A look at the personal and professional lives of a tight-knit group of expatriates living in Hong Kong.A look at the personal and professional lives of a tight-knit group of expatriates living in Hong Kong.A look at the personal and professional lives of a tight-knit group of expatriates living in Hong Kong.
- Awards
- 2 wins & 16 nominations total
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Summary
Reviewers say 'Expats' delves into expatriate life, cultural adaptation, and personal struggles through three women in Hong Kong. Nicole Kidman's performance garners mixed reactions; some praise her, while others critique her expressions and appearance. The show's pacing divides opinions, with some appreciating its thoughtful approach and others finding it slow. Cinematography and setting are praised, but the series is criticized for underdeveloped characters and missed narrative opportunities. Episode 5 receives particularly mixed reviews.
Featured reviews
This show has a serious mood; there's no humor or excitement to get your heart racing. However, it does shed light on expat life, especially from a housewife's perspective, which hits close to home for expats like us. Reminding us of the good time there. It's heartbreaking to see everyone leaving Hong Kong now due to all the chaos. Such a fantastic city, and let's hope this show won't end up being the last historical record of its finest moments. The camera work is a letdown, though. It feels too confined and doesn't capture the true essence of modern Hong Kong's awesomeness. This episode clearly is just sets the scene for the story. If you're not into expat life or Hong Kong, it might be a bit boring. Farewell, Hong Kong.
I really enjoyed this. Saw it advertised and put it on my watch list. Just the combination of ex pats and starring Nicole Kidman was enough to peak my interest.
This isn't a normal film, it's a bit special and because it's a bit special, not everyone is going to get it or appreciate the effort. The first episode was extremely slow but once you get used to the pace you can enjoy the cinematography, which not only highlighting Hong Kong but the intensity of shots and angles, many of which are subtle, clever and thought-provoking.
The cast were all brilliant. I really enjoyed the historical accuracy of the protests and also the lives of maids - this could be a spin-off drama! I loved the different cultures and languages.
The drama itself is about relationships, family trauma, tragedy, despair, love, redemption and hope. Without adding any spoilers the main storyline is very sad but beautifully made.
My only criticism, the scenes of a sexual nature and nudity really were unnecessary, I don't believe they added anything extra to the drama.
This isn't a normal film, it's a bit special and because it's a bit special, not everyone is going to get it or appreciate the effort. The first episode was extremely slow but once you get used to the pace you can enjoy the cinematography, which not only highlighting Hong Kong but the intensity of shots and angles, many of which are subtle, clever and thought-provoking.
The cast were all brilliant. I really enjoyed the historical accuracy of the protests and also the lives of maids - this could be a spin-off drama! I loved the different cultures and languages.
The drama itself is about relationships, family trauma, tragedy, despair, love, redemption and hope. Without adding any spoilers the main storyline is very sad but beautifully made.
My only criticism, the scenes of a sexual nature and nudity really were unnecessary, I don't believe they added anything extra to the drama.
Episode 5 is almost feature-length, with a runtime of 100 minutes. It's beautifully shot and rather cinematic, primarily focusing on supporting characters from the previous four episodes. It's so powerful that it reflects both societal issues and interpersonal relationships among those characters. With maybe 40 more minutes added to it, this could be a great feature film rather than a series. Lulu Wang definitely excels at making features, not so much for TV series as of now. The stories of these supporting characters from previous episodes are so much more interesting than the main story right now. Both excited and worried about the finale.
This series is unequivocally above average and sadly the majority of the negative reviews come from kids who are expecting a fast-paced action as their attention spans are short and limited. Think people who flip through social media daily to watch reels; slow burners aren't their thing. This is a well written, well acted, well directed slow burner. The storyline is brilliant and it has me completely absorbed in it and glued to my seat wanting more. The only criticism I suppose would be that there are scenes such as the one with full frontal nudity that seem unnecessary. Other than that, an outstanding series and you can never go wrong with the infallible Nicole Kidman. A must watch!
It's impossible to evaluate the show because lead actress Kidman's features are so distorted by her over-use of Botox & fillers that, at least for me, it proved too distracting to watch.
Why doesn't someone who loves her -- husband, best friend, agent? (uh, maybe not) -- help her accept that aging is not a crime so she can get back to the varied & fascinating characters she used to be known for? Hollywood seems to be more accepting of women aging than it once was. Helen Mirren, Emma Thompson, Michelle Yeoh and Jamie Lee Curtis, all older than Kidman, are wonderful to watch.
Please Nicole, it's not too late!
Why doesn't someone who loves her -- husband, best friend, agent? (uh, maybe not) -- help her accept that aging is not a crime so she can get back to the varied & fascinating characters she used to be known for? Hollywood seems to be more accepting of women aging than it once was. Helen Mirren, Emma Thompson, Michelle Yeoh and Jamie Lee Curtis, all older than Kidman, are wonderful to watch.
Please Nicole, it's not too late!
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaWith over 7,000 buildings having more than 14 floors, Hong Kong has the highest number of skyscrapers in the world, outstripping even New York City.
- Crazy creditsIn the opening credits the word "Expat" is shown in several languages. The Russian version is mistranslated and means "Hangman".
- How many seasons does Expats have?Powered by Alexa
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