A stylishly engaging and crisp neo-noir steeped in the hardboiled detective tradition, Apple TV+’s “Sugar,” starring Colin Farrell, is rather terrific—that is, until it’s not. Created by Mark Protosevich (“I Am Legend”) and fabulously directed by Brazilian filmmaker Fernando Meirelles (“City Of God”) and Adam Arkin (“The Offer”), “Sugar” is initially sleek and captivatingly crafted in its depiction of L.A. contradictions: exotic palm trees juxtaposed next to gritty concrete streets and back alleys.
Engrossed and locked into the part, Farrell stars as John Sugar, a refined and elegant but enigmatic private detective specializing in finding abducted children. With his vintage Corvette, Savile Row suits, and coiffed hairdo, he’s an engaging and formidable presence with a gentle, sweet side. The gumshoe seemingly knows all the tricks of the trade and excels in his tradecraft, but perhaps more importantly, he’s got a personal connection to lost children in need of saviors.
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A man already on a mission, Sugar, a thoughtful, kind-hearted, and gentle soul, is strangely complicated at times. At times, he appears extraordinarily naïve and in constant awe of the world; in other moments, when necessitated, his heart of gold can turn on a dime to extreme violence. Sugar, a charmingly curious and thorough character who is instantly likable, seems to have a preternatural ability to know when people are lying to him, and a metabolism so amplified that it’s nearly impossible to get him drunk. While struggling with some debilitating nerve condition that makes him have unexpected spells, Sugar tries to downplay his ailment. He’s got his secrets, too, but whatever the case may be behind them, Farrell outshines at playing this soft-spoken character.
Already on a crusade, Sugar finds the perfect assignment in a missing girl’s case that feels like a vintage Hollywood tale straight out of a “Sunset Boulevard” or “Chinatown” classic. Hired by legendary Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel (James Cromwell)—which is perfect because Sugar’s a devoted cinephile and all about classic TCM-esque movies—the private detective is engaged to uncover the mysterious disappearance of Olivia Siegel (Sydney Chandler), the beloved granddaughter of the filmmaker.
But, of course, the Siegel family has baggage, so it gets complicated. Bernie Siegel (Dennis Boutsikaris), Olivia’s father, doesn’t seem too worried about her whereabouts and assumes she’s on another bender that will lead to rehab. His ex-wife, Melanie Mackie (Amy Ryan), Olivia’s step-mom, is acting strangely cagey about helping the investigator track her down. Lastly, Olivia’s brother, Danny (Nate Corddry), a failed actor and sycophant to his father, is skeptical, so he starts tailing Sugar poorly, never hiding his tracks.
Also part of Sugar’s P.I. world is his partner Ruby (Kirby, formerly known as Kirby Howell-Baptiste), who manages all his affairs and is also part of a mysterious group known as the Societe de Polyglottes, which the private eye is also a member of.
“Sugar” is replete with familiar detective noir tropes— narration, a dreamily jazzy score evocative of a lonely and solitary existence, black-and-white interludes, flashy cutaways to footage of classic cinema, and the like. It might be cliché or rote if it wasn’t so well crafted, so well-made and absorbing.
But like all good noirs, they’re filled with twists and turns, and everyone’s got a secret to keep. “Sugar” itself has many mysteries to unveil, and while it’s super strong for about six of its eight episodes, its genre-bending twist is unfortunate and kind of ruins the series. We won’t spoil it here, but it’s a bold choice that ultimately doesn’t work, upending the entire series and adding a new element that feels far-fetched and one step too far.
It’s a shame, too, because “Sugar” was such an enjoyable, addictive watch until this point, familiar in investigator shape but still unique and eminently watchable. Despite falling apart in its last few episodes— the suspension of disbelief shattered, and the series even feeling like a bit of a betrayal— there’s still much to love and recommend before “Sugar” goes off the rails.
Protosevich’s scripts are absorbing, and the cross-examination dialogue and detective work are super compelling. Farrell narrating his every intimate thought about a case in the moment seems prosaic, but much of it is actually enjoyable. Likewise, Meirelles and Arkin direct the hell out of these episodes, and they all look like a million bucks. Series cinematographers César Charlone and Richard Rutkowski create some gorgeous-to-look images, and composers Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Adrian Younge’s moody musical cues go a long way in making that hazy atmosphere of longing and connection that Sugar seems to desperately need beyond the way he immerses himself in his work. The contemporary and chic series production design and costuming are top-shelf stuff, too.
These impressive qualities make “Sugar” such an extra disappointment when it goes tits up with its ambitious but foolhardy surprise. Still, it’s worth the watch, and cineastes will have much to enjoy in the series until it all goes off-piste. “Sugar” engages in well-worn staples of the noir genre, including the tragic notion that if you dig hard enough for the truth, you may lose more than you uncover. While it all borders on platitudes, “Sugar” all makes it feel effortlessly cool and classical. It’s too bad about the curved turn at the end, though. And yes, it all points to a second season, which could reveal even more, but hey, you had your shot and missed. Let’s enjoy what we got, toss our well drinks back, and leave it at that. [B-]
“Sugar” premieres April 5 on Apple TV+.