Expats, the limited series written and directed by Lulu Wang, may not be premiering on Amazon Prime for a few months, but the penultimate episode screened today for TIFF patrons. Expats tells the story of a family tragedy that befalls Margaret (Nicole Kidman) and Clark (Brian Tee), prominent Americans living in Hong Kong. But while Clark and Margaret’s heartbreak is the show’s inciting force, the event ripples through their community, impacting their wealthy expat friends. as well as the women who work in their luxurious homes as helpers.
Speaking at the screening, Wang herself conceded it is “unconventional” to start with the 5th episode of a six-part series; however, the installment has value as a standalone art piece. Set on a Sunday in 2014, it centres around how the helpers spend their one day off a week. Opening with a group of women singing a rousing rendition of Katy Perry’s “Roar,” the 96-minute episode ping pongs back and forth between moments of levity and profound sobriety.
We may smile as the helpers joke with each other about who their employers are sleeping with; however, when Essie (Ruby Ruiz) returns to Margaret’s home after getting soaked by a typhoon, she is immediately expected to make pizza for her employers before drying off. It is small but telling details like a wet Essie preparing frozen food that prove Lulu Wang is a visionary storyteller – one who imbues the episode with subtle commentary about the intersections of class, race, and gender.
- Genre: Drama
- Release Date: 2024
- Directed by: Lulu Wang
- Starring: Amelyn Pardenilla, Brian Tee, Jack Houston, Ji-young Yoo, Nicole Kidman, Ruby Ruiz, Sarayu Blue
- Produced by: Alice Bell, Daniele Melia, Lulu Wang, Nicole Kidman, Per Saari Stan Wlodkowski, Theresa Park
- Written by: Lulu Wang
- Studio: Amazon Studios
