Quite the opposite to those born in big cities and sprawling suburbia where chances to advance in life seem to be flush, people who grow up in isolated or lower-class communities tend to all come to the same morbid conclusion about their current reality. The odds are stacked against them. It’s nearly impossible to escape. This train of thought then creates two types of individuals. Either they end up believing that they are shackled to their current stagnant path with no way out, or those who are not deterred away from this life-changing challenge will take full advantage of any opportunity presented to them to try and advance their social and financial ranking.
As seen in other productions where characters embark on journeys outside their usual comfort zones in order to achieve personal success, like 2011’s The Giants, which saw a group of young boys having to decide life’s outcome for themselves, and 2022’s The Kings of the World which is currently streaming on Netflix, there is a newly released action-fueled drama series on the same platform that shows what happens when a newly discovered path on the wrong side of the law is the only way out of a bleak and bare life.
Consisting of seven episodes that premiered on May 26, the first season of Turn of the Tide is about four friends living in a small municipality in the Portuguese archipelago. While Eduardo (the main character), his best friend Rafael, Rafael’s girlfriend Silvia, and the cornerstone of the group Carlinhos all have dream-like aspirations while all holding dead-end jobs, everything suddenly changes when many packages of cocaine float into the isle’s shores from a drug smuggling operation that went awry out at sea.
A Drug-Fueled Destiny
What’s unique about this Portugal-based series is that while it follows a slightly altered version of the usual rags-to-riches story, the characters within this tale spend much time questioning if what they are doing is right or wrong. Played by Jose Condessa (who starred in over two hundred episodes of a Spanish telenovela called Valor da Vida), Eduardo wants to, above all, make it to America, where he thinks he will find much more luck with his life than here on this small island.
While the other three are very trepidatious about using the drugs as a way to earn more money than they ever dreamed of, he automatically looks at the abandoned cargo as a gesture from fate and convinces his friends with motivational speeches to join in his plans.
At first, Turn of the Tide lures viewers with not only an upbeat soundtrack but also through quirky and charming personalities who have seemed to finally found their ticket out of class entrapment. In a very short time, though, the entire town is engulfed in this narcotic frenzy.
This not only ends up attracting the attention of authorities, who quickly swoop in on many of the villagers who are using, buying, and selling without a care in the world, but also the original Mafioso members who were on that boat during that dark and stormy night who want their property back.
With both sides of the law coming to corner our young inexperienced entrepreneurs, the audience will surely be left on the edge of their seats watching this incredible multi-layered cat-and-mouse chase.
Four Friends Fighting Against All Odds
Besides Mr. Condessa filling out this excellent cast as the son of a blind man who believes in the American dream and is willing to go the extra mile in his pursuit, credit also has to go to the other men and women who made Turn of the Tide a reality. Both having tremendous experience in international soap operas, actress Helen Caldeira and actor Rodrigo Tomas who play Silvia and Rafael, respectively, bring a welcoming but urgent believability to their roles that truly pulls you into the dangerous world set forth.
With the catalyst of cocaine causing chaos to all the denizens of Rabo de Peixe, actor Andre Leitao carves out his own emotional arc through the shoes of Carlinhos, one of the four central figures in this story, who momentarily finds romance with a conflicted priest. Being accredited with works since 2013, Mr. Leitao has starred in various genres, including hard-hitting military dramas, casual comedic sitcoms, and high-intensity crime operas.
People who cannot take their eyes off the spectacle that is Turn of the Tide should keep their eyes on the creator, Augusto Fraga. Having made commercials starring the likes of soccer megastar Cristiano Ronaldo and bringing short films like Partilha o Que Estás a Sentir (translated to Share What You’re Feeling), Mr. Fraga’s future can only become brighter with a Netflix series under his belt.
Helping to produce this one-of-a-kind hit, Ukbar Filmes also have a repertoire of released works dating back to 2009. One of the more recent titles is The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, which stars famous American actor Adam Driver in a leading role and delivers on the laughs.
With a story elegantly delivered by a brilliant cast and crew, Turn of the Tide is a passionate love letter to dreamers of this world that balances slippery moral beliefs with the seedy criminal underworld that should not be missed.
