[ Apple TV Plus latest has plenty of comedic chemistry but
struggles to land its message]
[[link removed]]
PORTSIDE CULTURE
LOOT IS A BREEZY WORKPLACE SATIRE WITH NO BITE
[[link removed]]
Saloni Gajjar
June 23, 2022
AV Club
[[link removed]]
*
[[link removed]]
*
[[link removed]]
*
*
[[link removed]]
_ Apple TV Plus' latest has plenty of comedic chemistry but struggles
to land its message _
Maya Rudolph and Joel Kim Booster in Loot, Photo: Apple TV+
Apple TV+’s _Loot_
[[link removed]]_ _is designed to poke
fun at, and eventually ruminate over, its protagonist’s ridiculously
extravagant lifestyle. After all, Molly Novak’s (Maya Rudolph)
splashy entry includes John (Adam Scott), her rich douchebag tech
husband, gifting her a massive yacht. It has several floors and four
swimming pools (one of which is perfectly sized for her two dogs,
whose priceless names will not be spoiled here). Molly’s life
revolves around a lavish Hollywood mansion, an expensive wardrobe,
fancy parties, and several maids by her side. Yet the show peaks when
she examines her identity without all of it. Unfortunately, this
occurs rarely and even then, _Loot _struggles until the end with its
takes on capitalism, billionaires, and the like.
The only reason Molly—and by some extension, the show itself—finds
its groove is Rudolph. The actor’s infectious energy grounds the
series and prevents it from falling plainly into clichés. She softens
Molly’s outbursts, whether they’re realistic fights with John
after discovering his affair and divorcing him within the first 10
minutes of the premiere, or absurd tantrums upon meeting former
friends. Rudolph brings warmth to Molly’s selfishness, making it
impossible not to like or maybe even root for her. Admittedly, though,
it’s hard to sympathize when she gets to sulk post-breakup in
private jets or with the help of custom meals that David Chang cooks
for her. (Yes, he cameos as her personal chef.) Money can’t buy
happiness … until it can?
Loot
B
CREATED BY
Alan Yang and Matt Hubbard
STARRING
Maya Rudolph, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Joel Kim Booster, Ron Funches,
Nat Faxon, Meagan Fay, Stephanie Styles, Adam Scott, Dylan Gelula,
Olivier Martinez
PREMIERES
June 24 on Apple TV+
FORMAT
Half-hour comedy; complete 10-episode first season watched for review
Like most workplace comedies, _Loot_’s basic premise throws
together an unlikely group of people—in this case, when Molly gains
a whopping $87 billion from her divorce. (Ever wondered what a show
based on Mackenzie Bezos right now might look like? _Loot _is
essentially the glossy version of it.) Molly starts working for a
charity in her name that she didn’t even know existed. The Wells
Foundation is spearheaded by no-nonsense Sofia Salinas (Michaela Jaé
Rodriguez). Sofia runs it with the help of eccentric folks like
soft-spoken accountant Arthur (Nat Faxon) and Molly’s
super-optimistic cousin, Howard (Ron Funches). _Loot _is certainly
reminiscent of _Parks And Recreation_
[[link removed]]_ _(creators
Alan Yang and Matt Hubbard both wrote for the NBC hit)_, __The
Office_ [[link removed]], and
even _The Good Place_
[[link removed]]_. _It’s
basically Apple TV+’s attempt at crafting its own network sitcom.
Molly isn’t hyper-enthusiastic like Leslie Knope, but she is
extremely out-of-touch with going into an office, leading
conference-room meetings, or figuring out how to actually help people.
Meanwhile, Sofia is passionate about uplifting the community and
solving homelessness in Los Angeles. Their dueling personalities
become fodder for an implausible friendship. Molly and Sofia’s
begrudging bond (ahem, Leslie and Ron) makes for a fascinating set of
episodes, especially because Rodriguez goes toe-to-toe with Rudolph.
After an exceptional turn in _Pose_
[[link removed]], she delivers an earnest and
dry comedic performance here, with almost each of her lines dripping
with sarcasm.
Loot — Official Trailer | Apple TV+
The same applies to Joel Kim Booster, who is clearly conquering summer
2022 after _Fire Island_
[[link removed]]_ _and his
Netflix comedy special, _Psychosexual_. Booster plays Nicholas,
Molly’s fiercely loyal assistant who tags along with her at work,
later pursuing his true love of acting. He remains a complete delight
in this role, managing to pull focus even when he’s sharing space
with Rudolph. Also delightful: any scene with Booster and Funches. In
fact, the whole ensemble shares an instantly easygoing chemistry that
any workplace comedy thrives on. As it turns out, _Loot _isn’t
trying to be “any workplace comedy,” and that’s where it
falters.
It mostly succeeds with the cast banter, unexpected friendships, and
the whole colleagues-becoming-family (imagine that) vibe. The show
would’ve worked fine with just all of that. But it also wants to
embrace a larger message on how billionaires shouldn’t exist, and if
they do, how they should actually help tackle global crises instead of
simply tweeting through them. However, the writing doesn’t dig
nearly deep enough into these timely themes. It’s relatively
toothless and superficial, and the satire doesn’t have any bite.
Despite centering on Molly’s burgeoning love life and reconnecting
with her family, the characterization still feels fragmented. It’s a
good thing Sofia, Nicholas, and the others surround her, but even
their backstories aren’t fleshed out enough. Luckily, the cast holds
its own and makes _Loot _an easy watch, with the season finale
perfectly setting up what could potentially be a far more
uncompromising future of the show.
* capitalism
[[link removed]]
* Billionaires
[[link removed]]
* philanthropy
[[link removed]]
* Loot
[[link removed]]
*
[[link removed]]
*
[[link removed]]
*
*
[[link removed]]
INTERPRET THE WORLD AND CHANGE IT
Submit via web
[[link removed]]
Submit via email
Frequently asked questions
[[link removed]]
Manage subscription
[[link removed]]
Visit portside.org
[[link removed]]
Twitter [[link removed]]
Facebook [[link removed]]
########################################################################
[link removed]
To unsubscribe from the xxxxxx list, click the following link:
[link removed]
