our country. I think maybe hearing the specifics of Jeff's particular story hopefully will make this more accessible to people and seem a little more real, and seeing the real struggle that it presents for a lot of young men and women.
[. . . ]
In the next three episodes that you have seen, what did you learn about Andrew and what are you looking forward to audiences learning about him?
I was always interested in Andrew's life as a teenager because it's always easier to identify with a young person that has so much more time to go. I think, inevitably, when you know somebody has done something as terrible as Andrew did, you connect every moment of their life to those actions. Any little thing he did in high school, "Well that's, you know..." Now you look at it differently because you know that they've committed murder. It's interesting in looking at a really gifted, young, talented kid and just really exploring how fun and charming he was. A lot of the grim atmosphere that he was breathing in towards the latter part of his life, I really, really wanted to make sure that we couldn't connect that dot to the dots of his youth.
We shot a lot of stuff that I thought was really fun and showed just an honest-to-goodness, lovable teenager. I don't know if that all made it into the show, but I remember those scenes and I really enjoyed being able to paint those colors of Andrew. I had to wait the entire shoot to be able to finally show these more affable colors. . . . I couldn't wait to get him as a teenager because I really wanted to confuse people's senses of who and what you're rooting for.
[. . . ]
That's the person that I was really hoping to create and that's what makes this structure interesting. It's like Merrily We Roll Along. You start with them at their worst, and how do you feel about them when you see them at their best? It's pretty divisive. It's either going to make you really mad, or its just going break your heart that there was such a loss of potential there. The memorable parts for me was just showing a kid that's just trying to figure out his life like every other kid.
The end of this "Don't Ask Don't Tell" episode saw Andrew and Jeff fighting about honor, which really seemed to be what set Andrew off on his killing spree.
[. . . ]
. . . You have, basically, Jeff calling Andrew out. Not too dissimilar from what had happened in the last episode, where the thing that set Andrew off on David was [David] finally calling [Andrew] out for what he was and basically making Andrew live inside a world that is real and therefore not very pretty.
Any time Andrew is forced to be exposed to the real world around him or the truth, it's a very unpleasant thing for him. So that set him off in the last episode, and ultimately ended with a fight in the car and very rageful homicide. That was the second of the murders. So the first one — "no one wants your love" is the line that Jeff says. And that's enough to turn a cog in Andrew's brain. . .
He's giving so much of himself to people that they now have to feel beholden to holding him up. And so it's sort of emotional hostage — you're now feeling entitled to someone's life because you've given them something that they didn't ever really ask for. That's a pretty big awakening point, for Jeff to realize that this guy is unconsciously using him. And he calls that out, the truth that Andrew's not ready or emotionally prepared to hear or deal with. And if he can't have something, he has to take it and he has to destroy it.
He couldn't have Jeff; he couldn't have David; so he had to literally take it. He couldn't have Versace's fame, success, everything, so he tried to take it. Even to take someone's car. So when Andrew is deprived something, the ultimate way to really take it back and be in control is to be more powerful, and to be the controller of that person's life.
Please visit the site to give the article a number of "clicks." Source: http://www.enstarz.com/articles/203283/20180215/don-t-ask-don-t-tell-darren-criss-shares-thoughts-on-the-assassination-of-gianni-versace-episode-5.htmEnstarz wrote:
‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’: Darren Criss Shares Thoughts On ‘The Assassination Of Gianni Versace’ Episode 5
Feb. 15, 2018
Before The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story hit screens, series creator Ryan Murphy promised a deep dive into the homophobia of the 1990s. Thus far, he hasn't really delivered, focusing instead on serial killer Andrew Cunanan's life as it unfolds in reverse chronological order, relative to each of his victims.
At the midpoint of the series, episode 5 titled "Don't Ask Don't Tell," finally lived up to Murphy's promise. The series took a major swerve by cleverly juxtaposing the coming out stories of two of Cunanan's victims, Jeff Trail and Versace himself, against the moment the killer unravels.
Two very different experiences of coming out are offered, as Versace prepares to pose for his Advocate cover while army man Jeff Trail gives an interview to CBS News about gays in the military, with his voice and identity kept obscured, in order to protect his career.
