Property porn among the billionaires down under
I’VE GOT to be honest, the premise had me concerned; a reality show, about Jewish estate agents. Not to denigrate Jewish estate agents, some of my best friends are Jewish estate agents, but, when it comes to our people being represented in a positive light, of not chucking ammunition to the antisemites, my first choice wouldn’t necessarily be, Jewish estate agents. I guess all the Jewish traffic wardens were busy.
Fortunately, in Luxe Listings Sydney, whilst two of the three principle characters, Simon Cohen and Gavin Rubinstein, are indeed aggressive, ruthless and utterly fixated on financial gain, they also have charm. And with charm, you can get away with a lot. Like charging 9.4 million dollars, for a house only worth 9.1 million.
Those of you here for just the property porn won’t be disappointed, with Sydney’s Billionaire’s Row showcasing some of the most beautiful homes in the world. Even if you’re not that bothered, you’ll soon find yourself nodding along or disagreeing like an expert. “I love what they’ve done with the wine cellar ceiling.” “Urgh, that kitchen’s going to need to be completely redone.” “They’re asking 16 mill! Personally I wouldn’t pay anything over 14, they’re having a laugh!”
This is big business, their respective companies trading in billions each year, these three are at the top of their game. Rounding out the characters is D’Leanne Lewis, presented as the moral centre, in as much as that isn’t a contradiction in the world of property. But even amongst all the sports cars, tailored clothing, rivalry, and ridiculous business speak, there’s still space for quips, silliness, and a knowing twinkle of the eye that they don’t take themselves too seriously. Mostly.
It’s a winning combination that’s emulated by the programme makers themselves. They know what kind of show they’re making, but they still leave space for wit and subversiveness, and don’t allow pesky things like the real world to become totally subsumed by the gloss. A bird smashing into a car windscreen passes mostly uncommented, five minutes of fawning over a stunning infinity pool finally pulls back to reveal it overhanging a busy main road.
The funniest interactions are between Simon and Gavin, old friends and colleagues, who now need each other for business, one buying on the behalf of the outrageously wealthy, the other selling, who can never get an actual deal done because they don’t want the other to get the better of them. They’re both just too good at their jobs, both jabbing to gain the tiniest advantage, self aware enough to recognise that neither of them is winning in this tug of war, but enjoying it nonetheless.
For all their bluster, they actually come across as just a nice bunch of Jewish boys. Simon’s patient explanations to his clueless assistant after inviting him to his parents for Shabbat dinner serves as a nice proxy for the audience. That it’s all presented so matter of fact makes it better than a thousand sentimental Hollywood Shabbats, even if they still share the obligatory Jewish mother whose desire for grandchildren eclipses Simon’s desire for success. Unapologetically knowing and never stupid, it’s no surprise Luxe Listings Sydney is Amazon’s biggest Australian original hit, already renewed for a second season.