Zerozerozero
released 2019
www.ink2quill.com

“Zerozerozero” is an action, crime, drama web, television series based on a book of the same name written by Roberto Saviano. It was created by Stephano Sollima, Leonardo Fasoli and Mauricio Katz. It was directed by Janus Metz, Pablo Trapero and Stephano Sollima and was written by Leonardo Fasoli, Mauricio Katz, Roberto Saviano Stephano Sollima, Max Hurwitz, Maddalena Ravagli and Stephano Bises. It stars Gabriel Byrne, Dane DeHaan, Andrea Riseborough, Giuseppe De Domenico, Harold Torres, Francesco Colella, Diego Catano, Victor Huggo Martin, Adriano Chiaramida, Nika Perrone, Claudia Pineda, Jose Salof, Silvia Carusillo, Souleymane Seye Ndiaye, and many others.

Zerozerozero IMDb webpage

“Zerozerozero” is the story of an American shipping family, the Lynwoods, involved in the illegal drug business. Edward Lynwood, played by Gabriel Byrne, is the patriach of the Lynwood family and head of their shipping business. They ship cocaine, a lot of cocaine, around the world to keep their shipping company afloat. His son Chris, played by Dane DeHaan, is sick with the same terminal condition that killed his mother and ends up joining the business with his sister Emma, played by Andrea Riseborough. This is typical of criminal enterprises where people get sucked in and chewed up and the Lynwoods are no exception. The story follows a large shipment of cocaine as it goes from port to port, country to country, and the people and criminal organizations that are affected by it.

Now I don´t know what the title `Zerozerozero´ means in terms of nautical jargon but I´m assuming it refers to the origin or home point of a coordinate system. So maybe it means a cargo´s departure location or destination. Who knows?

I liked this series because it´s a change from other criminal stories where all is not riches, glamor and beautiful people. The shipment of drugs in this story is a violent, ugly business with predators looking to steal the drug cargo at every turn. Another thing is that some of the participants in this lifestyle have huge financial worries and are stuck in the business with little hope of getting out. They are stuck under a mountain of peer expectation and the army of people who expect a paycheck, so to speak.

I thought the beginning scene where Don Minu, played by Adriano Chiaramida, was basically living in a bunker underground was good foreshadowing of the kind of lives these drug smugglers lived. It´s kind of funny and sad to see someone, whom everyone calls rich and powerful, but who has to live underground like a mole to stay alive. No fancy castle or villa for him but I bet you he would make the Forbes list of wealthiest people in his country. Needless to say, that bunker later saves his life. Not to give away any spoilers.

This story shows us a side of the drug business other films don´t and I liked it for that. Now, were there times and people who lived adventurously as drug smugglers? Sure. There probably were. But in todays climate of international policing with stiff penalties and great technologies, rivalry among smugglers and criminal organizations, I don´t think it´s a cake walk anymore and this series shows just that. The Lynwoods are banking everything they have on this shipment moving around the world. If it does not reach its destination or they somehow can´t sell it then they are done. Them and their shipping company are done. Finished. So while they live well they could very well go broke and their company could go bankrupt. I really don´t envy these people. I find myself curious as to how things will turn out for some of them, like Chris, but I am most curious about what happens to the cargo, as if it´s the protagonist of the story. Very strange.

I liked the way they used flashbacks in each episode. That was well done. So, for each episode we see where things end up first and then the story unravels from the beginning toward that conclusion. Good job.

So, check out “Zerozerozero”. It´s a good watch.

John Ink2Quill

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