With the gritty crime drama Task, audiences are reminded that when in the hands of a great writer like Brad Ingelsby, a limited series may be the best medium available to tell a story. The HBO series from the Mare of Easttown creator, is populated with interesting characters navigating a search for acceptance and thought-provoking questions of faith and forgiveness – a blend that forces introspective reflection so poignantly, that the heists, investigation and subsequent violent consequences may be the least interesting thing on screen.
Mark Ruffalo plays former priest, now downtrodden FBI agent Tom Brandis, who is reluctantly put back in the field, following time behind a desk after a family tragedy. While his wife’s death is openly discussed, as is his adopted son’s incarceration and pending trial, the circumstances of those events are kept close to the vest until the final moments. While he struggles to remain connected to his adopted daughter Emily (Silvia Dionicio, New Amsterdam), his emotional torment is evident, as is the alcoholism he uses to cope. Hungover and tired, it’s tough to discern if Brandis is leaning into his hunched over physicality to gain an advantage in his investigations, allowing suspects to let their guard down, or if he’s genuinely hindered by it.
Being placed on assignment gives Tom a sense of purpose, and solving a case is something he’s able to control, unlike most things in his life. His boss, played by Martha Plimpton, who despite the stress eating, might be the only one having fun embodying her character, assigns a small task force to assist him in uncovering who has been robbing drug houses in the Philly suburbs. That team consists of young agents on loan to the FBI; Aleah (Thuso Mbedu, The Woman King), Lizzie (Alison Oliver, Saltburn) and Grasso (Fabien Frankel, House of the Dragon).
While they are only on assignment for a short time together, bonds form quickly. Aleah, a skilled marksman, has a specific talent she’s known for, something that Lizzie desperately desires, searching for her place in the group and in life following a divorce. Lizzie forms a quick attraction to Grasso, who reciprocates but also keeps her at a distance. He’s drawn to Tom’s former career as a priest, as he struggles with his own questions of faith and conscience. The scenes that Ruffalo and Frankel share together are some of the best of the series, as that fascination is explored in various contexts.
Tom Pelphrey has been giving scene-stealing performances for at least a decade. You can go back and watch him in Banshee and see the way he stood out in what was already a phenomenal series. He’s an actor that can bring any required emotion to a role, something that’s evident in his portrayal of Robbie Prendergrast. Robbie is someone with a good heart, making catastrophically bad decisions in response to the murder of his brother by the Dark Hearts biker gang, specifically Jayson Wilkes (Sam Keeley, Joe vs. Carole).
We see Robbie as a loving brother, a relationship we smartly see through limited but effective flashbacks, and father, explored in a few well-handled moments with his kids. Ultimately, he wants to take care of his family, including his niece Maeve (Emilia Jones, CODA), but his rash decisions and short temper have put everything in jeopardy.
Jones, for her part should rightfully have just as many nominations as Ruffalo and Pelphrey, as she’s phenomenal. While most of the characters seem to be going through life numb because of their trauma, Maeve is trying to hold the pieces left of her life together, and her strength under the severe circumstances forced upon her is beautifully acted. She’s the best example of a secondary character that’s fully realized. Another is Jamie McShane as Perry, a leader of the Dark Hearts, and then Grasso especially becomes more nuanced as the series progresses. Ingelsby isn’t afraid to devote the screen time to smaller roles to show his characters in a different light.
The inevitable collision course between Brandis and Robbie takes time. It builds as we see more of the world and circumstances these characters exist in and have been shaped by. Neither of them comes to that moment as the person that they want to be. Both are full of regret, with opposing goals, but their meeting is cathartic. When the time for deception is past, the honesty they share with each other lifts a weight from their shoulders and allows them to fully realize what’s most important.
The plot of Task is a simple but effective catalyst required to display the poignant dialogue and emotional scenes that make it stick with you long after the final bullets have been fired. It’s not a procedural; it’s not an action forward crime drama. There are few twists or revelations, and anything withheld early can be easily discerned. It’s not about any of that. It boils down to a powerful story of forgiveness in impossible circumstances, and Ruffalo might give the best monologue of his career in the finale, to tell it beautifully. It’s his performance and others, in the quiet moments, that make this one of the year’s best.
