Maigret

I couldn't resist and I watched the latest version of the Maigret cases mainly out of curiosity of how Rowan Atkinson would look in the serious role of the famous French detective. It wasn't so much that I doubted Atkinson's acting abilities, but rather I was interested in how he would fit into this role. A significant part of film fans still see Jean Gabin as the only legitimate representative, whereas I personally identified Maigret with Bruno Cremer, who dedicated 15 years of his life to this character. Atkinson doesn't quite fit this role in terms of appearance, although the French TV series seemed somewhat lacking in production. Overall, it deserves an honest three stars and a 65% overall impression. (01/11/2017)

Compared to the French series from the 90s, the new British series is much more cinematic and grandiose. Although Bruno Cremer fits perfectly into the role of the commissioner, I have increasingly bigger problems with Rowan Atkinson. It's not necessarily his acting, but as a typecast actor, I would like to see him in different roles, and I'm not saying necessarily comedic ones. I appreciate the excellent camera work and the effort to create an atmosphere, but in terms of the story, Maigret in Montmartre is certainly the weakest out of the three episodes I have watched so far, and some of the supporting roles could have been cast and performed more appropriately. Overall impression: 60%. (02/10/2018)