Let Us Now Praise ‘The White Lotus’ Creator Mike White
I’m convinced that if actor and filmmaker Mike White made movies at a time different from today’s era of superhero blockbusters, audiences would recognize his name like Martin Scorsese or Clint Eastwood. From the friendship drama Chuck & Buck to the class comedy Beatriz at Dinner, his stories are that good. White’s genre of class comedy earns him the spot of the heir apparent to New Hollywood filmmakers Hal Ashby and Robert Altman if only studios still made class comedies.
Thankfully, it’s the golden age of television (again). While movie theaters remain relatively empty due to the Covid-19 pandemic, fans of indie-minded stories lean towards premium channels and streaming platforms. That’s where arty audiences will find White and his latest project, the HBO six-episode limited series The White Lotus, which debuted on July 11. It’s White’s best work to date, the rare TV series that warrants multiple viewings.
Set at a luxurious Hawaiian resort named The White Lotus, resort manager Armond (Murray Bartlett) and spa manager Belinda (Natasha Rothwell) serve and squabble with wealthy guests. The resort customers include tech executive Nicole Mossbacher (Connie Britton), her husband, Mark (Steve Zahn), their kids Quinn (Fred Hechinger), Olivia (Sydney Sweeney), and Olivia’s tagalong friend, Paula (Brittany O’Grady).
