The White Lotus Explores Themes of Class Conflict and Wealth Divide in a Troubled Paradise

 

Staff Members of the titular White Lotus hotel. Hotel Manager Armond (Murray Bartlett), Spa Manager Belinda (Natasha Rothwell) at center, and Dillon (Lukas Gage) far right.

HBO's The White Lotus explores a growing wealth divide and its consequences with cringe inducing Comedy

Dillon (Lukas Gage): "You're in big trouble." Armond (Murray Bartlett): "I know." - The White Lotus, Episode 4: Recentering

Paul Bellini, a member of The Kids in the Hall, and formerly a columnist for Fab Magazine, once told me that true comedy happens when something goes wrong. Mike White, creator and writer of HBO's drama The White Lotus, understands this well.

A whole bunch of things go terribly wrong in the 6 episode miniseries. Set in the titular Hawaiian resort, the show is an amped up satire of the wealth divide in the United States. White introduces and fleshes out characters whose unlikable qualities cause friction with both each other and the resort's Staff. This results in cringe worthy comedy that makes The White Lotus what a good satire should be.

In a word, biting. 

Shane (Jake Lacy) and his new wife Rachel (Alexandra Daddario) are two of the first guests we meet. Their relationship gradually disintegrates as Shane is revealed to be a man child pursuing a vendetta against Armond because he made a mistake with their room. Because Shane and Armond are both stubborn individuals with strong wills, this conflict escalates as the show progresses.

Other principal characters include the Mossbacher family, presided over by tech company CFO mother Nicole (Connie Britton) and her beta male husband Mark (Steve Zahn). They are accompanied by their son, daughter, and their daughter's best friend.

Quinn Mossbacher (Fred Hechinger) is one of the only characters with redeeming qualities. He grows as a person when his iPad and Cellphone are destroyed by the Ocean. This pushes him out of his comfort zone and he eventually joins a group of local boys who are Canoeing the islands. As a result Quinn begins to learn how to be independent and how to better relate to other people.

Unfortunately most of the characters do not develop. Take spacey heiress Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge). Shortly after arriving at the resort she strikes up a friendship with Spa Manager Belinda (Natasha Rothwell) and tempts her with the prospect of giving Belinda financial backing so she can strike out on her own.

Their relationship is an exploration of a uniquely modern form of Slavery. When your prospective business partner holds all the money, they also hold all the power in the relationship. Which puts you at the mercy of the more powerful person's whims, as Belinda learns the hard way.

For me The White Lotus's strongest plotline is the Tragedy of Armond. Murray Bartlett put his all into the role, and it shows. Armond's will to stay sober after 5 years of being on the wagon is put to the test by his feud with Shane over the room mix up.

Over the course of 6 episodes Armond escalates his feud with Shane as he goes off the rails. Most memorably in Episode 4 when Armond seduces Hotel Attendant Dillon (Lukas Gage) and gets caught by Belinda and Shane. Bartlett's character has so many likeable qualities that you find yourself rooting for him. Which makes it even sadder when the wheels eventually come off. 

After some reflection, I think The White Lotus is a cautionary tale. It shows what happens when people with money and power let it go to their heads. When they don't give other people with less resources the Respect that is the right of every person on this planet. Human dignity is inherent and cannot be taken away.

It's a lesson worth heeding as the world leaves the Pandemic behind. If you've got time on your hands, The White Lotus is certainly worth a watch. 5 out of 5 stars.