IR TV Review: A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW - EPISODE 8 (“Adieu”) [Showtime/Paramount+]
The moment of resolution and sacrifice is always a specific choice but one that sometimes does not have a clear endgame. With the final episode (#8) of "A Gentleman In Moscow" entitled "Adieu", the progression is all about goodbyes. And in a show with plenty of good acting, the pay off here does do well. It is bittersweet of course but the pitch of the show is just right to capture it, even though one understands its point. While it does progress with what the narrative needs, it is still able to be lyrical and poignant which is why the entire show succeeds. Ewan McGregor is able to truly capture this man's joy but also his pain.
One scene with his longtime friends around a dinner table in a basement of course is a testament to this but also a dance he has with Anna (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) but also a moment she herself has with Sofia before she leaves for Paris. The final episode is made up of all these moments which stick out in the memory. A specific scene even between Oslip and Rostov in the stairwell is poignant because of its irony but also its sadness. But it works because the series did the work. It didn't spell out everything and a coda of sorts is almost not needed. The final moment is really enough for everyone since the point of departure will live on the viewer's memory despite anything that comes after it. To give away anymore might dilute its power. "A Gentleman In Moscow" delivered a finite story but one where character was truly the center of the path without sacrificing the narrative at the same time. A
By Tim Wassberg
