I LOVE DICK

BY: Claire Connors

Watching Amazon’s newest comedy, I Love Dick, is like seeing a poem come to life—a complicated, excruciating, beautiful poem that must be devoured (or binged) to be appreciated—full disclosure, we watched the eight 30-minute episodes in one sitting. Based on the cult feminist novel by writer Chris Kraus, creator Jill Soloway (Transparent) has made a rom-com for our evolved ages, based on art, the muse, relationships—male, female, gay, trans—beauty, lust, and ultimately love.

When an almost 40-year-old filmmaker accompanies her writer husband to a fellowship program in Marfa, TX, all hell breaks loose. Chris, portrayed by the always engaging comedic actress, Kathryn Hahn (Bad Moms), meets and falls deeply, insanely in lust with Dick (Kevin Bacon), a famous sculptor—not mention ruggedly handsome rancher—and head of her husband’s fellowship. Completely overwhelmed with her over-the-top physical and emotional response to Dick, Chris’s only recourse is to begin writing intimate and passionate letters to her objet de désir, all beginning with the words, “Dear Dick.” Her husband, played by the still boyishly handsome Griffin Dunne, quickly gets involved in her obsession—as does the rest of this Dick-loving Texas town—and the couple’s stagnant sex life suddenly explodes into orgasmic release.

And then there’s Dick, who truth be told, is a bit of one. Well, a lot of one, actually. He’s aloof, arrogant, and like most men you cannot possess, so ridiculously appealing. Poor Chris and hubby Sylvére don’t stand a chance in this twisted triangle and that’s part of what makes this series so damn fun. We give it four eggplants.