An HBO series from Park Chan-wook, A24, and Robert Downey Jr. hardly needs selling. But the new trailer for The Sympathizer, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen, does a great job of making me mad that I can’t watch every episode of this thing immediately.
Though Robert Downey Jr. produced and co-stars in The Sympathizer, the real lead of the series is Hoa Xuande as a communist spy from Vietnam who moves to Los Angeles, where he’s unable to extricate himself from the espionage biz. Unsurprisingly, given the names involved, the series looks great—Robert Downey Jr.’s wacky spy disguises included.
The Sympathizer is actually Park Chan-wook’s second spy series following AMC’s excellent espionage thriller Little Drummer Girl, starring Florence Pugh and Alexander Skarsgard. But Park’s HBO series has a sharper, darkly comedic vibe that I’m really digging in these trailers.
Here’s the official synopsis for The Sympathizer, which also stars Sandra Oh, Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Phanxine, Vy Le, Ky Duyen, Kieu Chinh, Duy Nguyen, and Alan Trong.
Based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, THE SYMPATHIZER is an espionage thriller and cross-culture satire about the struggles of a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy during the final days of the Vietnam War and his new life as a refugee in Los Angeles, where he learns that his spying days aren’t over.
South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook serves as co-showrunner and co-writer alongside Don McKellar (Last Night), with Park directing the first three episodes. The Sympathizer premieres April 14 on HBO and Max.
(featured image: HBO)
