John Adams
Directed by: Tom Hooper
Written by: Kirk Ellis and Michelle Ashford, David McCullough (book)
Starring: Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney, Sarah Polley, David Morse, Rufus Sewell, Tom Wilkinson, Stephen Dillane

When you’re young and suffering through elementary school, I think it’s a pretty commonly held belief that history is boring. When it’s being forced down your throat with the help a textbook, it’s easy to see why people might find it dull, but once you’re a bit older and able to appreciate the passage of time a little more, you start to realize that history is actually quite amazing. Wars were fought, scientific discoveries were made, and overall the world is not the same place today as it was the day before.

Having said all that, I must confess that I was still a bit hesitant to check out HBO’s new John Adams mini-series for fear of it being tedious and boring. Something about that particular time period, with its frilly shirts and white wigs, just gives off an aura of stuffiness. I didn’t know much about the mini-series other than the fact that it had an impressive cast including Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney and Tom Wilkinson. What ultimately convinced me to give it a try was was the HBO name, and I can definitely say that it lives up to the high standards that the network has set for itself.

Whether or not you’re already familiar with American history, this seven episode series aims to tell some stories that you probably have not heard before. John Adams was the second president of the United States, and despite the fact that he was a key player in the American Revolution, he doesn’t seem to get as much attention as other luminaries from that time period. Based on the book by David McCullough, the story starts with Adams’ involvement as a defense lawyer in the Boston Massacre, and carries through to his push for independence, attempts at diplomacy with the French, and eventually serving his terms as Vice President and then President of the United States.

Being a Canadian, I didn’t have much more than a passing knowledge of U.S. history and the forging of the Declaration of Independence, so this series had an added layer of interest for myself. The first two episodes are by far the strongest, what with all the violence and brutality, it reminded me a bit of Scorsese’s Gangs of New York. The tar and feathers scene is definitely one that will remain with me for a while, as will the naval battle on the way to France. The introduction of some of the more well-known historical figures such as George Washington, Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson were quite cool, and it was fascinating to see some of the more well-known events (ie. “The Redcoats are coming!”) from a different perspective.

Towards the middle of the series, the story slows a bit as they become primarily concerned with politics. Some of the stuff in France was particularly amusing, especially seeing how John Adams was so out of place and frustrated with the aloof nature of the French upper class. By the end of the seventh episode, the story closes on a much more personal and dramatic note, focusing on some tragedies in Adams’ family and his final years living in retirement.

Director Tom Hooper previously did Elizabeth I and Longford, both of which won Golden Globes for Best Mini-Series — clearly the man knows what he is doing when it comes to historic epics. The performances were great all around, and there is certainly a lot of attention to detail. Some of the period elements were the most interesting parts of the series (for example, seeing the limited tools and knowledge available to doctors back then).

One of the few problems I had with the series (and it isn’t necessarily a small one) is the fact that Adams is not portrayed as a particularly likable man. Although he was known to be a bit vain, it seems that they made him even more bitter and neurotic than he was shown to be in McCullough’s book. Giamatti is certainly the right man for this kind of role, but it was difficult to root for him at times, and in some ways the series only reinforced the reasons why John Adams’ name is not regarded more highly.

In general, I wish there had been less focus on politics, but I realize that is not really possible when you’re dealing with a biography on John Adams. Maybe if the first two or three episodes hadn’t set the bar so high with a great mix of drama and action, I wouldn’t have been so restless during next five. At any rate, this is still a remarkable show, a great watch, and no doubt a shoo-in for the Emmy and Golden Globes for Best Mini-series. If you like history, this is definitely worth checking out… and if you don’t like history, well what the heck is wrong with you anyway? — Sean

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