Colin Farrell stars in new crime thriller Sugar as a private detective who investigates the disappearance of a Hollywood producer’s granddaughter. Photo: AppleTV+.
Sugar is a new crime thriller that will keep you glued to the small screen.
An enigmatic private detective, a modern-day Los Angeles and a missing 25-year-old, drug-addled young woman. These are the basics of the new Apple TV+ neo-noir series in which the protagonist is Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin, In Bruges, Thirteen Lives.) It’s a role that reflects on a bygone era of sleuthing.
Aptly described as “a genre-bending contemporary take on the private detective story set in Los Angeles”, it will draw you in, with both the narrative and visual appeal.
John Sugar describes himself as “one of the good guys” out in California. Though he notes: “But good and bad can be in the eye of the beholder.” Well, Sugar wouldn’t be Sugar without gumshoe – played cleverly by Farrell. A private investigator. He finds the missing. Does one thing only and does it right.
After returning to LA from a hostage rescue, Sugar takes on a new case in which he is tasked by legendary Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel (James Cromwell, Succession) to find his missing beloved granddaughter, Olivia (Sydney Chandler).
Following leads across the city, Sugar searches for the heiress, but problems find him. As he tries to determine what happened to Olivia, he unearths some recent and some long-buried Siegel family secrets. Strangely, the other Siegel family members – her dad Bernie (Dennis Boutsikaris, Better Call Saul) and half-brother David ”Davy” (Nate Corddry, For All Mankind ) – are not interested in finding Olivia. They believe she will come back, as she has in the past after her drug-fuelled adventures.
However, both John and Jonathan feel the situation on this occasion is dissimilar to the previous times. Sugar’s handler Ruby (Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Cruella, Silent Night) wants him to take a break and walk away from the case, but John, the gigantic film addict, can’t help himself and goes for it. Mysteries and troubles are everywhere, even personal issues.
Sugar is a tribute to film noir; a good-natured homage to the genre’s classics. This is what’s evident from the car driven by the hero, a blue retro open-top Corvette coupe (“a work of art”), his crisp white shirt, Savile Row suit, black shoes and even the look – well-moisturised, swept-back hair. Further credence is lent by the background score: it’s orchestral, primarily composed of piano and saxophone. Very laidback!
Even unconcealed references add emphasis. Sugar’s act riffs on classic film noirs give substance, evoking long-suppressed recollections. His film addiction becomes apparent (think The Big Heat,) along with his multilingual talents.
Sugar is strongly reminiscent of the same nonchalant pace seen with Bosch, in which Titus Welliver, as Los Angeles Police Department Detective Harry Bosch, has a troubled past and uses some unconventional methods. Spanning seven seasons, based on the Michael Connelly novels, Bosch was never far from controversy.
The level of accomplished talent at the helm of Sugar and in the cast is significant. Created by screenwriter Mark Protosevich (The Cell, Thor, I Am Legend), the series is persistent with celebrating stylised Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasise cynical attitudes and motivations.
Then there are the punctuated black-and-white film clips and softly spoken voiceovers by Sugar – reminiscent of a style from Sunset Boulevard. The eight episodes, directed by Fernando Meirelles (City of God, The Two Popes), delve deeper into the mystery and focus on progressively building up to the big reveal as emphasis changes.
On one level, the central mystery is an account of power and privilege, and on the other, a story about young women, immigrants and the need to cherish human life.
Farrell seamlessly personifies the charismatic, inscrutable titular character, making it very much his own. His impressive performance maintains a convincing pace. Farrell, who also serves as executive producer, starred in the second season of the 2015 thriller series True Detective.
While a big plot twist changes the series entirely, the classic film noir influences keep us engrossed and intrigued throughout.
Sugar, directed by Fernando Meirelles, is streaming on AppleTV+