Up to now, Criss, who is most famous for his squeaky-clean Glee character, has shown serious range in tackling arguably the most challenging character of his entire career as Cunanan. As for the decision to showcase both sides of the coming out coin, Criss considers it a genius move.
"Two different worlds are trying to face the same obstacles and being met with very different resistance is really interesting because you can see this very harrowing world that Jeff is in constant conflict with versus this very ... glamorous side ... There's a real heroism to both," explained Criss.
Playing An American Psycho
As for what audiences will learn about Andrew in upcoming episodes, Criss was hopeful his past wouldn't impact the audience's reading of the character too much.
"When you know somebody has done something as terrible as Andrew did, you connect every moment of their life to those actions. ...I couldn't wait to get him as a teenager because I really wanted to confuse people's senses of who and what you're rooting for," he said.
When it comes to empathizing with the killer, Criss believes it's possible to do so.
[. . . ]
Criss is widely considered to be doing the best work of his career on the show, and will surely be a shoo-in once the Emmys roll around.
Please visit the site to give the article a number of "clicks." Source: http://variety.com/2018/music/news/laura-branigan-gloria-darren-crissy-assassination-gianni-versace-i-tonya-1202701882/Variety wrote:
Why Laura Branigan’s ‘Gloria’ Is the Perfect Song for an On-Screen Crime Scheme
February 16, 2018
Asked why the song serves so well as an accompaniment to insanity, the now-retired producer [ Greg Mathieson] posits: “I think they used it because of the juxtaposition of evil intent and the feeling that the song gives you, which is to get up and dance and have a good time. They’re trying to set up this dichotomy of pumping yourself up.”
[Versace music supervisor Amanda Krieg] Thomas concurs that Branigan’s “Gloria” provides “a great contrast when it’s surrounded by darkness” but there’s also the lyrical content about a person, like Cunanan, who is hiding in plain sight. “‘Gloria, You’re always on the run now.’ …
Please visit the site to give the article a number of "clicks." Source: https://www.refinery29.com/2018/02/190590/assassination-of-gianni-versace-soundtrack-american-crime-story-music?utm_source=twitterRefinery 29 wrote:
Uncovering The Spoilers Buried In The Music Of American Crime Story: Versace
February 15, 2018
"Murphy is such a fan of music, and for many of the moments, he knew what he wanted. 'Gloria' was one of those; he’s a big Laura Branigan fan," Krieg Thomas said, which is probably not something anyone has said in decades. . . "It works really well on many levels — it’s so incongruous with what just happened, he’s murdered people, he’s driving, and we hear this happy, upbeat song," Krieg Thomas continued. She noted that the lyrics speak to what is happening: "Gloria, you're always on the run now / Running after somebody, you gotta get him somehow" and "Gloria, don't you think you're fallin'? / If everybody wants you, why isn't anybody callin'?"
[. . . ]
In episode 4, the foreshadowing is heavy when Madson and Cunanan are in a bar listening to Aimee Mann sing the saddest version imaginable of "Drive," a morose uber-hit for the Cars in the '80s. Madson's tears along with the lyrics, "Who's gonna pay attention / To your dreams? / Who's gonna plug their ears / When you scream?" let us know that there was no escape. Not to the outside world where gay men were vilified, and not with Cunanan on a Bonnie and Clyde-esque murder spree.
Still of Darren Criss in episode 5 of The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story | 15 February 2018
Last edited by Poppy on Sat Feb 17, 2018 10:44 am; edited 1 time in total
Please visit the site to give the article a number of "clicks." Source: http://www.enstarz.com/articles/203283/20180215/don-t-ask-don-t-tell-darren-criss-shares-thoughts-on-the-assassination-of-gianni-versace-episode-5.htmEnstarz wrote:
‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’: Darren Criss Shares Thoughts On ‘The Assassination Of Gianni Versace’ Episode 5
Feb. 15, 2018
Up to now, Criss, who is most famous for his squeaky-clean Glee character, has shown serious range in tackling arguably the most challenging character of his entire career as Cunanan.
