Charming gentleman thief steals jewels and the show
Thrilling new heist series Lupin also delves into deeper societal issues
Lupin Netflix
Editor's note: Contains plot spoilers from Lupin.
In Netflix's Lupin, debonair con man Assane Diop (Omar Sy) enacts a series of cons in a quest to avenge his father's death. Assane follows a unique blueprint in his criminal exploits: The adventures of Arsène Lupin, the iconic, fictional “gentleman thief” created by writer Maurice Leblanc.
The French series gets off to a thrilling start as Assane plans an elaborate heist at the Louvre, where a storied necklace is set to be auctioned off. We learn that Assane's father Babakar — a widower who immigrated to Paris from Senegal with his son — died in prison after he was falsely accused of stealing the necklace from his wealthy and powerful employer. Lupin weaves Assane's tragic past with his present-day deceptions and the inspiration behind them: flashbacks show a teenage Assane becoming fascinated with Lupin after reading Leblanc's 1907 story collection, Arsène Lupin, Gentleman Burglar.
As Assane learns more about his father's alleged crime and conviction, his schemes play out in splashy, exciting and, occasionally, wildly unrealistic ways — which is to say Lupin is, at first glance, your typical heist series. What makes the show truly compelling is its subtle commentary on race and xenophobia. We see it from the show's opening scene, which shows Assane reporting to the Louvre for work as a janitor, alongside a group of largely Black and brown contractors. It's a striking image that becomes central to his planned caper at the Louvre. Assane tells his accomplices that his employers see him “but they don't really look” at him.
“Everyone on that side of town, everyone on the top while we're on the bottom, they don't look,” Assane says. “And thanks to that we're going to be rich.”
Racism similarly permeates scenes from Assane's childhood. As an adult, Assane anticipates the racism and uses it to his advantage. Lupin has been a popular addition to Netflix's lineup. According to Deadline, the show is primed to top early viewership for Bridgerton and The Queen's Gambit, two of Netflix's mostwatched recent offerings. (Part 1 of Lupin ends on a nail-biting cliffhanger but a post-credits promo promises Part 2 is coming soon.)
Assane maintains a moral code even as he cons his way across Paris. Posing as an undercover detective, he persuades an elderly woman to give him her most precious valuables to thwart a supposed burglar. It's a crime seemingly unbefitting of a gentleman thief until we get the backstory of the woman's treasures, which include a rare Fabergé egg.
The woman tells Assane that her husband “assisted with the extraction of diamonds in the Belgian Congo.”
“The good old days,” Assane says with a knowing smile. Ignoring the brutal repercussions of Africa's diamond trade, the woman notes “the locals were sitting on a fortune and they didn't even realize it.” She tells Assane that she and her husband “just helped ourselves.”
“Their loss, right?” a still-smiling Assane says.