Peter Sarsgaard gives Billy Magnussen a bitter taste of class warfare in this humorous commentary on economic and social injustice. Coup! is a spirited period piece set during the Spanish flu epidemic of 1918 on a fictional island adjacent to New York City. The film takes a page from the COVID “white flight” where the wealthy were able to isolate themselves and continue to live in luxury while the poor suffered catastrophic losses. The rub here is that a duplicitous servant turns the gilded tables on his master to force a domestic revolution.
Floyd Monk’s body lies keeled over a table while another man carefully shaves his beard in the mirror. He leaves a heavy mustache to mimic the photograph on Floyd’s ID, but scratches the face just a little to thwart any detailed comparisons. New York City’s streets aren’t bustling as the Spanish flu rages out of control. The faux Floyd (Sarsgaard) packs up his belongings and walks by a horse-drawn cart being loaded with dead bodies. He’s got a ferry to catch for a new life among the rich.
Meanwhile, on an Egg Island estate, Jay Horton (Magnussen), a wealthy scion and famous muckraker (or investigative reporter), types his latest screed against President Woodrow Wilson. Everything should be shut down immediately with a national quarantine ordered to safeguard America’s working poor. Why should they suffer while the lucky few retreat in opulence? Jay fibs about being on the front line of the epidemic, delivering a first-hand account of its ravaging toll. He’s hypocritically sheltering in a mansion with his wife, Julie (Sarah Gadon), their two young children, and a handful of servants fulfilling every whim.
A Pandemic & Peter Sarsgaard Expose Elitist Lies to the Working Class
3.5/5
Isolated on a seaside estate during the 1918 Spanish Flu, an entitled journalist (Billy Magnussen) and his socialite wife (Sarah Gadon) take in a mysterious grifter as a private cook (Peter Sarsgaard). When the plague descends on the island, the wily cook rouses his fellow staff to rebel and take over the mansion. Their wealthy employer suspects the cook’s coup is part of a more sinister agenda, and mind games between master and servant escalate into boisterous class warfare.
Release Date August 2, 2024
Director Joseph Schuman , Austin Stark
Runtime 1h 38m
Writers Joseph Schuman , Austin Stark
Distributor(s) Greenwich Entertainment
Pros
- A great cast, especially Billy Magnussen, bring a lot of charm and wit to this comedic thriller.
- A clever analysis of the COVID era and economic inequality with a surprising ending.
Cons
- The film feels heavily familiar after movies like The Menu and What You Wish For.
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Floyd arrives as the Hortons’ new chef. They’re vegetarians who dogmatically preach strict non-violence. Their fiercely loyal and protective head maid, Mrs. McMurray (Kristine Nielsen), lays down the house rules to the smirking newcomer. He eyes the grand abode with envy but learns the staff doesn’t live with the Hortons. They’re forced to share rooms in a tiny nearby cottage. The Hortons demand space and are fearful of getting sick.
Sarsgaard’s mischievous grin and twinkling eyes don’t betray his agenda. What exactly is the faux Floyd planning? Does he have sinister intentions for the Hortons? Filmmakers Austin Stark (Infinitely Polar Bear, The Runner) and Joseph Schuman keep those answers close to the vest as Floyd cleverly insinuates himself into every situation.
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The servants view Jay and Julie as benevolent bosses who genuinely care about the poor. They feel lucky to be employed when others can’t find work. Floyd’s initially subtle sarcasm and snide responses lay the groundwork for stewing discontent. Why should ‘the help’ live on top of each other like rats with so many empty rooms available? Isn’t their health just as important?
Events in the outside world inevitably creep onto Egg Island as food supplies dwindle, flu fatalities increase, and ferries from the city stop running. What was once a haven becomes a prison with limited resources. It’s hard to be a vegan pacifist when vegetables, grains, and fruits run out. Other means of procuring nourishment must be considered. This is when Floyd’s message begins to ring loud and clear in the house. Jay’s elitist tastes won’t keep his wife, children, or anyone else fed. What is the lord of the manor supposed to do? Coup! kicks into high gear when Floyd decides it’s time for a real provider to show his worth.
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Billy Magnussen Shines as a Hypocritical Coward
Jay’s growing paranoia and resentment of Floyd’s slow-motion power grab reflects a dawning realization of worthlessness. The wealthy man’s hypocrisy, arrogance, and shameless lust for authority can’t disguise the obvious truth. Jay’s essentially worthless without the people and mechanisms that support his privilege.
Magnussen is having a well-deserved moment after years of excellent supporting performances in titles like Bridge of Spies, Game Night, No Time to Die, Maniac, and especially Made for Love. He is fantastic as a spineless coward twisting with uncertainty here, and we can’t wait for him to pair up with Veep creator Armando Iannucci and director Sam Mendes for their new series, The Franchise. Until that satire is released, Coup! suffices and surprises with its witty, carefully paced, and intelligent lesson about the haves and have-nots.
Coup! is a production of Entertainment 360, Phiphen Pictures, and Hemlock Circle, et al. It will be released theatrically on August 2nd from Greenwich Entertainment. Watch the trailer below:
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