Sometimes, when I’m in the mood for something different, I will choose a random show. “You Don’t Know Me”, which is based on Imran Mahmood’s novel, was it this week.
And I didn’t go wrong. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised because it didn’t follow that pedestrian courtroom drama blueprint of a wrongfully convicted individual trying to prove their innocence.
There was so much more to it. The best part about this gem of a series, which is only four episodes long, is that it doesn’t rely on an A-list talent to sell it.
It has enough gravitas with the talented cast, compelling script and adroit direction to gain the right traction to register on the radar of critics and fans who appreciate great storytelling.
In the first episode, a well-groomed young man from South London is on trial for murder. The evidence against Hero (Samuel Adewunmi) is damning.
A luxury car salesman by profession, Hero exercises his right to present his own closing speech, fully aware of the consequences of said decision.
At this point, most streamers are probably expecting a drawn-out plea of him proving his innocence.
After all, we’ve seen this happen plenty of times with the anthology series “The Sinner”, and let’s not forget Riz Ahmed’s brilliant performance in “The Night Of”, it becomes thorny as theories fly fast and loose.
In this offering, the crime drama blossoms into a love story as Hero explains how his romance with Kyra (Sophie Wilde) is what led to the tragedy with Jamil Issa (Roger Jean Nsengiyumva), a local gangster.
Their paths would have never crossed had his love story not hit a snag.
At first, Hero was happy in his love bubble with Kyra. He finally found the woman of his dreams. His mum approved. His sister had already bonded with her, which is not in character.
Hero’s career was going well.
But the honeymoon phase ends abruptly when Kyra goes missing. And this is where Hero starts unravelling. He starts putting up posters and reaching out to all her friends on social media.
His desperation worsens when he is given a tip-off – one that he never anticipated. The smart, gorgeous woman that he fell in love with, who loves books and is a free spirit, has a dark secret.
Let’s just say, circumstances placed her in a situation that saw her forced into the seedy world of their neighbourhood.
This is where the wheels kind of come off. Hero has to make a call for the woman he loves.
The question is, how far will he go? Well, he gets a gun, he runs circles around the local gangsters and he makes deals that go against his moral code.
As such, he finds himself in court – not for any of the wrongdoings he has done, but one he had no part of.
The problem is the odds are stacked against him. Is his unfiltered account of events enough to sway the jury or has he cemented his fate?
That is the all-important question.
“You Don’t Know Me” is a heart-rending crime drama, laden with relatable struggles, that makes you completely invested in the journey of each and every character.
It is also underpinned by this consuming love story that reminds one of “The Photograph”. Talk about a win-win situation for streamers.
“You Don’t Know Me” is streaming on Netflix.