Miniseries Premiere: 9pm Monday, September 1 and 9pm Tuesday, September 2 on History Channel. As Labor Day weekend escapism goes, 'Houdini' is a breezy period piece, not to mention an entertaining way to find out how the man was able to pull off some of his most famous escapes.

Though the script is overly fond of using the metaphor of every unfortunate turn in Houdini's life to a punch in the gut, Brody elevates the material with a moving performance, matched well by his co-stars Kristen Connolly and Evan Jones. 'Houdini' channels that same spirit - which is to say, it takes us through the highlights of Harry Houdini's biography via a stylized scripted account (that some might say takes a few artistic liberties with the illusionist's life story), narrated in voiceover by its star Adrien Brody. British Actor Playing American Character (1)īefore History won audiences over with scripted fare such as 'Vikings' and star-studded miniseries like 'Hatfields & McCoys', it was known for its historical re-enactments, with actors playing out chapters of history as experts told the tale.

Houdini movie adrien brody