Lessons bought home by Naomi Alderman's book - the impact of physical difference between the sexes, how power corrupts - are at risk of dilution in screen version
April 5, 2023 12:34
The Power
Amazon Prime | ★★★✩✩
There are a few special novels that can profoundly change how one sees the world, and I’d argue Naomi’s Alderman’s The Power is among them. I’ve lost count how many people I’ve recommended it to since it first came out in 2016.
It’s ostensibly science-fiction, which might dissuade snobbier readers even though the genre has long been a means of revealing truth about the here and now, with the central premise here that women suddenly develop the ability to generate electricity, thus becoming the physically dominant of the two sexes.
This is a fantastic “what-if” high concept for the long-awaited TV adaptation. Amazon Prime has released three episodes at launch, with six more to follow weekly, remaining particularly faithful to the book, as to be expected with Alderman maintaining a hands- on approach, writing some of the screenplays herself.
Naomi Alderman (Getty Images)
One of the changes is making the most likeable protagonist, Roxy Monke, a little bit older than in the book, 17, and having her father, played by Eddie Marsan, be a very much up and centre “Jewish” gangster.
It’s a nice nod to Alderman’s ethnicity, if not the reality of growing up an Orthodox Jew in Hendon. This particular British underworld niche in popular culture already feels as if it comes from another era though: will we ever see it again?
Roxy is admiringly bought to life by Ria Zmitrowicz, the swagger, bolshiness, anger at the start of her journey intact. All the main characters are well cast, the most famous among them Toni Collette, who plays Margot, the mayor of Seattle beleaguered by sexism.
The supporting cast are less well picked, particularly John Leguizamo as her husband, rocking up with too much baggage from other roles to carry off being one of the few token decent men in this story. To be fair, he’s not helped by some cringeworthy marital scenes whose sole purpose is to vocalise Margot’s frustrations.
Eddie Marsan ijn The Power (Ludovic Robert/Prime Video)
