Prime Video’s ‘Mammals’ focuses on the rough relationship of Jamie and Amandine which only becomes rife with more turmoil after the husband discovers more secrets about his wife’s adulterous affairs.
Story
Mammals opens with Jamie and Amadine enjoying their holiday getaway until a tragedy strikes the couple and they suffer a miscarriage.
Jamie’s life is further shaken up by a harrowing discovery wherein he comes across his wife’s promiscuous texts with another man.
With the help of his brother-in-law Jeff, Jamie gets on working and chasing after the man Amandine sleeps with. He eventually discovers more secrets and affairs and learns that she’s having sexual affairs with not one but three different men.
He doesn’t confront Amandine right away, and while she shares with him that she wants to find her magic again, Jamie burns with the discoveries he’s made.
Amandine takes up violin classes and her closeness with her tutor further makes Jamie mad, who later smashes Amandine’s family violin to bits and pieces.
His work towards preparing for the opening of his first restaurant is inflicted with the turbulence his psyche is going through.
Meanwhile, Jamie’s sister Lue is also going through a rough patch in her marriage with Jeff.
She remains detached and sad all the time, instead fantasizing about being Coco Chanel’s assistant and cheating with her man while she reads her autobiography.
Jamie’s threshold of tolerance is crossed and he blurts out all the secrets he’s learned about at the opening of the restaurant, in front of family, friends, and other guests.
Amandine’s text, later on, gives Jamie a clue which reminds him of a memory. He finally learns who the third man Amandine has affairs with is and the truth shocks him even more.
At the end of Mammals, Amandine tells Jamie why she cheated on him and also the reason why she possibly started it.
The shocking truth about Jamie’s own fidelity and loyalty is revealed as his hypocrisy is uncovered and the relationship with his wife comes to an end.
Performances
Mammals have an ensemble of talented actors who all do a great job delivering their scenes with the sense of turmoil, dread, conflict, and guilt that pervades them.
In moments of grief, and comedy, the performances in the show are what keep it afloat even when the story perhaps doesn’t.
James Corden is surprisingly great in his role as the goofy man who’s so oblivious about his own hypocrisy and infidelity that he comes across as nothing but a loser.
It’s a bit hard to detach his image from that of a late-night host at first but as the episodes go on, his performance becomes increasingly believable and laudable as well.
Positives
There are moments of genuine comedic content, even in some otherwise serious and grim scenes. On the other hand, the drama can be equally as engaging, if not more.
The runtime is short and crisp which allows for the show to not drag out the melodrama or the cringe of infidelity stories that’s usually expected from them.
Negatives
Although the twist at the end hammers in the point even better, of how Jamie is such a pathetic weasel and hypocrite, it does feel a bit abrupt and unearned.
There could’ve been some nudges and specks of Jamie’s promiscuous tendencies early on in the story.
Sometimes the jokes don’t land well at all and work only to distract from the sincere moments of seriousness, much akin to something like a Marvel joint.
Mammals
Director: Stephanie Laing
Date Created: 2022-11-11 05:30
2.5
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