[. . . ]
Criss is widely considered to be doing the best work of his career on the show, and will surely be a shoo-in once the Emmys roll around.
Last edited by Poppy on Sun Feb 18, 2018 2:25 pm; edited 1 time in total
Jeremy wrote:
Andrew was a bit likable in this episode, it's a first time. And you could actually "see" Darren through the character.
ACS Versace seems to be like Star Wars : you firstly meet the villain and, then, you return in the past to see how he became a villain.
The rest of the episode was about homophobia in the 90's. Interesting but depressing.
Please visit the site to give the article a number of "clicks." Source: https://www.blendedmagnyc.com/culture/2018/2/16/departure-from-glee-darren-criss-creepy-performance-as-andrew-cunanan-in-the-versace-tv-dramaBlended Mag NYC wrote:
Departure from Glee: Darren Criss' Creepy Performance as Andrew Cunanan in the Versace TV Drama
February 16, 2018
The 31-year-old, Emmy-nominated actor, singer/songwriter, and performer stole all of our hearts when his breakout role of Blaine Anderson appeared on Glee for the first time. He sang a breathtaking rendition of Katy Perry’s "Teenage Dream," and episode after episode his charming smile and gentle persona made us all swoon. Nowadays, he is taking on the role of Gianni Versace’s killer, Andrew Cunanan -- a stark contrast to the fun-loving and adorable Blaine. . . And while longtime fans of Criss always knew that he had the capability to branch out and do more serious roles (see: Hedwig in Hedwig and the Angry Inch on Broadway), much of the world was shocked to see him portraying a villainous murderer.
The show is a dark look into the life of Cunanan, who Criss plays with empathy and humanity. "It’s my job to be empathetic. If I set out to paint him as a monster, then there’s no point in telling the story. This isn’t a Bond villain," he said to USA Today. In many recent interviews on the show he explains that as an actor, it’s important to look at the sides of the character that can be related to you.
In Criss’ case, there are many similarities between him and his character -- Cunanan was a seemingly nice, charismatic guy who everyone loved when he was young. He chose to put his desire for fame and jealousy of others into unspeakable means. Criss is also charismatic and kind, loved by all -- but he chose to channel his passions into making a positive change in the world. He wanted to make people smile and share his talent with those who would listen. And if he hit a roadblock, he would push forward and do his best to move onto the next step. In Cunanan’s case, he would not move forward. According to the show, he would hold onto the past and hurt those that stood in his way. In the FX Behind the Scenes video below, executive producer Brad Simpson explains that Cunanan maybe wasn’t "destined to be a murderer, but has an unstable personality and was put on that path."
Much like Criss, Cunanan also shared many similarities to Gianni Versace, which the show points out in many different circumstances. The very first episode illustrates the beauty of Versace, the stunning mansion he lives in, and the lavish lifestyle he leads. In contrast, Cunanan lives in squalor, almost, lying to everyone in his path to make them think he’s richer and more successful than he actually is. But again, he has passion like Versace, he just chose to hurt rather than heal with it. He was an individual who needed excess amounts of help, but he never asked for it. He may have even known he needed the help, but when people offered he refused -- more accurately, he reacted in a way that was not only overpowering, but harmful and destructive. In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Criss speculated, "...when Andrew is deprived of something, the ultimate way to really take it back and be in control is to be more powerful, and to be the controller of that person's life." That was his ultimate downfall.
[. . . ]
Unfortunately, the show is a fictional retelling of events by majority. It’s unknown how Cunanan went about murdering the people he was so close to since his relationships with them and the only dots we can connect are the ones spoken by people that knew him. But as a viewer of the show and a fan of Criss himself, it is so interesting to see the roots of his talent come out in a way we as an audience have never seen. Glee had many emotional scenes between Blaine and Kurt Hummel (his boyfriend, best friend and soon-to-be-husband), and Hedwig was a show that encapsulated love, heartbreak, anger, and joy through incredible acting, singing and choreography (this was probably Criss’ most well-rounded role that showed every part of his skillset). But his portrayal of Andrew Cunanan makes the audience feel not only afraid, but uncomfortable, embarrassed, and sometimes find themselves empathizing with the complex character.
