The White Lotus Review - Racy, Tantalizing, Entertaining

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Category: Streaming, Cable

Published on Tuesday, 27 June 2023 19:38

Written by Janet Walker

The White Lotus, from HBOMax, presents a racy and provocative dramady that introduces a new cast of players, each arriving at the stunning White Lotus resort located on the intoxicating Mediterranean Sea, for a week of adventure.

As the second season begins, Daphne Sullivan, played by Meghann Fahy, is lounging by the beach, and talking to two new arrivals. We find out it is her last day and she and her husband, Cameron, played by Theo James, have spent the last week in this exquisite paradise. She decides to take one last dip in the Mediterranean before her vacation ends.

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As she is swimming, she bumps into something and realizes it is a dead body. The next shot is of the Italian Police zipping a body bag. The hotel concierge, Valentina played by Sabrina Impacciatore, runs to the beach where her assistant Rocco, played by Federico Ferrante, explains that a number of guests are dead.

The reverse chronology allows the audience to enter a personal game of Clue as each episode unfolds, who will it be? The only guest we are sure isn't dead is Daphne. At this point we meet each of the guests who will be staying at The White Lotus, in Sicily, Italy.

By the first night of the guest's arrival, we understand the five-star property is hosting the porn addicted Hollywood producer, Dominic Di Grasso, played by Michael Imperioli, who vacationing with his father, Bert, played by F. Murray Abraham, and his Albie, played by Adam DiMarco.

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The Silicon Valley tech wizard, Ethan Spiller, played by Will Sharpe who sold his company and his wife, Harper, an employment lawyer, played by Aubrey Plaza, who are traveling with his best friend and college dorm roommate, Cameron Sullivan, played by Theo James and his wife, Daphne, played by Meghann Fahy.

Leading this troupe is Tanya McQuoid-Hunt, played by Jennifer Coolidge, an heiress to a fortune who is meeting her husband, Greg, played by Jon Gries. She is also traveling with her assistant Portia, played by Haley Lu Richardson.

Throughout each episode each group has an individual storyline, Tanya is so intent on pleasing her cheating husband that she will do anything he asks. So, upon her arrival, the first thing he asks is that he ditch her assistant. So, of course, Portia is told to go to her room and stay put like a punished child. To her credit she manages to find some courage and venture out where she meets Albie, the only other interesting person her age.

Dominic Di Grasso, who had planned this vacation as a family trip to discover his Sicilian roots, along with his wife, who has left him over his porn addiction. So now it is just his father and his son on the trip. However, he did, in advance of his arrival, find a beautiful Italian prostitute, Lucia, played by Simona Tabasco who has brought along her friend, Mia, played by Beatrice Granno.

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Before the first night is over, he is engaged in a threesome. Throughout the week, his conscience is a yoyo, and if it isn't Lucia, it is porn, he is a sex addict and by the weeks end we understand his entire family has the same Achilles heel.

Our newest tech millionaire and his wife are having adjustment issues, working toward the dream, and finally realizing the dream has left a void of direction, and paired with his former college roommate memory lane is suddenly reopened and Cameron wants to take a high-speed ride through the past.

As each of the stories unfold, we understand the promises we make to ourselves and each other are a hairline trigger from being broken instantly. We also understand when there is big money at stake people will do anything to get it.

The White Lotus, Season 2, is a captivating, and a thoroughly entertaining vacation adventure. Filmed on location in Sicily, Italy with exquisite location shots throughout the Italian countryside, and San Domenico Palace, Taormina, Messina. The storylines are fresh, creative, and realistic. Each of the ensembles become alive.

As The White Lotus is cable programming, I suppose the most tactful way to explain would be what happens in Sicily stays in Sicily and with that Season 2 is heavy on the porn. TMI for the fainthearted. There is also full-frontal male nudity, lesbian and gay encounters.

The White Lotus is streaming on HBOMax. See it.

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Country: U.S.

Runtime: 7 episodes/60 minutes, 353minutes total.

Language: English, Italian.

Director: Mike White.

Producer: Todd Brown, Heather Persons, John M. Valerio.

Writer: Mike White.

Cast: Jennifer Coolidge, Jon Gries, F. Murray Abraham, Adam DiMarco, Michael Imperioli, Meghann Fahy, Beatrice Granno, Tom Hollander, Sabrina Impacciatore, Theo James, Aubrey Plaza, Haley Lu Richardson, Will Sharpe, Simona Tabasco, Leo Woodall, Eleonora Romandini, Natasha Rothwell, Murray Bartlett, Federico Scribani.