The Sopranos

I had heard of course of the well known and highly praised series " The Sopranos", but somehow had never taken the time to watch any of the episodes. I am not sure what prompted me to change my mind 8 years after the series final season. Perhaps it was James Gandolfini's untimely death, perhaps it was just curiosity after hearing so much about the series from other people. I guess I finally decided I wanted to make up my own mind. I am about halfway through the 6 season series, and I am fascinated. There must be thousands of movies about the Mafia out there, but the genius of James Gandolfini capturing the complexity of human nature when it comes to nuances in good and evil is completely mesmerizing. The tension the search for balance creates in the Tony Soprano character as a Mafia boss so flawlessly and precisely portrayed by James Gandolfini is sheer brilliance. He is not a mindless brute bent on power and wealth, he is a complicated, highly intelligent, highly intuitive man with a master's touch for strategy and leadership. He is ruthless with his enemies, and kind and generous with his family and friends. People fear him, but they also love him and want to be loved by him. The sessions with his psychiatrist, played so exactly by Lorraine Bracco, are really, really interesting. His complex and infuriating relationship with his mother gets all of our sympathy, so does his endless effort to come to terms with his love for his wife and his appetite for volatile girlfriends. Tony Soprano is larger than life. His robust physical presence only enhances his charisma, furthering the conviction this man can shoulder anything ,and he does. You root for the guy, you want his redemption, you want to see him walk away from his criminal enterprises intact, a new man, wiser, stronger , kinder. At this point, I do not know if that happens, but I sure hope so. It is always tempting to view the Mafia as clear cut evil doers, but this series completely disarms any notions of preconceived conclusions. One of my favorite characters is Tony Soprano's wife, Carmela, played by Edie Falco. Carmela is a resourceful, strong, patient, kind and decisive mother and spouse, who constantly tries to focus on the good in her husband, without surrendering her own identity. She fights for their son and daughter, for happiness, for dignity, even for the inconvenience of the truth in her marriage, in her social standing. She wants her children to be free of the dangers of the life her husband is involved in and so does her husband. Their marriage is complex, and again, you want them to succeed, for each other, for their children. The stress the duality creates in Tony Soprano when it comes to his illicit business and criminal life is very believable. You see him having panic attacks, you see him lose his temper in anguish and frustration, you hear him talking to his therapist, you see him at home, with his wife and children, trying  to make sense out of the chaos he is surrounded by on a daily basis and that he fiercely tries to shield from his family. His struggles are totally believable, you feel you are in his shoes the way he is able to so closely reveal his heart and soul. I am thoroughly enjoying the Sopranos marathon I am finally indulging in. There are also brilliant touches of humour, which only enhance the humanity of the story regardless of the often ruthless context and circumstances.