Taking on his life and becoming a creepy, evil figure while acting out real-life events that are chilling to the bone is something that Criss is doing an award-winning job of. He deserves all the praise, and we can only wait patiently to see what he’ll do next.
Lead Image Credit: Darren Criss / Instagram
acsversace-news wrote:Episode 3 of the Assassination of Gianni Versace gains 1.939 million viewers and 0.7 in the 18-49 demo for a total of 3.201 million viewers and 1.1 in the 18-49 demo in Live+7 ratings.
Source: http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/dvr-ratings/cable-live-7-ratings-for-jan-29-feb-4-2018/TV by the Numbers wrote:
‘The Alienist’ doubles in cable Live +7 ratings for Jan. 29-Feb. 4
February 15, 2018
Last edited by Poppy on Sun Feb 18, 2018 11:54 pm; edited 1 time in total
Please visit the site to give the article a number of "clicks." Source: https://tv.avclub.com/a-devastating-episode-of-american-crime-story-is-the-se-1823013048AV Club wrote:
A devastating episode of American Crime Story is the season’s best yet
Grade: A-
February 14, 2018
If there’s one prominent problem with the majority of true crime narratives, it’s that they put the focus entirely on—or grossly glorify—the criminal rather than spending time with the victims. The approach makes sense because that’s often what people want: the gory details, insight into a murderer so we can try to put together the “why?” puzzle pieces. Interest in the victims is secondary and cursory: limited background details, just enough to let us know how we can possibly avoid that same fate. While The Assassination Of Gianni Versace certainly is heavy on Andrew Cunanan, an episode like “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” proves why victims’ stories are important, too—and the result is this season’s best episode so far.
"Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” brings Versace back into the mix by juxtaposing him publicly coming out (in Advocate) with Jeff Trail’s struggles of being closeted in the Navy.. . . Versace’s mind won’t be changed; he had “a second chance” after he got sick but survived, and he wants to live openly. Jeff, too, wants to live openly but that’s impossible with his career in the Navy, and more so during the height of the Don’t Tell Don’t Ask days.
That policy, which wasn’t repealed until late 2011, is indeed the focal point of an episode that is both powerful and heartbreaking. After Andrew watches a video of Jeff’s appearance in a 48 Hours episode dedicated to DADT, the episode smartly puts the killer on the back burner for a while to instead jump back to 1995. The bulk of the hour is about a crucial period during Jeff’s time in the Navy, starting with him breaking up a fight between a straight officer upset that another officer “brushed up against me” and then, later, stopping gay bashing in his bunk. The targeted officer cries to Jeff that he needs to be reassigned; he knows that there’s a target on his back, and he knows that there won’t always be someone around to intervene. Another officer spots the two of them, and the intimate moment is cut short by the realization that Jeff just made himself a target, too. The scene is informed by the 48 Hours interview where Jeff tells the story of saving a sailor’s life. “If I hadn’t done it, if I hadn’t stopped them, no one would have suspected me.” And then the kicker: Jeff dreams of taking that moment back.
Since that moment, Jeff has lived with the knowledge that saving one person essentially derailed his own life. . . . There was no winning for him, so he chose the self-sacrificing route. This doesn’t just speak to his character as a fellow gay officer, but also to his base qualities as a caring human being, which makes everything even harder to watch because we know the outcome.
Through Jeff, “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” shows the horrible implications and consequences of the titular policy. It forced members of the military to stay in the closet, to lie about their lives, to spend all their time in the service living in fear that they could be outed—or attacked just for being suspected of “homosexual activity”—and kicked out. It also allowed some officers to encourage others to out their colleagues and, in some instances, it forced gay military members to turn on others in order to save themselves. One officer, the episode shows, was cut a deal by the military police: If he outs the gay military officers he knows—through tattoos, because he doesn’t know their names—then he won’t get dishonorably discharged. . . And sure enough, there’s an immensely upsetting scene where Jeff tries to carve off his tattoo.
. . . setting up Jeff’s aborted suicide by hanging. It’s a testament to how powerful and effective the storytelling is in this series: We know that’s not how Jeff dies, but I still held my breath. But in a way, some of Jeff did die while in the Navy.
