WeCrashed tells a side of the WeWork story that perhaps the general public doesn’t know. Anne Hathaway completely steals the show.
WeWork was once worth $47 Billion, but it all came crashing down around entrepreneur Adam Neumann and his wife Rebekah. This series, rightfully titled WeCrashed, focuses mostly on their relationship, while also detailing the rise and fall of the company. There are eight episodes in total and while there are certainly some issues, there is a lot that works (no pun intended) about this Apple TV+ show too.
Jared Leto tries his hand at yet another accent as he plays Israeli Adam Neumann, and Anne Hathaway completely steals the show as Rebekah. The love story at the heart of this show is easily the best thing about it. These two are both incredible actors as showcased by their film and show credits, and WeCrashed proves it. The two disappear on screen and viewers won’t see Leto and Hathaway, they will see the Neumanns.
When the show is covering the WeWork company, things are entertaining, but the pacing is off. There are moments where I would find myself zoning out and having to back to show up to see if I missed anything important (I didn’t). But when Leto and Hathaway are on screen together, I was always completely enthralled by them. I was captivated and attentive as their passion for one another, and for life, from the moment they first met, was perfectly showcased.
The way the episodes are handled includes a lot of jumping around in the time line. The first episode starts off with Adam being asked to leave the company by the bored, and then the audience gets the back story on how he met Rebekah, and how he started WeWork. Even for those that know the gist of the story, and perhaps have dived into the documentary, WeCrashed is a new and fresh take on the events.
When the company itself is shown, the working conditions are highlighted very well. Sure, it looks like all fun and games, but episode three in particular, which focuses on the Summer Camp that We Work would put on, proves that it isn’t that way for everyone — and especially the women. If employees want to fit in, they are forced to spend late nights at the office, drinking and partying, and even sleeping with other employees. This is sickening to see, and it was that episode that really hit for me on how awful the experience was for some people.
Anne Hathaway’s performance throughout all eight episodes is phenomenal. She does a great job of bringing Rebekah to life and you can’t help but feel for her some of the time, and not feel for her in others. She does a great job of giving her character an arc, right from the very first moment we see her. With episode three giving viewers flashbacks that help to see where she is coming from. Her range of emotions as the series continues on really help drive home what this woman was (likely) going through. In episode three she has a full blown panic attack that will cut most people to their core.
Leto does a good job as well, of course, allowing viewers to really feel the presence and impact that Adam could have over others. Several times they mention that this is his super power, talking with people and being able to sell his ideas that he believes in — Leto helps that come across the screen wonderfully. However, it really is the two of these powerhouse actors on screen together that makes this series worth watching.
The pacing issues, and the way the story is told can be a bit annoying at first, and will certainly take some people completely out of the story, but this show really finds its footing around episode five, with the final half of the series being some of the best television we have seen in a while. WeCrashed is messy, but it is entertaining, and Anne Hathaway steals every scene she is in.
Rating: 3 out of 5
NEXT: Halo TV Series Kicks Off With A Bang | Season 1 Review
About WeCrashed
The love story at the centre of the rise and fall of one of the world’s most valuable startups. WeWork grows from a single co-working space into a global brand worth $47 billion in under a decade. Then, in less than a year, its valuation plummets.
WeCrashed is streaming now on AppleTV+ with new episodes each Friday.
