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McMafia, episode five: Has Alex finally crossed the line?
After episode four's Mumbai-dominated action, the focus switched to Israel for blackmail, murder and a further step into the dark side for our hero Alex.
Here’s all the talking points from the incident-packed fifth episode of McMafia…
The Russians hit Kleiman where it hurts
Corrupt politician and businessman Semiyon Kleiman (David Strathairn) said it in episode four: “If we steal Vadim’s heroin, there will be consequences – good and bad.” Now we saw the bad.
First, it was revealed that Kleiman was gay. He’d married a woman back in Russia for appearance’s sake but was too “old-school” to come out after emigrating to Israel in the Nineties. Now this self-confessed “sentimental old man” was rather sweetly in love with flighty young photographer Ezra Levi (Daniel Gad) – a compromising fact uncovered by Russian mafia boss Vadim Kalyagin (Merab Ninidze) and FSB spook Ilya Fedorov (Kirill Pirogov) after they put their foe under surveillance.
The Russians promptly leapt into action, pressurising hipster-ish graphic designer Reuben (Yon Tumarkin) to seduce Ezra at a pool party thrown by art dealer Yariv Ableman (Ohad Knoller) – you could tell it was debauched bash from the Kylie Minogue/Frankie Goes to Hollywood soundtrack – then lure him to a secluded spot. Here the gangsters beat and raped Ezra, then ordered him to accuse Kleiman – or both boys would be killed.
Kleiman’s shock arrest for sexual assault and battery was big news, with even our own BBC reporting it. Fortunately for the silver fox, hedge-fund manager Alex Godman (James Norton) was convinced of his innocence – not to mention terrified that their dodgy dealings would be exposed – so jetted to Tel Aviv to unmask his accusers. Alex is clocking up some serious air miles this series. He’s surely due a free flight or two by now.
Alex turned Sherlock – and then blackmailer
“I’m grateful you haven’t turned your back on me,” is how the ankle-tagged Kleiman greeted his financier-cum-friend. Yet Alex soon turned on him in a different way.
With the help of Lyudmilla (Sofia Lebedeva), who witnessed Ezra and his party pal’s clinch, Alex tracked down Reuben, posing as an art dealer to set up a meeting. After a roughing-up from driver Joseph (Oshri Cohen), Reuben soon confessed to the set-up. Alex persuaded him to tell the police everything, promising he’d be protected.
However, rather than accept Kleiman’s gratitude and politely withdraw from their partnership – after all, the veteran puppetmaster had reassured him: “I would never implicate you. Take this as a sign. Go home, mourn your uncle, forget your revenge and return to the life you led” – Alex spotted an opportunity to use Reuben as leverage and double-cross his boss.
He's really taking on the big boys now. Well, as Alex’s Systema martial art teacher told him: “Never stop moving, in body or mind. If you stop, your enemy hits you.”
Another fine Mex you’ve got us into
When they disagreed about how to proceed in Mumbai – Alex wanted to crank up the pressure on Vadim by striking a drug deal with the Pakistanis, while Kleiman opted to play safe by sitting on the stolen heroin awhile – the die was cast. Alex duly threw his lot in with the Mexican cartel, fronted by smooth Antonio Mendez (Caio Blat). “We can be better friends to you and more dangerous enemies for Vadim,” Mendez vowed. “But first we need Mr Kleiman’s ships.”
After extricating Kleiman from his legal fix, Alex blackmailed him into signing a contract to transport Mendez’s drugs, in return for a 30 per cent kickback. The Mexicans aren’t to be messed with, though. As the wily old man warned him previously: “The difference between me and them? If you let me down, I won’t bury you.” Kleiman cautioned Alex again now: “You’re exchanging an enemy for more dangerous friends.”
For Alex, it’s all about vengeance on Vadim. Or is it? As Kleiman went on to say: “You think you’re doing this for your uncle? You’re doing it for power, the same as all of us. Except there’s no telling how far you’ll go.” Over the next three episodes, we’ll see how far.
