u/DD_PUNISHER

I know I'm late to the party, but glad I finally watched it. It is very interesting. In fact, I would go as far as to say that this is the best film of 2025 for me. How it was snubbed at the Oscars is beyond me. I think Chalamet as Mouser was nothing short of incredible, the nuance, the emotions, the drama, everything was so natural.

There's always an inherent tension and chaos in any Safdie film and this is no different. In fact, I would rate it at the same level as Uncut Gems. The main reason I really like it and relate to it because I myself have played a bit of professional table tennis in my college. And to say the least, all the table tennis scenes were done really well. Very happy to see the sport getting some representation in films as well.

Talking about the cinematography, it is special, especially that chase sequence when he tries to run with the bag of money from the policeman. The streets and the sets recreate the 50s New York atmosphere beatifully.

What I found the most interesting was the choice of the kind of music used in the soundtrack. Most of the tracks are soft rock or blues songs from the 80s/90s, event though the film is based in 50s. In the opening sex scene, Forever Young by Alphaville is played. I would never have thought to use a song like that in a sex scene, I found it a bit off-putting and unnatural, but interesting.

Finally, the ending. I think many people have misread the ending as Marty finally achieving his ambition and then coming back to see his wife & child thinking I have conquered the world. But I feel its exactly the opposite. The man is a huge narcissist, and will go to any length to get his game of table tennis against Endo (literally leaving his injured pregnant girlfriend in the hospital). But all the people he has done wrong, all the screw ups that he did, all the people he betrayed throughout to get the money for the championship, in the end it is all in vain. He never gets to play the championship. He just somehow half-assed his way to Japan, realizing in the end he will have to settle for just an exhibition match. And that shows in the end, after he arrives back at the hospital. We don't see his cocky demeanour instead he cries like a baby. That just shows the realizationt that he arrived at. The baby and the mother are the true meaning he is looking for. Not obsessive ambition. He had to literally beg his way to Japan (don't get me started on that Rockwell scene). But I think you do get the point.

Anyways, I think I made this too long. Lemme know what you guys thought of it, would love to hear some fresh takes.

P.S.

A24 is producing some absolute bangers since the comeback. Kudos

I know I'm late to the party, but glad I finally watched it. It is very interesting. In fact, I would go as far as to say that this is the best film of 2025 for me. How it was snubbed at the Oscars is beyond me. I think Chalamet as Mouser was nothing short of incredible, the nuance, the emotions, the drama, everything was so natural.

There's always an inherent tension and chaos in any Safdie film and this is no different. In fact, I would rate it at the same level as Uncut Gems. The main reason I really like it and relate to it because I myself have played a bit of professional table tennis in my college. And to say the least, all the table tennis scenes were done really well. Very happy to see the sport getting some representation in films as well.

Talking about the cinematography, it is special, especially that chase sequence when he tries to run with the bag of money from the policeman. The streets and the sets recreate the 50s New York atmosphere beatifully.

What I found the most interesting was the choice of the kind of music used in the soundtrack. Most of the tracks are soft rock or blues songs from the 80s/90s, event though the film is based in 50s. In the opening sex scene, Forever Young by Alphaville is played. I would never have thought to use a song like that in a sex scene, I found it a bit off-putting and unnatural, but interesting.

Finally, the ending. I think many people have misread the ending as Marty finally achieving his ambition and then coming back to see his wife & child thinking I have conquered the world. But I feel its exactly the opposite. The man is a huge narcissist, and will go to any length to get his game of table tennis against Endo (literally leaving his injured pregnant girlfriend in the hospital). But all the people he has done wrong, all the screw ups that he did, all the people he betrayed throughout to get the money for the championship, in the end it is all in vain. He never gets to play the championship. He just somehow half-assed his way to Japan, realizing in the end he will have to settle for just an exhibition match. And that shows in the end, after he arrives back at the hospital. We don't see his cocky demeanour instead he cries like a baby. That just shows the realizationt that he arrived at. The baby and the mother are the true meaning he is looking for. Not obsessive ambition. He had to literally beg his way to Japan (don't get me started on that Rockwell scene). But I think you do get the point.

Anyways, I think I made this too long. Lemme know what you guys thought of it, would love to hear some fresh takes.

P.S.

A24 is producing some absolute bangers since the comeback. Kudos

Woah. I'll be honest. Never seen something like this. The thing is, I've watched so many political dramas and police procedurals before this one, but this still feels so fresh. And I think the reason is because it doesn't treat police work like police work, instead it is just like another job. You get some targets at start of the new cycle, your job is to meet them by the end. Its so haunting and yet so real to think about it this way, and that's the beauty of the wire.

Looking at the kind of politics that you see in the show, it just feels like nobody's clean. Everybody has their own agenda. Everything is political. And that's how things work when you think of it in the real world.

The whole show feels like a documentary, yet its not. The drama just never gets old, you feel like watching more and more of it, and yet take your time with it since you don't want it to end so early.

And especially talking about the perspective of the drug kingpins seen in the show, they try to make it big, try to mingle with the so-called "higher class" thugs, attending fundraisers, networking, drinking champagne. But, ultimately, they come to back to the streets. They can't bear it, and they will never be able to understand that world.

Also, talking about the extraordinary experiments / circumstances that you see in the show, especially in season 3 and season 5, bear in mind these are not normal, yet the show somehow makes you feel like it is. It is so uncanny of a show to be doing things like that. Usually creators or directors would take the larger-than-life route with such elements, but not the wire. Its so unique in that way.

The thing that I found fascinating was that how this show was the holy grail and worked as a career launcher for so many amazing actors that we have seen over the years. Casting directors deserve a lot of credit for this, many people don't talk about this apsect I think.

Anyway, for new watchers, I'd just like to say whatever you're expecting before watching this show, it'll be exactly opposite (in a positive manner).

P.S.

Omar comin' yo!!!