The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story Review: The Man Who Would Be Vogue (Season 2 Episode 1)

On The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story Season 2 Episode 1, “The Man Who Would be Vogue,” we’re treated to a beautiful premiere with impeccably acted scenes, gorgeous scenery,  a bloody murder, and an FBI manhunt.

Although “The Man Who Would Be Vogue” is a strong episode, it is not perfect.

It’s surprising that the murder of Gianni Versace happens even before the first commercial break, but it’s not rushed.

The episode starts with the morning of the shooting. Versace swans through his palatial South Miami Beach villa, greeted by staff and drinking coffee from a golden cup. And then, in perfect juxtaposition, Andrew Cunanan screams into the ocean and pukes in a dirty bathroom.

We know that these two men’s lives will collide and therefore, there is a sense of dread over the sunny Miami morning.

After Versace buys some magazines (one with Princess Diana on the cover who would die just six weeks later) he unhurriedly fumbles with his keys, and there is Andrew, rushing to shoot him.

Full disclosure: I was fascinated by Andrew Cunanan and I remember the manhunt for him. I’m from Chicago and in May 1997, a real estate tycoon, Lee Miglin was murdered in his home. A newspaper article reported that his killer had made himself a ham sandwich and had eaten it after the murder.

Who would do something like that? To murder a man and then stay in the house and make a sandwich amongst the bloodshed?

The hunt for Cunanan was always on the Chicago news because of the Miglin connection.

And then he killed Gianni Versace and then everyone knew his name.

The episode jumps back in time to San Francisco 1990, where Cunanan meets Versace. We can already tell that Andrew is a master liar and will tell people what they want to hear, or tell them things that will make him appear more interesting.

I thought it was a strange choice to go back to 1990 so early in the episode because it stopped the momentum of the aftermath of the shooting.

The 1990 scenes are necessary, especially because it is probably the only time we’ll see Gianni and Andrew together, but the scenes just seem a little out of place on the premiere episode.

The scene between Andrew and Gianni after the opera is great and probably one of my favorites, but I can’t help thinking that it would have more of an impact either at the end of the episode or even at the end of the series.

Andrew Cunanan was a chameleon and Darren Criss is excellent at portraying that aspect of him. Throughout the episode, he carries himself differently depending on who he is with, how he is dressed, and he never quite looks the same.

The most telling and creepy part of “The Man Who Would Be Vogue” is when Cunanan mimics the horror and shock of the woman in the hotel watching the news about Versace. He is a great pretender and shows us that he only masks feelings and does not actually have them.

Another amazing scene is when Gianni is pronounced dead in the Miami hospital room. It’s such a stark difference to the opulence of Gianni’s villa. The emergency room is dated with pale pink walls and the room Versace dies in is messy and splattered with blood.

Nothing about his death is beautiful.

The episode also introduces FBI agents who clearly aren’t doing their jobs as a manhunt was already underway for Cunanan well before Versace was shot and Cunanan was going into pawn shops and providing his real name and address.

We’re also introduced to Donatella, Gianni’s sister who is not only devastated by the death of her brother but who will take over his empire.

Penelope Cruz plays Donatella well, but so far, I don’t feel a strong connection to her. Antonio D’Amico, Gianni’s partner of fifteen years and portrayed by Ricky Martin is another story.

He’s sympathetic and not only can I feel his grief, but also his frustration as he is questioned by the FBI agent and shut out by Donatella.

Overall, “The Man Who Would Be Vogue” is a solid entry into the American Crime Story world. The material is captivating, and the acting is brilliant, but I really want to know these characters. We have only begun to scratch the surface.

What did you think of this episode of The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Reviewer Rating:

User Rating:

 

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on FX.

Follow us on Twitter @telltaleTV_

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!