Love seems to be the theme of the month for February (when this series was first launched) – with roses and hearts in the air and everything from your affections for your dog to your neighbour and significant other – up for display. And then, comes this crazy story of someone killing. And it’s also about love in starker, darker shades.
In a throwback to my favourite passion – binge-watching, I have decided to do what my favourite YouTubers (@ Afterbuzz TV, Nerd Soup and Gamespot Universe) do all the time – review the Amazon Prime Original series which I’m currently bingeing on – Breathe!
Amazon Prime Originals – Breathe Review
Conceptualised by Mayank Sharma, The Amazon Prime Video Breathe series is a mature version with shades of Dexter, focusing on why a desperate father (played by R.Madhavan) decides to go a killing spree, all for the love of his dying son. On the other end, a troubled cop (Amit Sadh) begins the chase after his instincts tell him that there’s more to a host of organ donors ending up dead.
Before beginning my Breathe Series Review, I would break this down into Spoiler-Free territory. So, take care, though I promise not to break your surprise factor, with due caution!
The premise is intriguing because it’s built around a true healthcare issue – that of the need for organ donation, especially when many die from illness, injury or congenital defects – because there are no donors available in time.
Why You Should Watch The ‘Breathe’ Series
Here are the 5 spoiler-free reasons why you should watch the show:
1. A tight narrative:
The story is focused around the day-to-day events for harrowed father Danny Mascarehnas, who is driven to desperation, in trying to find a cure for his son’s incurable lung condition. One which means that he could see his 6-year-old Josh breathe his last in just 6 months. And asks – what lengths would a father go to, to save the love of his life, his son.
Each link, each scene, each character links back or into the flow of the story. And the pace remains tense, embued with a sense of urgency.
2. Real, relatable characters:
There is where my Mommy lens went into overdrive! While from the safety of the distance from Danny’s situation, I (as others who saw it), we’re quick to judge whether what he does is right or wrong, would be so sure, if that child was ours? I’m not so sure.
The moral debate is akin to the Trolley Problem – do the ends (of saving your own child), justify the means (of killing one man and saving countless others). It also brings in the concept of repercussions that everyone faces.
3. Nuanced protagonists
It’s the layers that make this show a must-watch among Amazon Prime Video’s recent offering. The relatability is created with smart characters, who don’t miss a beat about the world around them – from Amit Sadh’s washed-out cop, who catches a lying colleague with the sound of an overhead aircraft or Danny’s fervent outburst when a carefully laid-out plan goes for a toss.
4. Tense background score:
And then there is the tight score on loop that keeps it together. Even after I’ve watched the series in three Binge sweeps, it remains as a haunting after-thought, especially when I keep a protective hand on my own child’s forehead.
Alokananda Dasgupta, who has since then moved on to Sacred Games and Leila (Also from the Netflix stable) helms this score with expert ease. Do follow the high, fast-paced percussion, interspersed with a Cello to give you more than a single set of Goosebumps.
5. Motivation towards the end:
The element which keeps you (and at least me) on track with this entire series was the time-bound manner in which it needed to come around. The child has six months to live (so we need a solution before that) and everything boils down to whether Mascarenhas (and by extension we, the viewers) are able to save the little Josh before this period comes to an end.
There is also a reverse timeline here for all the victims – ordinary people who’re living their lives and have become unknowing entries to a kill-list because of their do-gooder instincts. So, while a middle-aged businessman or an old, retired grandpa may have lived it all, you can’t say the same about a young actor with tinsel dreams or a to-be-wedded boy.
So, here’s what I liked about the Amazon Prime Original Breathe. If you liked it, leave a note in the comments below. If you haven’t watched it yet, go ahead and do so and give me your own take on it.
And let me know how I can improve these kinds of Binge-watch notes.
Slices from Life 