Ezra and Reuben were collateral damage
A recurring theme of McMafia is how innocents get caught in the crossfire of high-stakes crime. So it proved again in Tel Aviv, with tragic results.
Poor Ezra, badly beaten up and raped, was tearfully popping painkillers when two cops came calling to threaten prosecution for perjury. His distraught mother later discovered him dead in bed, presumably suicide by pill overdose. Meanwhile, Reuben got gunned down by an assassin on a moped – echoes here of the motorcycle hit squad from the series’ opening scene.
Alex stared down at Reuben’s body in shock and had to be dragged away. More blood on those soft banker’s hands, plus broken promises about protection. As Joseph drily observed: “It says on your business card you’re still a banker.”
Is there any chance of freedom for Lyudmilla?
As the episode began, trafficked sex worker Lyudmilla Nikolayevna was at a low ebb. It had been two months since Kleiman promised to give her a passport and let her go. Her role as a crucial witness now gave her fresh hope. If she helped clear the boss’s name, could she go home?
Despite the best efforts of Joseph, with whom she’s formed a touchingly tentative friendship, and Alex speaking on her behalf, Kleiman said no. Poor Lyudmilla was devastated. Alex vowed to “do everything I can” and “find another way” – but try asking Reuben about his promises.
However, as Joseph made noises about coming to London soon, Alex told the loyal henchman to look him up. Could he help the pair escape to the UK? A happy ending for somebody would be welcome respite.
Godman family saga took another twist
The marriage of Alex’s parents – drunken Dmitri (Aleksey Serebryakov) and frosty Oksana (Maria Shukshina) – is already at breaking point after his affair. Now it took a further turn for the worse.
Over a girly lunch – fish, bottle of white, cute waiter, the works – Alex’s ex and Dmitri’s lover Masha (Maria Mashkova) confessed her secret to Alex’s sister Katya (Faye Marsay): she was pregnant with Dmitri’s child. Brittle Katya’s reaction turned from disbelief to fury, telling her: “You’re a whore and always were.”
When she’d calmed down, Katya called at her friend’s flat to find out what she planned to do. Cue an amusing exchange. “Can I have a glass of wine?” “It’s 9am.” “You’re pregnant with my father’s child.” Pass the corkscrew.
Is romance on cards for Rebecca and Mendez?
While Alex insisted he was flying to Kleiman’s aid out of loyalty, his increasingly distrustful fiancé Rebecca (Juliet Rylance) argued that he was “a crook and a rapist who used you to launder money”.
“I thought this was over,” she added. “So did I,” lied Alex. More trouble ahead, although at least we got a look inside the couple’s kitchen, which was all on-trend greys and greenery.
Rebecca sought out the advice of Mendez – ironic, as the fake Harvard alumnus is a far bigger wrong’un than Alex. Wining and dining her at a rooftop restaurant, Mendez defended Alex’s distant behaviour: “His business almost went under, his uncle was murdered, his father tried to kill himself – that's quite a mess to think about.” At several points, it felt like the pair were on the verge of kissing. Thankfully, they didn’t. That really would complicate matters.
Airport showdown was a tantalising cliffhanger
After buying Rebecca a ring at the airport – not sure that’ll be enough to win her round, mate – Alex bumped into the last person he’d expect: his nemesis Vadim. This was no accident. As Vadim said earlier: “I’ve stopped believing in coincidences.” An excruciatingly tense cat-and-mouse conversation ensued.
Nervous Alex, for once caught on the hop, realised Vadim was behind the framing of Kleiman – which the poker-faced Russian confirmed by cheerfully admitting that Yariv Ableman was “an old friend, famous for throwing parties”. No wonder the host had greeted Kleiman with: “Forgive me, I feel responsible.”
Vadim heavily implied that he knew Alex was working with Kleiman against him, hence the implicit threat in his ominous parting shot: “Have a safe trip back home. My regards to your family.” Suddenly a boy among men, Alex looked like he seen a ghost. It’s coming to the boil beautifully for the final three episodes.