Houdini

History? Possibly. Trash? Definitely. Fun? Pretty.

Houdini takes a big bite, and its journey is often fun and fantastical, but its goofy sensibilities would have benefited from a sturdier structure, and what it wants its audience to take away from its subject’s life story is unclear. That said, the miniseries nails the most important thing: spectacle.

In itself, Houdini’s script is solid.... However, whether Meyer-penned or network-mandated, the miniseries’ voice-over drains a critical amount of energy from the miniseries.

The production, and Brody, work hard to elevate Houdini’s routines to metaphor.

If only Houdini could have waved a wand and made half of this too-long miniseries disappear.

Adrien Brody is impressive as Houdini in the History Channel's two-night biography, and many of his stunts are re-created (and explained) in fascinating detail. But the miniseries, a co-production with Hungary, Houdini's home country, is too slow and too-often hokey to rate a rave.

Showing how [Houdini] got the bug, learned his craft and went from sideshow oddity to world-wide celebrity, the film holds interest and makes you want to know more. Then, it pulls back the curtain and shows the locks, keys and stunts he uses to open all those seemingly inescapable devices. It’s a bit like knowing a gift before you unwrap it.

Houdini lacks emotional depth.

The filmmakers mostly do an adequate job of sticking to known facts, but can't help giving in to somewhat hamfisted telegraphing throughout the film.

Brody’s performance is borderline capable within the constraints of an at best mediocre combination of writing and story construction. But Harry Houdini’s incredible story still awaits a master re-telling. And this one doesn’t even come close.

Instead of bringing us closer to what it felt like to be the great Harry Houdini, we instead hear Brody adopt a tough-guy tone as he rattles off clichés that sound like anachronistic film noir parodies.

Adrien Brody, was recruited for the title role, and he’s a treat to watch. The script, though, is less than he deserved.

Houdini is so dense with awful dialogue--the kind in which every character says what they’re thinking and feeling in remarkably self-aware terms whenever they’re given the opportunity--that it buries the elements that actually work here, including a playful performance from Adrien Brody and the occasional sense of spectacle.

Narration clunkily tries to fill the narrative void. But it's blandly delivered.