Netflix’s new campus drama, Vladimir, has a lot potential however in the end will get a failing grade. An eight-episode restricted sequence, Vladimir‘s starry forged, which incorporates Rachel Weisz, Leo Woodall, and John Slattery, is sufficient to entice anybody’s consideration, however it’s the present’s steamy premise that can actually seduce an viewers.
Primarily based on Julia Could Jonas’s novel of the identical identify (Jonas additionally serves because the sequence creator), Vladimir facilities on Weisz’s unnamed protagonist, a middle-aged English professor at a small liberal arts school, who develops a crush on her new colleague, the titular Vladimir (Woodall). This infatuation provides strategy to obsession, which could not come at a worse time, as her husband and fellow professor, John (Slattery), is about to face educational trial for sexual misconduct.
From its first scene, Vladimir units itself aside from different midlife coming-of-age tales by introducing Weisz’s character as a fourth wall-breaking unreliable narrator who’s doubtlessly as harmful as she is sexy. The erotic thriller bent provides the sequence a titillating edge that does little to alleviate its personal sexual frustration.
Vladimir’s Lack Of Steaminess Doesn’t Reside Up To Its Provocative Poster
Once I first noticed the poster for Vladimir, which depicts a girl suggestively working her manicured fingers by a guide, I stated — out loud — “Offered.” The pattern of movie and TV that includes sexual awakenings of ladies of a sure age by means of a youthful lover has been a refreshing change of tempo from the glut of age-gap romances that includes mediocre older males and the feminine ingénues who love them.
The Concept of You, Babygirl, and Bridget Jones: Mad In regards to the Boy — which stars Vladimir‘s Leo Woodall — are simply a number of the current Hollywood tales exhibiting {that a} lady’s libido and sexual relevance do not die after she turns 30. Oh, how I needed to incorporate Vladimir on this record of way more satisfying titles.
Like a brand new college 12 months, Vladimir begins with a lot promise. Sparks instantly fly when Weisz’s protagonist and Vlad first meet at a employees get-together. He is the one certainly one of her colleagues to indicate her respect, providing her his chair, and their banter is crackling with only a trace of flirtation.
Nevertheless, simply as a once-eager scholar’s ambition can fade over a grueling semester, the chemistry between Weisz and Woodall’s characters fizzles out. As proficient and engaging as each actors are, there is not any magic between them to buoy the sequence.
It does not assist that Vladimir is so underdeveloped. Most erotic thrillers price their salt see the specified one as an attractive mix of darkish and charismatic. So far as darkness goes, Vladimir is little greater than a run-of-the-mill narcissist, not asking for the protagonist’s guide when she requests to learn his. Nevertheless, most narcissists are considerably extra charming, whereas Vlad’s cool man character is extra “meh“. It is a waste of Woodall’s strengths, as we have seen him play the flawed younger charmer to nice success in each Bridget Jones 4 and The White Lotus.
Vladimir’s lack of enchantment is not the true drawback, although. This is not his story. He will be oatmeal-dull so long as the protagonist’s fantasies of him are doing their job. Sadly, they’re all vanilla and tepid. Whether or not it is passionate kisses or Vlad shoving her towards a bookshelf, not one of the fantasies are a lot steamier than what’s proven within the trailer.
Within the age of Bridgerton, Heated Rivalry, and The Looking Wives, this is not going to chop it, particularly when Vladimir‘s poster promised a a lot greater spice degree. Whereas it may be argued that Weisz’s character is sexually repressed and would thus fantasize as such, what is the level of exhibiting all these fantasies in the event that they’re simply as bland as actuality?
The Tutorial Intercourse Scandal Is Vladimir’s Most Fascinating Storyline, However It’s A Missed Alternative
Although it is referred to as Vladimir, the present spends extra time on John’s upcoming educational trial than the article of the protagonist’s want. It is revealed early on that Weisz and Slattery’s characters have an open marriage, and although John hasn’t slept with a scholar in years, he repeatedly engaged on this habits again when “it was a special time.” Now, a number of girls have come ahead with complaints towards him.
Vladimir‘s deal with this storyline seems to be its largest power. Being informed from the angle of the accused’s spouse and colleague is a contemporary take, particularly due to how a lot blame and strain are positioned on the protagonist, who will not be the transgressor right here. She is the one anticipated to sweet-talk the school president into delaying the trial date; she is the one anticipated to offer a public assertion on her husband’s habits.
It speaks to society’s eagerness to level the finger at girls over the offending males, and, at occasions, it is sufficient to make me sympathize with the protagonist’s more and more erratic habits — even when it gave me whiplash from a plot standpoint. Nevertheless, regardless of the attention-grabbing concepts Vladimir is exploring with this storyline, I by no means felt just like the trial had actual stakes.
Slattery performs John as a naughty professor model of Roger Sterling, and whereas it is sufficient to perk up any scene he is in, if the character does not care concerning the accusations, why ought to the viewers — or his spouse, for that matter? Whereas she expresses anger on the state of affairs, Weisz’s character by no means stops to query why she’s persevering with to rescue a person who does not care to rescue himself.
Presumably, eager to keep away from extra scandal is the explanation why the protagonist does not pursue Vladimir. Aside from that, there’s nothing actually standing in her manner — it is throughout the guidelines of her association with John, and Vlad’s spouse, Cynthia (the underused Jessica Henwick), basically gave her the inexperienced mild.
John breaks all the principles whereas the protagonist is holding herself again, proving that she‘s the one dwelling in a special time. For a lady who’s been in a long-term, non-monogamous marriage, she’s remarkably out of contact, having to be informed what NRE and compersion are. A lady discovering her sexual company by rebelling towards the confines of her marriage and academia, now that is a narrative price telling. Sadly, it is not the one we received.
Rachel Weisz’s Unreliable Narrator Is Too A lot Inform, Not Sufficient Present
Netflix has closely marketed Vladimir as an unreliable narrator story, and at first, the present appeared like it might ship on that promise. Within the pilot episode’s college gathering, the protagonist proudly tells the viewers that her co-workers devoured up her Instagram-worthy salad, just for the digicam to pan to the untouched dish.
It is a intelligent second, however one which Vladimir by no means expands on. I used to be informed I might mistrust the protagonist, however as an alternative I fully trusted her to make reckless choices, and he or she by no means as soon as proved me unsuitable. Vladimir errors being unpredictable and unhinged with being an unreliable narrator, to its final detriment.
A lot is made about Vladimir‘s blurring of fantasy and actuality. Whereas the protagonist certainly has frequent vivid fantasies, it is all the time clear that that is what they’re — fantasies. I by no means as soon as mistook one for actuality.
This does not bode properly for Vladimir‘s bonkers ending, which hinges completely on the success of Weisz’s character as an unreliable narrator. The entire thing falls flat, however actually, Vladimir was by no means in a position to get it up.
- Launch Date
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March 5, 2026
- Community
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Netflix
- Writers
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Julia Could Jonas
