A film buff, private investigator John Sugar is only too happy to take on the case of the disappearance of the granddaughter of a legendary Hollywood producer. But his manager is none-too-happy about the decision.
Returning to LA from solving a case in Japan, Sugar (Colin Farrell), barely off the plane, is approached by Jonathan Siegel (James Cromwell) to find his missing granddaughter Olivia (Sydney Chandler). A former drug addict, Olivia has gone missing before: only Cromwell and stepmother Melanie (Amy Ryan) show concern of the latest disappearance. A (male) body in the boot of Olivia’s car as found by Sugar suggests they have reason to be concerned.
Weaving momentary scenes from classic Hollywood 1940s film noir into the narrative, Sugar is a stylish noir thriller. With his Bogart-like voiceover, cruising the boulevards of LA in a pristine open-top Corvette, living in luxury at a discrete hotel, always besuited, Sugar oozes charm and confidence. He does not like hurting people (so he says) but Sugar will get results. Secrets are there – his missing sister and the arrangement with manager Ruby (Kirby) are certainly strange (the reveal is utterly unexpected) and add intrigue to the immediacy of the narrative (and possible future seasons).
Olivia’s father Bernie Siegel (Dennis Boutsikaris) and half-brother David (Nate Corddry) have their own problems with the news about to break of David as a sexual predator: the father/son having collaborated on a costly new film which is about to be released. So it’s to Melanie who Sugar primarily turns to get the lowdown on Olivia and the rest of the family.
Immersed in the classic private-eye tradition, Sugar is a compelling unfolding – with five of the episodes directed by award-winning feature film director Fernando Meirelles. And it’s perfectly set up for season two which will take Sugar into a very different direction.
Rating: 77%
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