Lupin

The adventures of Arsène Lupin are popular books in France and elsewhere, so the anticipation of a series based on the work of Maurice Leblanc was high. Combining the French star Omar Sy with a beautiful Paris setting and a fast-paced story, the series Lupin is bound to be successful.

First of all, it’s important to realize that Lupin isn’t a literal adaptation of the novels by Leblanc. The subtitle Dans l‘ombre d‘Arsène (In the Shadow of Arsène) indicates that it is about a figure inspired by the great Lupin, who lives to some extent in his shadow. If you can accept that and keep an open mind regarding the connection with the literary world and this new series, you will enjoy this.

The protagonist of Lupin is Assane Diop, a Parisian man with origins in Senegal, who works at the Louvre in the cleaning department. When a famous necklace is up for an auction, he makes a devious plan - or so it seems. Because in reality, many things are different than they first appear. Assane is a fan of the famed Lupin and has been reading the books about him since he was a boy, and is inspired by some of Lupin's tricks and methods in his own actions. 

Lupin plays with chronology and different perspectives, creating some surprises for the audience. While some twists seem too obvious, others are well-crafted and make for a few great scenes. The connections to the original material are frequent and keep the plot going, resulting in a world which is at the same time crime- and police-centered while also rooted in literature and referencing stories of Arsène Lupin. This combination makes it very unique - at times it reminded me of the Sherlock series with Benedict Cumberbatch, which also combines a literary classic with modernity.

Besides this main interesting plot element, the series lives from Omar Sy, who once again delivers a convincing performance with both humorous and serious moments. His most famous co-star is French actress Ludivine Sagnier (known mainly from Francois Ozon's films 8 femmes and Swimming Pool) who plays his ex-wife. The rest of the supporting cast, among them Vincent Londez, Clotilde Hesme and Hervé Pierre, is fitting with many funny and unexpected roles.

Besides the cast, the setting steals the show, with Paris being shown in all its glory, from the famous parks and monumental buildings, to the urban outskirts and escapes on the rooftops. In a time when we can't travel to the city of love, it's beautiful to experience its vibes on screen.

So far, 5 episodes have been released on Netflix, ending with quite a cliffhanger. Looking forward to the continuation...

(Images: IMDB/Netflix)