Halston

Since Ryan Murphy was associated I expected much more. Wasn't impressed with any of the casting, although Ewan McGregor is an excellent actor, somehow the script wasn't great, also Halston was much thinner than McGregor & I couldn't get past that. 3 stars for beautiful sets - locations. It is a relatively short series so okay to watch, however I was disappointed...

It's pretty obvious that Ryan Murphy was aiming to make an American equivalent to Bertrand Bonello's brilliantly impressionistic Yves Saint Laurent biopic ("Saint Laurent"). But as usual with the ham-fisted Murphy, he misses by a country mile. That said, it's "watchable" in a camp/guilty pleasure sort of way. And I suppose it could have been even worse. I was grateful there were only 5 episodes, and that they were as relatively brief--certainly by Netflix standards--as they were. And I'm giving it one more star then it deserves for not casting Murphy's favorite, supremely unctuous boy-toys (Ben Platt or Darren Criss).

Was really looking forward to this but it just seemed flat. Always been a fan of Ewan McGregor but his accent and croaky voice in this was like nails being dragged down a chalkboard .

Nothing harder to pull off on the screen than a biopic. Everyone involved, from scripting to directing is pulled in all sorts of directions between trying to be authentic to the life of the individual concerned and achieving sufficient dramatic and narrative momentum. A few flaws here don't diminish the overall viewing satisfaction. The sex and drug stuff is given a tad too much screen time perhaps, after a couple of scenes we get it, we get it. No need to labour the point. Some of the secondary characters lack screen presence (Hugo, Elsa) but it probably doesn't matter so much because McGregor is just so nuanced and natural and layered and conflicted and convincing that watching him makes everyone else pale in comparison. Joe and Liza are also beautifully done. But McGregor is just so brilliant and sustains the characterisation so powerfully throughout the entire series that in the end it doesn't matter that we're watching a biopic, the character acquires a life of his own on the screen. He totally dominates in the best possible way. It's rare to want to watch a biopic again, but this one I'd happily watch over and over just to enjoy McGregor's acting masterclass. Brilliant stuff. Well done Netflix.

I hadn't actually heard of Halston before watching this, but it had me gripped from beginning to end. Excellent script, performances and pacing. Highly emotional and deeply engaging. I haven't been impressed with Ryan Murphy's other Netflix shows but this is brilliant. There's a part near the end where Cocteau Twins "Pearly Dewdrops Drop" comes on that had me in tears. One of the best shows of 2021. Highly recommended.

I don't know what I was expecting, but this wasn't it. The casting convinced me to watch the series, which was my primary disappointment. Ewan McGregor is usually a sure bet, especially when exploring regional characters, their quirks as well as dialects (Fargo was a delight). Halston was on the effete side, but McGregor's portrayal still felt like a caricature, particularly the melodramatic childhood memories. David Pittu, on the other hand brought authenticity to his role. Most of the remaining cast were fine, Krysta Rodriguez was a highlight for me. She didn't "do" Liza, but she is a musical theater talent in her own right, playing to her strengths. Bill Pullman always brings his "A" game and Gian Franco Rodriguez is to be kept an eye on, a talent indeed. I personally found scenes with Rebecca Dayan delightful. The story's arc was entirely formulaic (could set your metaphoric watch), including the chestnut, yet accurate, Studio 54 "scene" and the revolving door of characters. Was Halston's life in itself a cliché? If so, why do we need the predictable mini-series. I'd like to think there is more to people than the tabloid versions we already know about. All that said, the series was entertaining enough, worthy weekend escapism if you're not looking for anything too real or serious. Update: Streaming on Amazon Prime is a documentary on the man. If you really want to get a feel for the man and the time, check this out.

Halston offers the audience a sneak peek into the world of Halston. Ewan Mcgregor is exquisite in this role. I forget it was him. He carries the show until the very end.

Thought it would be great... but bored me, I literally fell asleep. Granted, I couldn't make it past the 3rd episode. Seemed terribly exploitative to me, particularly the scenes of Halston getting banged - really, was this necessary? It wasn't titillating as one reviewed suggested, to me it stereotyped him and implied that if you're gay, it's your sex life that defines you apparently. And that's such hogwash. If he had been straight, would this have been portrayed in the same way... I highly doubt it. I'm an over-50, straight woman and I thought damn, this is just crap. Don't care if it got better as it went on... there's no way I'd watch the rest of it. 2 stars only, for Ewan and the gal who played Liza.

The low reviews clearly know nothing about the designer Halston and can't appreciate this beautiful & heartbreaking look into his life. This was an amazing series that stayed true to the life of Halston and the era during which he flourished. The costume design, set design and music was all on point. 10 stars. If you are interested in vintage fashion, fashion history or art, then this is for you.