"You Do Not Know Me": How can such a short series be so smeared?

One would have thought that a four-episode series would be rhythmic without excess fats.

But Netflix and the BBC's You Do Not Know Me 'opens not bad and then rattles and unconvincing, with a particularly problematic ending

David Rosenthal

10/07/2022

Sunday, 10 July 2022, 10:05 Updated: 10:17

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Trailer for the series "You Do Not Know Me" (Netflix, BBC)

When can it be determined beyond any shadow of a doubt that a person is guilty of a crime?

A study published in February this year shows that between 4 and 6 percent, one in about 20 inmates in U.S. prisons, stay there without committing any offense.

In the UK the situation is no less bad: in 2018 it was reported that the proceedings of almost 50 rape suspects that year were stopped due to a lack of sufficient evidence from the prosecution.

TV in general and Netflix in particular like to engage in questioning crime.

In "Becoming a Murderer" a highly publicized spotlight was placed on the re-incarceration of Stephen Avery, who had already served 18 years before for no wrong in his palm, before being charged again with a murder that many believe he did not commit.

In 2017, a short and less well-publicized docu, "Long Shot", was broadcast about the murder suspect Juan Catalan who accidentally escaped a false accusation after being mistakenly present in the series "Calm Down" at the time of murder, and of course "Shadow of Truth" is one of the motives for Roman's retrial. Zdorov.

Doubtful guilt, of course, also feeds the fictional programs, and recently another one came to Netflix - "You Do Not Know Me", a British four-episode British series of the BBC, based on a 2017 book by Imram Mahmoud.

Hiro (Samuel Advanami) is charged with the murder of drug dealer Jamil Isa (Roger Jean Ansangiomba).

He fires his lawyer just before the end of the trial and goes on to represent himself for one purpose: an opportunity to voice his own version in the closing speech.

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What exactly does he find in it?

"You do not know me" (Photo: Netflix, BBC)

Hiro's starting point is impossible.

All the findings indicate that he is guilty - the blood on his nails, the fact that his car was photographed on the security camera and a host of other incriminating evidence that allegedly binds him beyond a shadow of a doubt as a murderer.

But of course, the story he presents to the jury produces a different and confusing picture.

The key woman in this picture is Kira (Sophie Wilde), a mysterious woman whom Hiro fell in love with, and draws him into a deceptive and unfamiliar world.

On the one hand, one would think that a four-episode series would be rhythmic without excess fats.

After all, streaming giants usually like to stretch and smear, whereas here we are served a product that is supposed to be more concentrated than baby softener.

On the other hand, it's still a British series, and the British are not known for being overly rhythmic.

So it turns out that the first episode opens not bad, the second is smeared to the point of unnecessary, on the third comes some action and on the fourth the edges are supposed to close just before release.

Emphasis on "supposed".

By and large, director Sarmad Massoud's intention is to make the viewer the extra juror and convince him of Hiro's innocence.

Advanami is partially doing his job.

In terms of the quality of the game and the depth is fine, in terms of the amount of voiceover, a technique that nowadays should be reserved for the opening and / or end of series only - less.

His arguments, too, are often infantile and reminiscent of the phrase "If you decided to represent yourself, you chose a really bad lawyer."

Wilde as an unconvincing wall.

Her enigma is intriguing at first glance, but as one is exposed to it one does not really understand why Hiro fights for her love.

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At least there is a complex and endearing character.

Roger Jean Ansangiomba (left) alongside Samuel Advanami, "You do not know me" (Photo: Netflix, BBC)

The one who is endearing is Ansangiomba in the role of Jamil.

We got used to the fact that drug dealers are one-dimensional figures who are known for their cruelty, but Jamil's personality is more complex, and to me at least he reminded me of Juan (Mahrashla Ali) in "Moonlight".

He is educated, he is a student and he does not always come from the point of view of a criminal.

You could even say that his good eyes and the plea that is heard more than once in his voice undermine the credibility of the character who is supposed to be unscrupulous, but he is so captivating that it is forgiven.

To sum up "You do not know me", this is a reasonable series to watch most of.

Things happen, there are developments, there are explanations, there are conflicts.

She's not without problems, but she's not that bad.

Its big problem is the ending.

I will not expand for fear of spoilers, just saying that if there are arguments in favor of watching, the end of the series provides the main argument against.

Bottom line: only look if you have a lot of free time and do not expect miracles.

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