A Man in Full review: An all-star cast props up dull, scattershot series

The series also comes from prolific TV writer David E Kelley, behind recent hits such as Big Little Lies and The Lincoln Lawyer, so if it's fair to say that if it's names you want, A Man in Full has a boat load for you.

The problem is, it really has little else. For the most part, this is a messy, scattershot and ultimately - perhaps most egregiously - dull six-part miniseries.

For the most part, the story of A Man in Full follows former college football star and real estate mogul Charlie Croker (Daniels), who is a big name around town - admired, feared and hated in equal measure. Brash, abrasive, yet at times surprisingly thoughtful, he's in many ways a representative for a 'type' in modern society.

However, there are forces gathering around him, including Raymond Peepgrass, a loan officer with ties to Charlie and ambitions beyond his current station. When Charlie faces sudden bankruptcy, he finds himself defending his empire from Raymond, and all those who are attempting to capitalise from his fall from grace.

Almost from the moment the series starts, you're hit with a cameo from Shania Twain, playing herself and singing some of her best-known hits at a party for Charlie. Never has a show more clearly set out its station - a cavalcade of famous faces diverting your attention away from the central narrative.

From there on out, we are introduced to a host of characters and a myriad of storylines. For instance, there's Harper's mayor, up for re-election and struggling in his campaign.

There's also Aml Ameen's Roger White, an attorney for Croker Industries who ends up representing Jon Michael Hill's Conrad, a humble Croker employee who ends up facing jail time after an incident with a seemingly racist cop.

Another semi-storyline focuses on Liu's Joyce Newman, the founder of a beauty company. There are connections to be made between all of these, of course, but they truly are limited and peripheral - this character knows that character, but there's no real substantive or thematic weight tying them, at least none which isn't very half-baked.

Each of these stories is then rushed through, often skating over weighty topics worth further examination. This is, in part, due to the runtime. The series is surprisingly short, clocking in at just under four and a half hours in total.

On one level, that's a blessing, and to be respected - there's nothing worse than a show padding out its runtime and outstaying its welcome. Here, though, the show ends up just skimming over important subject matter because it has to deal with some other topic. It's both doing too much and too little.

It doesn't really look at the state of class, capitalism, racism, sexism or any of the other issues it appears to on first glance, at least not in any detail. It doesn't even properly examine its more central themes of masculinity and the quest for status in the modern world, in spite of a few cursory conversations on the topic.

As is to be expected given the cast list, its in the central performances that the show is at its most impressive, with Daniels and Pelphrey given the most to do and excelling in their roles. The comparison between the two and the battle of their egos is one of the more engaging elements of the show - in fact, perhaps it should have been the show, rather than just a small part of it.

Meanwhile, Aml Ameen does great work as Roger, a thoroughly decent figure in this world of largely moneyed individuals out for themselves. His performance during Conrad's trial scenes is particularly effective, as you watch him spar with a smirking, bigoted judge.

This is probably the storyline which works best, or at least which has the most to say. It's just that, unfortunately, that's really not saying much. The show's examination of racism in the American judicial system is surface-level at best, and at worst seems flippant.

Nothing new is said here which hasn't been said before, and while that might be OK if this was a show dedicated primarily to Conrad and Roger's personal journeys and their characters, here it just makes for a jarring, ineffective contrast with some of the other storylines.

When it comes to some of the show's other big stars, Lane is unfortunately largely wasted in her role as Charlie's ex-wife, but gives her all to it regardless and manages to make her scenes engaging, and Liu's Joyce is completely overlooked.

It's remarkable how little she appears or has to do in the series, and how easily and quickly her deeply serious, sensitive, yet narratively slight storyline is moved on from.

Unfortunately, the show's visual style does little to liven things up. For the most part, it's a very by-the-numbers look at the lives of the rich and famous, contrasted with the 'have-nots', but there's nothing distinct on show.

In truth, there are elements of the show which do work. The sheer star power of the actors means their verbal sparring is often engaging, and some of the scenes do work emotionally, particularly those focusing on Conrad.

It's perfectly watchable, and very bingeable given the episode count and length. It's just that there are so many more interesting options out there, and so many projects more worthy of its actors' talents.

If Kelly's track record is to be considered, then it seems likely that A Man in Full will be a widely-watched success, pulling in the viewers and racing up the Netflix Top 10.

However, given the streamer's recent hit rates with far more interesting series such as Baby Reindeer, 3 Body Problem and even Guy Ritchie's The Gentlemen, A Man in Full just strikes even more blatantly as a bland and dull rehash of American TV tropes.

All six episodes of A Man in Full are now available to stream on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

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