Rating 2/5
Pol is challenged and enticed by new friends and an imposing professor when he enrolls in university to seek a philosophy degree in the series ‘Merli. Sapere Aude’. It is now streaming on Netflix.
Story
Pol Rubio (Carlos Cuevas) applies for jobs in a number of places and leaves his résumé at the market. He runs into his father, Alfonso (Boris Ruiz), and his schoolteacher, Gloria, on his way out.
At one of the FFCC stops, Pol sees the spirit of Merli and talks to him about his future. Pol decides to take a philosophy degree at the University of Barcelona. Biel, Oti, Minerva (Azul Fernández), and Rai (Pablo Capuz) become new acquaintances for Pol.
When Pol and his father talk about moving in with Gloria, they argue. After discussing with his father, Pol agrees to live with Gloria. Pol and his father went to Gloria’s house the next day to shift.
Bruno (David Solans) and Pol go for a walk, during which Pol professes his wish to be Merli and the two-swim naked on a beach. Bruno and Pol later quarrel on the street when Bruno tells Pol’s father that they are more than friends.
Minerva works as a waiter in a restaurant. She runs into Rai there. Minerva quits her job since her supervisor isn’t paying her, and she and Rai run through the streets of the city.
Pol goes out of class on a wet day and stops to buy smokes. He meets Bolano, his new professor and mentor, there, who is drunk and brings her home in a cab they summon from the pub.
Rai’s sister, Esther, has a sexual relationship with Rai, and the two sisters fight over it. Henry calls Rai from the club pool to explain the issue. Both sisters converse later in the auction house.
Rai declares that he would host a party at his residence. Later, Pol appears dressed as if he is unhappy because Minerva is hooking up with Rai, which makes Biel upset as well. With the cooperation of Rai, Pol wins the motorbike.
Bolano (María Pujalte) is battling her drinking problem. Her coworker and Pol attempted to persuade her that they were worried about her and that everyone had begun to speak about it. Pol disagrees with her claim that she is not his Merli. She does, however, attend an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting after recognizing her errors.
Performances
Carlos Cuevas plays Pol Rubio, the protagonist, and he does a fine job in the part.
Boris Ruiz, who plays Pol’s father, Alfonso, is fantastic in the part. He develops the wonderful father-son bond, and he is one of the series’ best actors.
Azul Fernández and Pablo Capuz, who play Minerva and Rai, respectively, do well.
David Solans in the part of Bruno had the opportunity to do honour to the character, but owing to the limited screentime and backstory, he may have fallen short; yet, he does a pretty good job with what little he had.
María Pujalte, after Boris Ruiz, is the second favorite in the series. Her experience in acting reflects in her acting as Bolano.
Positives
In terms of tone, narrative treatment, and even some interior settings, such as Bruno’s house and his grandmother, a distinct suggestion is visually developed in the direction.
The end result may not be perfect for the majority of people, but it succeeds in entertaining, offering moments of comedy, and highlighting related themes.
Negatives
The screenplay and plot could have been way better. Although he retains touch with Bruno, Pol Rubio’s academic environment is contextualized, where he encounters a new set of friends, professional training challenges, and newfound love interests.
It appears to be a jumble of implausible characters thrown together to swirl around Pol. It just doesn’t seem to fit anywhere. The spectator is not connected to any of the characters.
The script falls short of creating a distinct plot and strives too hard to distinguish itself from Merli. It just does not work. Except for the protagonist, Pol Rubio, the characters are underdeveloped and lack a backstory. The series becomes messy, perplexing at times and loses its point.
Verdict
‘Merli. Sapere Aude’ has some strong direction and some wonderful actors to watch out for, but the storyline and characters don’t hold the audiences’ eye.