Netflix’s six-part adaptation of Tom Wolfe’s novel is a southern-fried mess.
FormerEntertainment WeeklyeditorMark Harrisbegged Hollywood tospare us the terrible film that this juicily unadaptable tome will inevitably become.
ButNetflixsA Man in Full created by megaproducerDavid E. Kelleyand starring the usually unassailableJeff Daniels is still awful.
Jeff Daniels and Sarah Jones in ‘A Man in Full’.Mark Hill/Netflix
Kelleys changes seem aimed at consolidating some of the subplots in Wolfes tale, which is understandable.
But the individual elements of the story arent really the problem withA Man in Full.
Matching the spirit and vigor of Wolfes words creates a temptation to go big.
Tom Pelphrey and Bill Camp in ‘A Man in Full’.Mark Hill/Netflix
(Thomas SchlammeandRegina Kingdirect three episodes each.)
But mostly, it comes through in the leading man’s scenery-chewing performance.
(Yes, Im old.)
Jerrika Hinton, Chanté Adams, Aml Ameen and Jon Michael Hill in ‘A Man in Full’.Mark Hill/Netflix
Still, she only has a handful of substantive scenes.