Another impressive task the episode pulls off is having Jeff’s military experience seamlessly lead to depicting why he was originally so drawn to Andrew (a stark contrast to two years later in the airport). Andrew clocks Jeff as new to the gay bar scene, and he uses this to position himself as a charming, knowledgeable, comfortably out gay man, and one who is willing to welcome Jeff. What Jeff craves—what he doesn’t get from the military—is to be open about who he is and accepted for it. Andrew doesn’t just accept him but celebrates him, even paying for all of Jeff’s drinks that night. It’s easy to see the magnetism that drew Jeff to Andrew, the beginnings of their friendship before it went awry, and why Jeff now feels like he “owes” Andrew. . .
[. . . ]
Stray observations
--Both Cody Fern and Finn Wittrock have been tremendous these last two weeks! ACS really kills it when it comes to casting, huh
--Here’s a link to the Dignity & Respect manual if you want to flip through it—I couldn’t bring myself to really dive in because, as a queer military brat, this episode was especially rough to watch for me. . .
--It was good to see Versace & co. back this episode! I’m glad the series included the Advocate interview, which I know was important to Ryan Murphy.
Source: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/mb57mn/american-crime-story-assassination-of-gianni-versace-episode-5-recap?utm_source=vicetwitterusVice wrote:
Episode Five of 'The Assassination of Gianni Versace' Is More Brutal Than Real Life
Feb. 15, 2018
“Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” alternates between the weekend of Trail’s death in 1997 and two years earlier, likely because it was convenient to juxtapose his story with that of Versace’s Advocate interview. In truth, Maureen Orth writes in Vulgar Favors that Jeff met Cunanan and sat for an anonymous interview with 48 Hourssomewhere around 1992-93. “Whether people like it or not, there are gays in the military,” Trail told reporter Richard Schlesinger in the heartbreaking conversation. “They’re very top-notch performers. They know what they’re doing. You’re gonna weaken our national defense if you remove gays from the military. And you’ll never be able to do it 100 percent—it’s just whether or not you’re gonna continue to hunt us.” Schlesinger later recalled that Jeff “had absolutely nothing to gain by doing the interview. Yet he took the risk and spoke out. My colleagues and I left San Diego very impressed with Ensign Trail.”
Trail had grown up as the conservative oddball in a close, liberal Midwestern family. Friends and teachers remembered him as clean-cut and warm, with a strong code of ethics.
Please visit the site to give the article a number of "clicks." Source: https://decider.com/2018/02/15/acs-versace-episode-5-recap/Decider wrote:
‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story’ Episode 5 Recap: Navy Blue
Feb. 15, 2018
Jeff and Gianni’s fates following their respective interviews were as divergent as their accommodations and their sisters, yet Andrew finds something equally infuriating about both. His beef with Versace is obvious enough. The stalker-wall of newspaper and magazine clippings that Andrew maintains, many of them about Gianni’s life as an out and proud gay man with his longtime partner Antonio, indicates resentment. Why should this man have it all, while Andrew has to lie about fame and fortune and can’t find anyone who loves him back?
Jeff, by contrast, is a crash-and-burn case. The military’s discovery that he was gay has left him “a washed-up queer in a shitty job and a shitty condo, bitching about how you could have been somebody,” as Andrew cuttingly puts it. “You’re not wrong about that,” Jeff replies fatalistically — he won’t even bother to deny it. Of course, you’re not wrong to see shades of Andrew himself in that description, except insofar as he has no job and no condo at all anymore, not even shitty ones.
[. . . ]
Watching Jeff’s final confrontation with Andrew prior to the murder is painful, then, both because of what he gets right and what he gets wrong. “I don’t know what you stand for,” he shouts at Cunanan. “I don’t know who you are. You’re a liar. You have no honor.” Correct on all counts — possibly lethally, so if you figure this contrast in their outlook is a big part of what drove Andrew to kill. But when Andrew rightfully points out that he believed in and supported Jeff while his beloved Navy treated him like shit — “I saved you!” — Jeff bitterly retorts “You destroyed me. I wish I’d never walked into that bar. I wish I’d never met you.” He says he wants his life back, as if Andrew took it from him, instead of Bill Clinton and Uncle Sam. Andrew does take his life away, eventually, mere hours from that moment in fact. But in a sense, he was just an accessory after the fact. Jeff signed his own death warrant the moment he decided, in the face of society’s hatred, that some principles are worth fighting for anyway.
