THE DEUCE DISSECTED
“The Deuce” had a ton going for it. Michelle MacLaren directed the hell out of the pilot. Ralph Macchio and Maggie Gyllenhaal turned in strong supporting performances. Plus, it had James Franco in dual roles before the Internet told me to hate him. Such judgment doesn’t exist in the world of The Deuce and it’s better for. David Simon and George Pelecanos bring the best aspects of The Wire to NYC at its 70s peak sleaze.
Nobody is a bad guy and nobody is good. What happens is that everyone exists in the poor slums, yet they get the opportunity to rise above. Some people know what it takes to reach the next level, while others bring friends down to the lower levels. What makes this first season sing is that final episode. I was a big fan of Thunder Thighs throughout the first season. But, she became the heart of the show with the season finale.
Watching as she ignores Gyllenhaal’s success to return to the hustle tells you what’s going down. It’s not that the John who killed her means anything. Thunder Thighs’ success is in forcing the man to consider that she’s a person. Still, she got to say her real name is Ruby…does it matter? Ruby or Thunder Thighs still got splattered on the sidewalk after being tossed out a window. The level of nihilism on display is the antithesis of grimdark. If this is what I can expect, sign me up for more.
THE SPECIAL FEATURES
- Featurettes
- Commentaries
A/V STATS
- 1.78:1 1080p transfer
- DTS-HD 5.1 master audio track