Homecoming: Season 1 
Wednesday, November 14, 2018 at 3:00PM
Spencer Coile in Amazon, Bobby Cannavale, Homecoming, Hong Chau, Julia Roberts, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Sam Esmail, Shea Whigham, Sissy Spacek, Stephan James, TV, streaming

By Spencer Coile 

With the recent wave of bona fide movie stars making their way to television, it should come as no surprise that someone as prolific as Julia Roberts would do the same. Her extensive career has proven time and again that she can master multiple genres, complex characters, and still be the best part of any ensemble (looking at you, August: Osage County).

That is what makes her performance in Homecoming, the latest Amazon Prime series from Mr. Robot creator Sam Esmail, all the more exciting. Based on the popular podcast that came before it, Roberts takes on the role of Heidi Bergman, previously played by Catherine Keener. Working for the Homecoming Transitional Support Center, Heidi’s job is to assimilate soldiers back into civilian life. However, unease and intrigue begins to set in, as Heidi soon realizes that her role is more sinister than she had initially thought...

Through just 10 episodes (each with a 24-37 minute running time), Homecoming is a perfect storm of arresting imagery, mystery, and a performance from Julia Roberts we never knew we needed.  

The series jumps between years: one that follows Heidi as she consults with recently returned veterans and one that takes place several years into the future where she is a disgruntled waitress who has no recollection of her former job. Ingeniously, the only clue given to this gap in time comes in the form of the aspect ratio. While working at Homecoming, the colors are bright and vibrant with a widescreen frame. Flashing forward into the future, the colors are drab and the screen is set at 4:3 ratios. What may feel like jarring storytelling soon becomes the clue into Heidi’s frame of reference, the key that will help her understand the mystery of her past. 

Enmeshed in the story are other notable players. There is Walter Cruz (Stephan James), the primary enrollee at Homecoming who forges a special bond with Heidi. Their conversations in counseling function as the jumping off point for the rest of the episode. There is also Heidi’s sleazy boss, Colin (Bobby Cannavale) who hardly interacts with Heidi in person, but berates her and manipulates her over the phone. 

And of course there is Thomas Carrasco (Shea Whigham in the series' most delightfully understated performance), the paper pusher Department of Defense employee who starts to connect the dots between Heidi’s past and present. Peppered throughout the season are actresses Hong Chau, Sissy Spacek, and Marianne Jean-Baptiste who help to put the puzzle pieces together. 

Rooted in its source material, Esmail has found a way to incorporate specific qualities from the podcast and translate it distinctively for the screen. For instance, the sound design is subtle, but incredibly intricate. From the phone calls Heidi shares with Colin, where it sounds like an actual conversation one has over the phone, to the ticking of a clock, to Carrasco clicking his highlighter in agitation, all help to convey suspense and appeal to those who were fans of the podcast. 

Yet while the filmmaking qualities are contemporary in many ways, Homecoming feels like a series embedded in the past. Throughout each of its episodes it plays homage to the 70’s and 80’s – it never once uses its own original score, but instead pulls from films such as All the President’s Men, Carrie, and Klute. This is by no means an accident;  it is paying tribute to paranoia thrillers from decades past. Or consider the tracking shots, the elaborate and beautifully staged set pieces, the camera angles that appear to look down on Heidi. Theyare expertly crafted techniques that work to merge the past and present. 

At the center of everything, though, is Roberts herself. Having played boisterous and outspoken characters throughout her career, it's quite refreshing to watch her pull back in her portrayal of Heidi. This is an especially restrained and modulated performance, unlike anything Roberts has played in the past. While at first she seems to fade into the background, Heidi soon becomes the show’s beating heart, driving the story forward. 

In short, Homecoming is a highly particular blessing of a show. It tells its story succinctly while making the mystery compelling enough to carry across 10 episodes. While it was already renewed for a second season, the final scene brings Heidi’s story full circle in a way that will briefly take your breath away. It’s dizzying and spellbinding, and one of the great new series of 2018. 

Article originally appeared on The Film Experience (http://thefilmexperience.net/).
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