Hit and Miss is a mini-series centering on Mia (Sevigny), a pre-op transsexual hitwoman. Sevigny has certainly proven her acting ability, taking on a raw and truly heart-breaking role. We sigh with her, we cry with her, she is truly captivating.
In the first episode, Mia receives a letter from an old girlfriend who has terminal cancer, telling her she has a son. When Mia is led to a beautiful old farmhouse, she finds four children- Riley, Levi, Ryan and Leonie- living alone. Their mother has succumbed to cancer. The eldest daughter Riley has taken on the mum role, and makes a hard-nosed parent, while desperately clinging on to the slice of youth she has left. Levi wants to be 'man of the house' and takes on a typical macho "fucking tranny" stance. Little Leonie 'talks' to her mother through an old radio, her imagination allowing her to carry on normal family life.
Mia meets her son, Ryan. He is withdrawn, and loses his lunch money to the landlord's son each morning. Upon arrival, Mia is told the kids' mother, Wendy, appointed her their legal guardian, and this is an uncomfortable change for everyone.
Mia's homelife is set in a large, mostly empty warehouse apartment, with a table, chair, bed and mirror. Riley wants to continue running her family as she was, insisting that Mia "just sign the documents, then piss off."
In Mia's parallel universe lie two men, Ben and Eddie. Ben becomes Mia's love interest, at first in the dark about her 'secret.' He is sweet enough, and their relationship develops (somewhat shakily) in a realistic way. They date, but Mia rejects even a kiss before he knows the truth.
"You've got a cock?!" Ben screams, red with confusion. "I'm not gay!"
"And I'm not a man!" Mia insists.
Eddie (Peter Wight) starts off seeming like the boss of your dreams. A fat, ageing Cockney, he is paternal and insists that Mia's wages go towards her operation.
"You're like a machine," he tells her, valuing his best worker.
Over time, Eddie becomes sinister. He recruits Levi to do "a few things" for him, but tells him "never ask questions." His rosy smiles wrinkle into ugly sneers. He becomes genuinely threatening, and we feel his shadow over us as he comes to punish Mia for failing a job.
As various plagues hit the young family, Mia's stealth and knowledge guide them through, while she battles with her own demons on a depressingly uplifting voyage.
Superb acting carries a wonderfully sensitive and realistic script. The young actors carry huge personality, especially Karla Crome (Riley) and Jorden Bennie (Ryan). Several particularly touching scenes take place in this unlikely father-son relationship. Suddenly confused after walking in on Mia naked, Ryan wanders into the kitchen in make-up, a stuffed bra and high heels, much to the disgust of Riley. Later, after following Mia back to her apartment, the little boy begs, "Please come home, Dad." Both these scenes brought tears to my eyes. I shared Mia's joy when Ryan first called her 'Dad.' I felt proud when Riley spontaneously cared for the depressed neighbour's young baby. I felt heart-breaking remorse when their feral uncle Liam sacrifices himself for his niece.
Hit and Miss is such a truly wonderful series. I am beyond disappointed that it has (at least for now) ended after six episodes on a dramatic cliffhanger. I am amazed in the creators' ability to make such a desperate, upsetting plot lifted by genuine love and commitment. Mia, Riley, Levi, Ryan and Leonie are perhaps an unlikely family, but such a harmonious one, and throughout the series, the children come to rediscover their long-lost mother figure. Even Riley realises she's not too old to have a parent. I have come to love this family, over only six episodes, and shall miss them like real relatives if a second series doesn't arrive.
No comments:
Post a Comment