James Corden surprises as a cuckolded husband in Mammals — TV review
Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.
James Corden has been making a scene at a restaurant again. In Mammals — a new six-part series for Amazon Prime Video by playwright Jez Butterworth — the professional schmoozer and occasional actor stars as Jamie, a harried chef launching his own fine-dining establishment. But his family and friends are left with a bad taste in their mouths on the opening night as Jamie very publicly reveals that his wife and muse, Amandine (Melia Kreiling), has been cheating on him.
In the show’s first scenes, set weeks earlier, we find the couple on an idyllic anniversary getaway — the spark between them still burning brightly after seven years together. These days, however, marital bliss can be lost in the time it takes for a husband to read an explicit text on his partner’s phone.
Back in London, Jamie wanders around stalking his love rival like a wounded predator. “I’d kill for her,” he warns the other man. What he won’t do is just talk to her. From its title to its final moments, the show is all too eager to remind us that humans are essentially animals, driven by primal instincts of lust, anger and competition — and are often incapable of articulate communication.
Butterworth doesn’t seem to have decided whether he’s writing an absurdist comedy or a sober relationship drama. The series feels neither sharp enough nor sufficiently fleshed out to satisfy either — although it does boast an ending that works well as a sardonic punchline and an unexpected twist.
Speaking of which, the much maligned Corden will surprise many here with his assured, organic performance as a man overrun by conflicting emotions. His turn stands out against the otherwise underwritten parts. Amandine is an almost parodic sketch of Gallic coolness while Sally Hawkins is miscast as Jamie’s sister Lue. Still, stealing the show is better than being accused of stealing jokes.
★★★☆☆
On Amazon Prime Video from November 11
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