Please visit the site to give the article a number of "clicks." Source: https://www.refinery29.com/2018/02/188167/assassination-of-gianni-versace-recap-episode-5-dont-ask-dont-tellRefinery 29 wrote:
ACS: The Assassination Of Gianni Versace Episode 5 Recap: "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
February 14, 2018
Homophobia has been lingering in every episode of this season of American Crime Story, but “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” gave it the explicit attention it deserves
[. . .]
It’s intentional that the name of this season is “The Assassination of Gianni Versace” because Murphy has been explicit that he sees Cunanan’s murders as politically motivated, since he went out of his way to out people and often humiliate them. The idea of sending a gay person’s parents a postcard (like the one poor Trail had to grapple with) is so obscenely inappropriate it makes my blood boil. In previous episodes, Cunanan exhibits internalized homophobia, but it seems to show in more emboldened ways with each passing episode. When Cunanan is talking with Trail, he says people will only see him as a “f*ggot,” and I’ll admit that I was shocked to watch the words leave the Glee star’s mouth.
[. . .]
It’s irritating to watch someone like Cunanan push the limits of regular friendship and hospitality so far with Trail and his ex David Madson (Cody Fern). Cunanan is also sometimes just bitchy and hearing him say things like “when I found you” makes me uncomfortable, because Cunanan has this manipulative way of acting like he “made” people, and that they owe him big time. He actually pushed it even further and says, “I saved you.” It feels like the most outright egomaniacal he’s been. . .
. . . The probable psychopath [Andrew Cunanan] even manages to make eating cereal look evil. . . . I’m torn because the more time this show spends on more normal people outside the Versace family, the more it seems grounded in reality. I almost couldn’t listen to Trail’s family’s voices on his voicemail. The final words of the episode were successfully realistic, and that much more disturbing.
Source: http://www.oxygen.com/crime-time/american-crime-story-episode-5-tackles-violence-gay-men-militaryOxygen wrote:
'American Crime Story' Episode 5 Unexpectedly Tackles Violence Against Gay Men In The Military
February 16, 2018
Trail’s deep shame over his sexuality, like Madson and Miglin, was the source of his relationship with Cunanan — who, in Murphy’s narrative, fed off his victims’ melancholic regrets like a vampire. It would have been easier to depict Andrew as a purely manipulative monster, stalking wounded prey. Instead, Murphy shows him as desperate and drawn to the bleeding — not only out of a desire to manipulate and dominate, but also to end his loneliness.
Although the ‘90s are often seen as somewhat of a paragon of socially liberal progress, the cruelties of that decade are washed away in the waves of nostalgia from the past few years. Cunanan’s narrative, . . . highlight not only the immense nastiness foisted upon sexual minorities in our recent history, but also the heartache (and violence) of living in a world designed around queer persecution and forced isolation.
Source: https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/2/18/17017214/american-crime-story-versace-dont-ask-dont-tell-recap-reviewVox wrote:
A wrenching episode of American Crime Story exposes the cost of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell
Feb. 18, 2018
“Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” is an unrelentingly wrenching hour. So much of it hangs on the terrifying precipice Jeffrey had to keep from falling over every day in the Navy, and his barely restrained fury at an institution he loves mistreating him so badly, before finally pushing him into the abyss of Cunanan’s rage.
[. . . ]
More than anything, this episode highlights the value of the approach writer Tom Rob Smith has taken to American Crime Story, giving depth to Cunanan’s victims who didn’t make many headlines at all before they counted Versace among their number, and more broadly, exploring the very real dangers of homophobia. “The Assassination of Gianni Versace is not the detailing of a murder spree as much as it is a taxonomy of gay tragedy,” as Richard Lawson wrote in his review for Vanity Fair. “It illustrates the maiming effect of the closet . . .
