It takes Monsieur Spade some time to settle into its skin. The first few hours are dedicated to introducing as many side characters and backstories as possible, and though this could have been more elegantly executed, it eventually pays off. The main mystery, once you get to it, is layered and complex, and watching Spade physically and verbally spar with Philippe is its own kind of reward. Their curt but cutting dialogue harkens back to past noirs, and it’s a delight to see that tradition live on in the genre.
"An early contender for one of the best series of the year."
— Clint Worthington
"While Monsieur Spade indulges in escapism, it’s also a compact crime yarn that does right by both its setting and its predecessors."
— Alison Herman
Detective Sam Spade is pulled out of his tranquil retirement in France to investigate a series of brutal murders.
In post-war France, in the remote and idyllic town of Bozouls, famed investigator Samuel Spade (Clive Owen) has one last mission to fulfill before he retires: return a young girl (Cara Bossom) to her father, Philippe Saint Andre (Jonathan Zaccaï), a dangerous man who threatens to spill the townspeople’s darkest and most sinister secrets.
It’s easy to point at Owen since he’s the sole American in a cast of European actors, but he sticks out for other reasons. As the successor of Humprehy Bogart’s Spade, he holds his own firmly and adds dimensions to the iconic character. Like Bogart, his pessimism and weariness add to his charm, but there’s also a mysteriousness and danger to him that make him more terrifying. He’s easily the best thing about the adaptation.
If you’re a fan of slow burns, this leisurely-paced mystery will be right up your alley.
