Feature Story
Some things never change; and one thing many of us may be able to agree on is that a bit of time away from consumerist culture and the toil of everyday life could do a world of good. Well, fans of the 1986 feature film “The Mosquito Coast” will be pleased to hear that the film (once a novel) has been adapted into a drama series for Apple TV+, and it premieres this Friday, April 30, on the streamer.
Not only is “The Mosquito Coast” a comeback for Paul Theroux's 40-year-old novel plot, but the series is also a return for lead actor Justin Theroux (“Mulholland Drive,” 2001) — nephew of the author, in fact — whose latest TV appearances include HBO's critically successful drama “The Leftovers,” in which he played the lead, and the Netflix limited series “Maniac,” in which he had a supporting role. Theroux's TV comeback puts him at the center of a family affair — a family's escape to Mexico to be exact — after the U.S. government comes knocking on their door.
The elder Theroux penned the novel during his stay in London and was recognized for his work with both the James Tait Black Memorial Prize and the Yorkshire Post Novel of the Year Award. Rumor also has it that he based the main character on himself, a claim he denied repeatedly in interviews. Instead, he maintains that Allie is an amalgam of different people — mostly relatives, including his father.
In the Peter Weir (“The Truman Show,” 1998) movie, which earned two Golden Globe nominations, Harrison Ford (“Air Force One,” 1997) played the insanely clever Allie, who dragged his family to Central America to craft his own perfect world. There, his life revolved around his innovative ice machine while evading the claws of the American consumerism that he loathed.
Four decades since its publication, the novel now shapeshifts into a seven-episode TV series. Described as a hybrid between “Swiss Family Robinson” (1960), “Running on Empty” (1988) and “The Beach” (2000), the premise for the show was developed by Neil Cross (“Burial,” 2009).
The trailer debuted in February on Apple TV+ during a panel at the Television Critics Association's Winter 2021 Press Tour, and all signs seemed to point to awards during spring. For the second consecutive year, Apple has jilted the traditional executive meeting with the video heads in order to focus on the shows themselves, such as “Physical,” “Mythic Quest” and, of course, “The Mosquito Coast,” among several others.
Justin Theroux confesses to knowing Allie since he was a child, but only strictly from his uncle's point of view. While the TV series is by no means a carbon copy of the original content, he says it's still Allie without a doubt, just from a “slightly different prism” where he constantly evolves as the plot rolls out. The actor adds that the show highlights his uncle's genius in creating Allie while paying homage to the entire paradigm of the world as captured in both his novels and travel literature. Theroux also revealed how thrilled his uncle is, especially about the series serving as a kind of prequel to the book.
In the 1986 feature adaptation, Allie's character was married to Margot, played by Helen Mirren (“The Duke,” 2020), while the late River Phoenix (“Stand By Me,” 1986) played their curious son, Charlie, who wanted to follow in his ingenious father's tracks.