Review of the series «The Decameron»

On July 25, the medieval black comedy «The Decameron», based on the short story collection of the same name by Italian classic Giovanni Boccaccio, was released on Netflix. In the review below, we tell you how well the following actors get along in the movie Sex, wine and the bubonic plague.

«The Decameron»

Genre black comedy
Showrunner Kathleen Jordan
Starring Zosia Mamet, Saoirse Monica-Jackson, Tanya Reynolds, Amar Chadha-Patel, Leila Farzad, Lu Gala, Karan Gill, Tony Gale, Jessica Plummer
Premiere Netflix
Year of issue 2024
Website IMDb

Florence, 1348. The city is suffering from the bubonic plague, and it is extremely dangerous to stay here. A group of nobles and gentry responds to the invitation of the wealthy Viscount Leonardo to wait out the epidemic at his country estate, Villa Santa. There is everything for a comfortable life: the best food, the most delicious drink, the beautiful nature around, and most importantly, isolation from the plague that is rapidly spreading across the continent. But this pastoral idyll comes to naught when each of those present begins to show their true nature.Let’s be clear: Netflix’s «The Decameron» — is absolute, blatant, and outright nonsense that will not appeal to everyone. But while watching it, you get a strong impression that this is the factor that the show’s creators are particularly proud of. Genre-wise, the series can be described as a satirical black comedy with elements of drama, or, if you prefer, an absurdist tragicomedy in a medieval setting in the spirit of «Monty Python and the Holy Grail».

It is no exaggeration to call the series somewhat inventive from the satirical side and bright — from the visual side. Between the lines, one can easily read the irreconcilable conflict between representatives of different social classes, as well as a direct allusion to the «sad» realities of COVID-19. And the epithet «sad» is put in quotation marks for a reason, because showrunner Kathleen Jordan said that the script was inspired by the whining of various celebrities during the pandemic, who were forced to languish in their luxurious mansions. Poor creatures.

The on-screen outrage takes place against the backdrop of a luxurious estate, specifically the 16th-century castle Castello Ruspoli, located in the municipality of Vignanello, where the filming took place. The local costumes deserve a special mention, in particular, the brightly colored dresses that are pleasing to the eye. All this is supported by a great soundtrack — Depeche Mode, Sparks, Enya, Pixies.

The concentration of humor, exciting events, interesting conflicts, and general goofiness is diluted by unnecessary dialogues, scenes, and storylines. It’s extremely difficult to keep the bar high for almost 8 hours straight (even recent «The Boys» did not cope with this task). If we shortened the episodes to 40 minutes and squeezed out the best of the material, and got rid of the excess, then we could expect something of exceptional quality. What makes «The Decameron» so special is that almost all the characters here are disgusting idiots, short-sighted fools, or selfish liars to varying degrees. As you watch, you sincerely wish that each of them would eventually get what they deserve. And this is good because it is a sign of indifference to what is happening on the screen. Some characters get a good character evolution, some — die, and this constant dramatic movement forward is really beneficial.

The audience’s indifference is achieved, among other things, thanks to the well-coordinated work of the cast, thanks to which most of the characters, both individually and together, arouse interest. Among others, the categorically nasty Pampinea, played by Zosia Mamet, her devoted servant Mission, embodied on screen by Saoirse-Monica Jackson, and Lichiska, played by Tanya Reynolds, stand out. It’s also worth mentioning Douggie McMeekin’s character Tindaro, an incorrigible pseudo-intellectual idiot who visually resembles a curly haired cartoon version of Ron Perlman.