"A Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever." - John Adams
And what a fragile thing liberty is. For over two hundred years, America has wrestled with the issues emanating from its historic revolt against British tyranny, inspiring the world with its example of idealistic freedom. Ever since the Founders split into the Federalists and Republicans, the issues have remained largely the same, even if specifics differ. What amount of individual freedom must be lost to the government, and under what circumstance? How strong should the federal government be, and what of the states? How large should the US military be, and how much strength should it have? Should the government tax its citizenry, and if so how much? These issues are still with us today, albeit in a wide variety of variations, and while the Founders may take issue with many of the directions in which our society has gone since 1787 (and the obvious technological advancements), they would still largely recognize the country the bequeathed.
HBO's epic miniseries John Adams takes a look at just how difficult founding America was. Focusing on one of America's less acclaimed Founding Fathers, John Adams (Paul Giamatti), the series provides a sweeping, panoramic view of colonial America and shows how our current system of government came about. It wasn't easy; it took decades of conflict, much compromise and a good amount of bloodshed to achieve, but ultimately success was achieved. America still has a long way to go before it can be a truly perfect nation, but its ability to maintain such a society for almost 250 years is greatly to the credit of its Founders.
Although Adams is the main character of the series, he is a man who lived and moved in interesting times, surrounded by a cadre of memorable figures, some brilliant, some mercurial, all fascinating - and most of them, it would seem, more well-reknowned. The Founding Fathers in particular are a well-rounded bunch of characters, transcending their air-brushed history book caricatures: Tom Wilkinson's Benajmin Franklin is an exceptionally bright and witty man, whose mercurial and perpetually amused nature first intrigues and then aggravates Adams; David Morse's George Washington is a strong natural leader with no stomach for politics; Rufus Sewell's Alexander Hamilton is a fiercely intelligent man who becomes a power-hungry trouble-maker; Stephen Dillane's Thomas Jefferson is a brilliant liberal who lets his revolutionary fervor and purity overwhelm his common sense. Some may take issue with some of these portrayals, but they all manage to avoid the usual one-dimensional cliches and pitfalls associated with portraying such legendary individuals. The Founding of the nation is a near-run thing, with many representatives - including Zeljko Ivanek's dignified Pennsylvania delegate John Dickinson - arguing against independence, and with so many great minds and colossal egos debating not only independence, but the finer points of government and power, makes one marvel at the fact that enough Compromise was reached without significant internicine bloodshed at all.
And what makes Adams stand out from this distinguished crowd? Certainly, Adams lacks the lionization that many of his counterparts received; he tends to be, if not dismissed, then minimized by historians, who prefer the flashier personalities of a Jefferson or Hamilton to "His Rotundity". This is completely unfair to Adams, his character, and his achievements. When the Boston street thugs led by his cousin Sam Adams wanted to hang British soldiers for firing into a mob, Adams defended them, not for any political benefit, but because it was the right thing to do. When Independence was still a radical idea, Adams pushed for it with all his strength. When Federalists and Republicans were at each other's throats after Washington left the Presidency, Adams stepped in and held the country together. Adams was not a perfect man, and his family troubles - from his drunken wastrel son Charles to the illness and premature death of his daughter "Nabby" - were largely, if not his fault, than his responsibility - for a man who devotes his life to politics and the world will suffer at home. And certainly, Adams' prickly personality, touched with a dash of pomposity and perhaps a hint of egotism, makes him less than admirable in certain aspects. But in the end, Adams is far more of a great man than a flawed one, for he was a man who believed in doing what was right, and loved his country above everything - even himself and, regrettably, his family.
Looking at the show from a technical viewpoint, there is much to admire. Green screen technology is fairly advanced by this point, and it's well-used throughout, creating the illusion of 18th Century Boston, Paris, London, Philadelphia, and Washington. Both the harshness of winter and pastoral beauty of rural Massachusetts, the developing, bustling colonial cities of Washington and Boston, and the ornate majesty of Europe's royal courts, are portrayed with luscious attention to deal through the marvelous cinematography by Tak Fujimoto. Tom Hooper's direction is stylish and detailed, grand yet subtle. Kirk Ellis's script does a wonderful job of weaving historical quotations with sharp, word-perfect dialogue. Attention must be paid, also, to the stirring score by Robert Lane and Joseph Viterelli, and to the marvelous, expansive production design, which makes sure that even the smallest button on the barely visible extra's trousers is absolutely perfect. Historical accuracy is not in and of itself a virtue, but when combined with all of the above, it's certainly an asset.
The best episodes of the show are those which focus on specific incidents and events. Episodes 3 and 4 are by far the weakest, simply because they try to cover too much time in too little. The focus on Adams makes this inevitable; Adams spent most of the War being shuttled around Europe, so it's understandable, but it doesn't really make for great television. But when the show maintains a distinct focus on a specific time, issue or event, it clicks - Adams' eloquent defense of the soldiers responsible for the Boston Massacre, the framing of the Declaration of Independence, the growing rift between Jefferson and Hamilton (and, as a result, Jefferson and Adams), Adams' troubled presidency and escalating family problems and tragedies. These showcase some of the finest, dramatically powerful moments in television, if for no other reason than unlike Friends or House or The X-Files or even Dora the Explorer (not to bash any of those shows), these events really happened, and these people really existed.
Paul Giamatti gives an extraordinary lead performance as Adams. All of the superlatives have been exhausted by reviewers and critics more eloquent and widely read by than me. Suffice it to say, Giamatti is astonishing. He has 10 hours with which to work - more than most actors get with a character - but he manages to deal with every aspect of his characters' complex and difficult personality, transcending a mere impersonation or even portrayal. The impersonation is quite well-done, but the performance is more impressive; Giamatti makes Adams into a wonderful character, and ultimately a sympathetic, complex human being.
Just as impressive as Giamatti is Laura Linney, portraying Adams' long-suffering, extremely intelligent and fiercely loyal wife Abigail. Their marriage is one of the greatest love stories of all time - two truly loving people in an equal partnership - and it shines through brilliantly. Abigail is a wonderfully strong character who projects a power, presence and fire unheard of in 18th Century women. Her relationship with her husband - sometimes warm, sometimes caustic, but always honest and loving - is the most endearing part of her character. She calls her husband on his faults, but to help him improve himself rather than to mock him. Linney is simply amazing, matching Giamatti line-for-line, word-for-word, as an equally weighty screen presence. Both actors won Emmys, and in each instance, it was extraordinarily well-reserved.
All of the supporting characters are nailed to a tee. Perhaps most worthy of praise are Stephen Dillane's wonderful, layered portrayal of Jefferson, and David Morse's dignified performance as Washington. Tom Wilkinson gives an endlessly fun performance as Franklin, stealing his every scene and making some of the show's drier episodes more palatable. There are also memorable guest appearances, including Zeljko Ivanek (as Pennsylvania delegate John Dickinson, one of the last hold-outs against declaring independence) and Tom Hollander (as the humbled King George III, forced to accept America's seperation and then its friendship), which add invaluable flavor and dramatic weight to the storyline.
John Adams is a great work of television, and a great achievement in historical story-telling. It's not perfect, and it suffers a bit from telescoping important historical events, but many of these are inevitable given the show's format. For the most part, it's rivetting history and well-done entertainment at once. For even a non-discerning viewer, it should be worth a look; for a history buff, such as myself, it's a definite treat.
Rating: 8/10 - Highly Recommended
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