[. . . ]
“Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” is The Assassination of Gianni Versace’s most overtly political hour, explicitly laying out the traumatic effects of its titular policy and condemning the system that put it in place. When it digs this deep and this personal, it’s hard to argue the power of the series’ blunt-force approach to gay trauma — especially not when the history it’s retelling isn’t so long gone after all.
Being reminded that this sanctioned homophobia is much closer in our rearview mirror than it may appear, and in fact still exists in other forms today, is harrowing. But it also makes for a heart-stopping, crucial piece of television storytelling that rightfully recasts America’s history of homophobia as a violent and unforgivable crime.
Last edited by Poppy on Mon Feb 19, 2018 11:14 pm; edited 1 time in total
Please visit the site to give the article a number of "clicks." Source: http://collider.com/why-assassination-of-gianni-versace-is-not-the-show-you-think#darren-crissCollider wrote:
Why ‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace’ Is Not the Show You Think
February 19 2018
Murphy and Smith are offering a terrifying portrait of a killer in the vein of American Psycho. The show’s tonal touchstones have far more in common with that film or Alfred Hitchcock’s iconic Psycho than they do with any kind of wealth porn or hagiographic story of celebrity.
The series is also really zeroing in on Cunanan’s struggles with his homosexuality, and how that contrasts and compares with Versace’s experience as a gay man—albeit one of wealth and fame. Cunanan . . . worked as an escort for older, oftentimes wealthy men living in the closet, and the show posits that his jealousy and disgust may have been motivating factors in what led him to kill.
[. . . ]
The show’s third and fourth episodes are largely contained, playing out almost like mini horror movies—especially Episode 3, in which we stick with Cunanan in real-time through his first two murders. . .
All of that said, Versace still hasn’t reached the heights of The People v. O.J. The fractured/Memento-esque narrative is compelling at times, but it can also be frustrating, and to be quite honest the Versace-centric portions—at least thus far—lack a certain “oomph” that the rest of the show seems to have. The very best reason to be watching Versace is Darren Criss, who delivers an absolutely phenomenal and terrifying performance as Cunanan. This is a multi-dimensional, complicated, and bold performance as Criss can turn Cunanan’s personality on a dime, in a manner that’ll send chills down your spine.
And thus far, it’s [Versace is] a fascinating and downright disturbing one.
Please visit the site to give the article a number of "clicks." Source: https://www.gofugyourself.com/assassination-gianni-versace-recap-02-2018Go Fug Yourself wrote:
The Assassination of Gianni Versace Recap, Episode 5
Feb. 19, 2018
I have to be honest and note that I felt this episode was a little bit of a structural mess — with the caveat that it’s still remarkably well-acted, and “a little bit of a structural mess” for this program is the equivalent of giving a kid on the honor roll a B+. It’s still something to be proud of, but that kid might be a little irritated that you didn’t just hand over the A-. . .
I also highly recommend Vulture’s fact-checking of each episode, especially for episodes like this one, where I often wondered how much was fact and how much was supposition. It seems that everyone in real life is still in the dark about why Andrew hated Jeff Trail as much as he did, or what happened between them — because everyone who knew the answer died, I suppose. . .
[. . . ]
Other thoughts, before we look at some visuals: Finn Wittrock, as I mentioned, was amazingly good in this episode, and Jeff Trail’s story broke my heart. I found the scenes of his suicide attempt, and his attempt to remove his own tattoo, as painful to watch as anything I’ve seen on TV in a long time; he is heartrending in this. Cody Fern, who plays David, is also excellent in this episode (although last week was more of an acting tour de force for him, naturally). And Darren Criss is just great. He is so chilling in that scene wherein he’s going through Jeff’s stuff and puts on his dress whites; it says something that it’s just terrifying to watch him put on a hat and watch a video tape. I don’t know that this show is getting as much buzz as The People Vs. OJ Simpson — what has? — but I hope the acting is recognized, because it’s really superb.
Darren Criss Fan Community » Darren's TV Projects » The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story » The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Similar topics
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
|
|