A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW -- An Entertaining But Ultimately Formulaic Historical Drama

Review by Tatiana Miranda

Based on the best-selling novel of the same name, A Gentleman in Moscow is a unique look at post-Revolutionary Russia. The new Showtime limited series stars Ewan McGregor as Count Alexander Rostov, who is put under house arrest for life in the Metropol Hotel. While the story is primarily fiction, it is based on the real long-time tradition of house arrest in Russia and portrays the realities of life as a noble in Russia following the Bolshevik revolution, where most were either killed or lived a life of obscurity. 

The series begins in 1917, when Alexander is arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment in the Metropol Hotel. It showcases his life within the hotel until Stalin's death. Through flashbacks, Alexander's pre-revolution life is revealed as he grapples with the loss of his sister and his old friendship with revolutionary Mishka Mindich. While in the hotel, he grows close to nine-year-old Nina Kulikova, actress Anna Urbanova, and various hotel employees. ​

Although the story can be intensely dark, dealing with subjects such as Alexander's loneliness and despair while imprisoned and several key character deaths, it is also a heartwarming and hopeful story about found families and keeping hope even during the darkest of times. The series ends around 1953, allowing the audience to see Alexander grow and make a new life within the hotel and examine the developments of communist Russia. ​

Even though the series is only eight episodes long, it packs in a lot during the time period it shows and allows the audience to grow fond of Alexander and those he interacts with in the hotel. Ewan McGregor's performance stands out as he perfectly encapsulates a count who won't let his imprisonment get the best of him; instead, he routinely makes light of the situation and stands up for himself and his peers as best he can. Fehinti Balogun is also exceptional as Mishka, Alexander's old college friend and revolutionary, and his character adds depth to Alexander's past while also providing a different perspective to Alexander's on the benefits of the revolution. 

Other performances, such as Mary Elizabeth Winstead's portrayal of Alexander's love interest, Anna Urbanova, are lacking. Beyond her relationship with Alexander, she doesn't seem to have a lot of depth. However, they try to give her the storyline of a fading actress, similar to Margot Robbie's Nellie LaRoy in Babylon. In A Gentleman in Moscow, though, her storyline comes across as an afterthought rather than an intentional way to mirror the evolution of post-revolutionary Russia. 

While the series attempts to give characters depth through either pre- or post-revolution trauma, it feels surface-level and doesn't always last beyond the episode in which it occurs or is revealed. Overall, although A Gentleman in Moscow is an entertaining series with fascinating characters, it feels like just another limited series that doesn't attempt to break out of the cookie-cutter historical drama mold.

A Gentleman in Moscow premiers on Paramount+ on March 31. All eight episodes reviewed.​

Rating: 2.5/5