Since first launching last spring, HBO Max has released one of the deeper catalogs among its streaming competitors with programming from the HBO vaults, Warner Brothers, TCM, Criterion, and Studio Ghibli. But as great as the roster is for audiences hungry for movies and shows at their fingertips, it’s their Max Originals that are setting up the streamer as a unique and brilliant offering for voracious watchers. The latest series to drop on HBO Max is its intensely gripping six-episode limited series The Tourist, which you cannot miss when it premieres Thursday, March 3. The stylish, dark comedy thriller is one of the best this season as it will keep you guessing until the shocking ending.
Earning a perfect 100% freshness score on Rotten Tomatoes following its overseas debut this past winter, The Tourist doesn’t waste any time with this high-octane series from Two Brothers Pictures’ Harry and Jack Williams (The Missing). Reminiscent of Joel and Ethan Coen films like Blood Simple, Raising Arizona, Fargo and No Country for Old Men, the neo-Western is one of 2022’s best new series for audiences and one to revisit because there is so much more to see and discover, especially after watching it.
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Starring Jamie Dornan in a role that will make you forget Christian Grey, the HBO Max series kicks off with an intense, nail-biting car chase — well, more like an 18-wheeler truck chasing down a sedan in the barren outback. Keeping you on the edge of your seat from that very moment, The Tourist springs into action after the driver of the sedan (played by Dornan) is flung off the road by an intimidating, sinister whistling truck driver (Ólafur Darri Ólafsson) from the Deep South. Waking up in a hospital with no memory of who he is and just a piece of paper in his pocket to retrace his steps, the victim known simply as “The Man” must piece together his past to find out who wants him dead. With the help of the very transparently kind, rookie Constable Helen Chambers — an anxious traffic cop played by Danielle Macdonald — the two embark on a wild journey, including a strange phone call from a man buried underground. Safe to say, things get a lot weirder.
But to share any more details about The Tourist and all the twists and turns The Man encounters would most definitely spoil the fun and honestly, this show is the most fun audiences might have had in months when it comes to streaming programming. Taking audiences on a legit rollercoaster from the first episode to the very last, the series might spark predictions for watchers amid the series’ natural progression. Still, they will not be one bit close to the conclusion. Not to mention, it is very ambiguous and open-ended, so there could very well be a possibility of more to come if the creators and cast are on board.
Written and executive produced by Jack and Harry Williams, the creators have written a ton of thrillers over the years for British TV between The Missing and Baptiste, but The Tourist is one that feels structurally, tonally and cinematically different. Brimming with themes of identity and working out who you are, The Tourist is a very self-assured series that is equally appealing because of its resonance with our daily struggles surrounding individuality. Crafted with a real sense of distinction and accuracy thanks to directors Chris Sweeney and Daniel Nettheim, the show is an impressive piece of TV that plays to both the thriller genre and dark comedy side of writing with authentic and honest dialogue that often borders humorous.
There is so much to love with The Tourist, especially through its well-drawn-out and wildly eccentric characters with their quirks and charms. Dornan, who leads the cast, is immaculate in this role and makes great use of his diverse range of acting credits as he plays this broken-down man. He manages to blend every emotion The Man experiences so eloquently through his expressions and words, and you can most definitely feel that through the screen. Starring as a blank-slate guy bordering complexities of confusion, frustration, cynicism, sarcasm, and anger, the performance sits high among his other acclaimed roles, as seen in The Fall or Belfast. Moreover, his acting talent hits a new level of awesome as he balances the character’s nuanced tone flawlessly while rising to the more humorous directions the writing calls for versus the bold, contemplative, wide-eyed panic, particularly with the final episode where we see his character at the forefront of a newly discovered life.
As for Macdonald, the infectiously likable Australian actress has such a delightful on-screen presence as she helps make the darker tones a lot brighter with her genuine warmth. Feeling a lot like a compass for The Man, Macdonald’s Helen is no doubt the heart of the show as her kindness is admirable and one that feels real as she looks for a connection amid a very toxic relationship with her fiancé Ethan (Greg Larsen). The newbie cop struggles with her weight and appearance but finds herself in top form while on the job, helping others — especially The Man. With all her quirks and a keen eye for details, Macdonald’s portrayal of Helen also has some big Marge Gundersen a la Fargo energy.
But it’s the growing friendship between Helen and The Man that plays beautifully to the show’s drama too. Macdonald and Dornan have incredible chemistry and a charm that makes their dynamic really easy to watch and want to see more of. Whereas the Irish actor can play dark and broody, Macdonald is chipper and bubbly with her naiveté, balancing his character’s aggravation well. The two are supported most amazingly by Shalom Brune-Franklin, who plays a mysterious waitress eager to help The Man; Ólafur Darri Ólafsson who plays the American — a character reminiscent of Leonard Smalls in Raising Arizona; and, Damon Herriman of Justified, who plays a detective intrigued by The Man.
The Tourist is a welcome and necessary binge this season, and so much fun. It never slows down nor has a moment in between the six episodes that will have you turning to your phone for the occasional check-in. It is most earnestly and effectively, an edge-of-your-seat, nail-biting thriller that will keep you glued every minute with its twists and turns. The unpredictable, dark comedy is interesting and quirky, and just an overall breath of fresh air as it’s produced and performed exceptionally well. Accentuating themes of antiheroes and identity all wrapped into six compelling hours, The Tourist might tread the familiar ground with some Coen brothers sentiments, but it is uniquely a product all its own thanks to Dornan for a massively entertaining ride.
The Tourist stars Jamie Dornan, Danielle Macdonald, Shalom Brune-Franklin, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Alex Dimitriades, Damon Herriman and Genevieve Lemon. The Tourist begins streaming Thursday, March 3 on HBO Max. For more on The Tourist, Jamie Dornan, Danielle Macdonald and all your HBO Max programming, stick to PopCulture.com for the latest.
