Wednesday, October 24, 2018

"Jack Whitehall: Travels with my Father" on Netflix

I am not sure I would have stumbled upon this short series (11 episodes in all) had my friend Tom not recommended it to me. But it is totally worth checking out. Jack Whitehall is a 30 year old British comedian who looks like a kid who never grew up. He decides to take his 78 year old Dad on a trip around parts of Southeast Asia in order to bond and pretend to beef up their relationship. Jack's Dad, Michael, counters that Southeast Asian trip with one of his own to Romania, Moldova, Kiev and Istanbul.

To characterize their relationship as "dysfunctional" is to pretend that Kentucky Fried Chicken is wholesome food. Jack rolls his eyes at Michael while Michael simply walks away from Jack and checks them in to a 5 star hotel instead of the youth hostel Jack has chosen for them.  Jack tries to buck up and be stalwart but his father has him folding at every turn.

This series is both poignant and laugh-out-loud funny, sarcastic and sweet all at the same time. In the end it is simply about how family members can love each other while at the same time considering stabbing each other in the eye with a fork. (Not literally.)  Check it out, roll with it and bet you get to the end wishing Jack and Michael had a few more journeys in mind.

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