Task Series Review: Mark Ruffalo and Tom Pelphrey Shine in a Gripping, Gritty Crime Drama

Long-form television excels at diving deep into complex subjects, and a mini-series like ‘Task’ provides the perfect canvas. Creator Brad Ingelsby, known for Mare of Easttown, returns to the working-class suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for another intense exploration. While ‘Task’ is ostensibly a crime drama about a series of drug house robberies, it’s also a compelling look at the lives and circumstances that drive its characters.

Our journey begins with Tom Brandis (Mark Ruffalo), an FBI campus recruiter on leave after a personal tragedy. His boss, Kathleen (Martha Plimpton), pulls him back into action, tasking him with leading an investigation into these robberies. The team comprises Delaware County Detective Anthony Grasso (Fabien Frankel), Chester Detective Sergeant Aleah Clinton (Thuso Mbedu), and State Trooper Lizzie Stover (Alison Oliver).

Meanwhile, we meet the robbers: Robbie Prendergrast (Tom Pelphrey), Cliff Broward (Raúl Castillo), and Peaches (Owen Teague). Robbie and Cliff cleverly use their jobs as garbage collectors to survey their targets. We learn that Robbie’s brother, Billy (Jack Kesy), a former member of the outlaw motorcycle gang ‘Dark Hearts,’ has died. Following his wife’s departure, Robbie moves into Billy’s house with his children, Wyatt (Oliver Eisenson) and Harper (Kennedy Moyer), where Billy’s wise 21-year-old daughter, Maeve (Emilia Jones), helps care for them.

A botched robbery leaves Robbie and Cliff with not only bodies but also a young boy named Sam (Ben Doherty) and a stash of drugs, instead of the money they sought. This impacts the Delaware chapter of the Dark Hearts, whose drug houses are being hit. The national leadership is displeased with Jayson’s (Sam Keeley) leadership, though his mentor, Per (Jamie McShane), advocates for him.

In ‘Task,’ there are no clear heroes or villains; everyone carries their own emotional burdens. Tom, a former Roman Catholic priest, left the clergy for the FBI after his adopted son, Ethan (Andrew Russel), killed his wife, Susan (Mireille Enos). Ethan’s sister and Tom’s adopted daughter, Emily (Silvia Dionicio), grapples with the constant expectation of gratitude. Aleah battles PTSD from an abusive marriage, while Lizzie navigates a divorce, her first day at ‘Task’ marked by an overheard argument about furniture with her estranged husband. Anthony, a Catholic, wrestles with his faith.

The series frequently delves into themes of forgiveness, particularly poignant given that the robberies are acts of vengeance. Can Maeve forgive Robbie for putting his children in danger? Can Tom ever forgive Ethan? Will Susan and Tom’s biological daughter, Sara (Phoebe Fox), find forgiveness for her adoptive brother? As a former priest, Tom understands sin and redemption, musing, ‘It is easy to talk about forgiveness when it’s not your loss.’ Robbie’s poignant line, ‘I never once felt God in my life,’ serves as a powerful indictment of a seemingly absent divine presence.

The performances are truly outstanding. Mark Ruffalo conveys a scruffy, profound sadness, while Tom Pelphrey delivers a tragic yet compelling portrayal of vengeance. Emilia Jones’s performance radiates brittle strength, complementing the exquisite writing. The series is beautifully shot, revealing the stark beauty of the countryside where hidden creeks conceal more than just secrets. ‘Task’ is a bleakly gripping exploration of crime and punishment, where the perpetrators often inflict the harshest retribution upon themselves, rather than merely facing the law.

‘Task’ is currently streaming on Jio Hotstar.