‘Mr. Corman’ review: Of the people and the problems of the now

Entirely relevant and scarily relatable, Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s show strikes a chord, but much like its protagonist, lands at a stumbling block only to stay put

In Mr. Corman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who, apart from playing the titular character, has also created the show, is probed by his fifth grade student when he uses ‘female’ as an attribute to describe a historical character. This is an especially clever ploy, for it is only the first scene, but the tone and topical nature of the show bluntly cuts through. Despite handling the situation skillfully and honestly, Joshua Corman a.k.a Josh is unsatisfied and seeks his mother’s opinion who brushes the matter under the carpet. Between these two generations, Josh is left stranded and clueless, trying to piece together a world that’s fast churning and changing around him. In a way, Josh is the manifestation of every millennial’s worst fears. He was once a budding musician but gave up on the dream as he grew older. For an older school of thought, this decision is simply part of a realisation that comes with the age. According to them, he has chosen to do a real job by deciding to teach, and this ought to lead him to a happy life.