Idol One (DVD) Review

If a knee-jerk celebration of hedonism anchored by a powerful, riveting performance is your idea of a great film, you'll love Idol one. But, if the idea of being lured into a lurid miasma of grim titillation and unrelentingly sleazy plots leaves you cold, I'd advise you to steer well clear of this mess.

The first episode of HBO's sleazy music industry satire sees naive pop star Jocelyn (Lily Rose Depp) fall under the spell of ludicrously creepy cult figure Tedros (Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye, who co-created this series with Euphoria showrunner Sam Levinson). She allows him into her house and her life, at which point it becomes increasingly obvious that his hedonistic fantasies are in fact her own.

As the episodes roll on, we learn more بت یک about the pair's mutual manipulation – both physically and emotionally. Jocelyn's apoplectic reaction to her own lack of talent is used as fuel for Tedros' machinations, as is his maniacal desire for fame and control. He's not just stealing her music, but her friends and even her boyfriend Xander, who becomes her scapegoat for his abuse.

There's something deeply unsettling about this scenario – not least the way Jocelyn is treated with such contempt and disregard by those around her. Despite her obscene wealth and power, she's made to feel nothing but an object of scorn and manipulation. But, as the plot twists and turns and a tumultuous escapade unfolds, it becomes more apparent that she's just as much of a victim as everyone else.

Nevertheless, there are some bright spots. For one, Jealous Guy slots perfectly into The Weeknd's oeuvre, as his signature blend of maudlin R&B with scuzzy production and seamy lyrics chimes in with the show's vibe. And he isn't the only artist to lend their talents to this project, with the likes of Moses Sumney (of Blackpink and Sufjan Stevens band JUNUN) and Dyanne (a member of K-pop girl group Blackpink) featuring on the hooky One of the Girls.

But despite its impressive cast and the evocative imagery of director Paul Verhoeven's classic 1992 thriller Basic Instinct, Idol one is ultimately left with too many loose ends and not enough momentum to be compelling or memorable. With its cynical misreading of the fine line between porn and art, and power and exploitation, it feels both sleazy and dull. It will take a heap of the inventive and surprising small screen magic that made Euphoria such a success to salvage this too-predictable story.