‘Rough Diamonds’ Review: A Crime Family Drama in the Diamond District

They say diamonds are forever, and they certainly have all the right qualities to have that saying attached to them. Their density makes them one of the strongest minerals on Earth, and their beauty has fascinated generations throughout the entire world. It is not a surprise that they are so valuable, as they are so rare, and there is no surprise either that they make up for a business that moves billions in currency every year. Netflix debuts Rough Diamonds, a new Belgian TV series that goes deep into the diamond business and mixes it with some crime drama.

Rough Diamonds is a TV series created by Rotem Shamir and Yuval Yefet. The two lead the pack of a team that is willing to go into the subject of the orthodox Jewish community that inhabits the Diamond District in Brussels, also known as the Square Mile. This is a very closed religious community that has flourished thanks to the diamond business. Rough Diamonds explores the community in the same way as other shows on Netflix have done, but this time the series introduces the crime drama element, which makes it more approachable.

Audiences love a good cop procedural, and while the family drama is interesting in its own right, it makes sense for the creators to try to get as many people on board as they can. The result is a TV series covering almost every corner of the spectrum. It has action, romance, history, mystery, and lots of drama. The acting might be a bit stilted in some places, but as an overall package, Rough Diamonds feels complete. It might not be the best TV series ever made, but it is entertaining and easy to binge-watch without noticing it.

A couple of years ago, Netflix released another show dealing with the complexity of the orthodox communities with the cleverly titled show, Unorthodox. There we saw a girl escaping the confines of her community and learning that there is so much more out there. Rough Diamonds presents a similar situation in which a past community member comes back, the prodigal son, brings with him a new perspective thanks to his experiences. However, this person also needs to face the fact that he has unresolved issues that he needs to face.

The show stars Kevin Janssens, Marie Vinck, Robbie Cleiren, Casper Knopf, Ini Massez, and Els Dottermans. The series tells the story of Noah, the eldest son of the Wolfson family. The Wolfson have had generations invested in the diamond business, but now they face a rough patch as one of its members dies, and the business is worse than ever before. Now, Noah comes back to see a fractured family, and his need to help them clashes with the rules he broke once before. It is a very compelling premise.

However, Noah is not an easy character to like. The fault lies both in the performance and in the writing aspects of the show. Kevin Janssens plays Noah, our main character, and the way the actor plays the role feels a bit overly dramatic. The performance is very inconsistent; at times, it seems like Janssens is going for a very nuanced performance, and then he kicks back into the over-the-top mode, which makes the character feel a bit like a crazy person. He might not be, but that is how it feels on screen. At times, it is hard to take Noah seriously.

Outside of the main character and Janssens’ performance, the rest of the cast feels a lot more consistent in their characterization. Vinck, Massez, and Dottermans are the women of the group, and their performances are among the best of the entire cast. The three characters feel very different from one another, and they feel very solid when it comes to their relevance in the story and in the way their actresses play them. Female characters are often put aside in stories like this, but in these new times, they are the focus and the pillars of the story.

The story moves at a very good pace, although the first half of the series might feel a bit scattered, as two plotlines that we know are going to clash remain separated for quite a bit. Waiting for these stories two meet feels like a chore, especially for the one not dealing with Noah and his family. I am talking about the police drama that unfolds as the police try to catch some criminals. This side of the story moves at a very slow pace at the beginning, and the little snippets we get only make us more anxious for these characters to catch up to the rest of the characters.

Visually, the show moves in a very standard face. You can feel that there is a grittiness to the visuals; everything feels sad and gray, which fits with the story’s tone, but you will not find amazing shots or some very standout choreography here. Some of the blocking is weird, but it doesn’t hurt the final resort. This show hinges on the characters and the story, and the visuals are just the medium through which the story is being delivered, nothing more. Watching TV series put more effort than necessary into their visual display is always great, but this is not true.

As it is, Rough Diamonds feels like some good entertainment for the weekend. The story is easy to follow, and the family drama makes it much easier to get attached to it. We have all had our doses of family drama, so even when the family context that the show presents is so different from what we are used to, some things don’t really change. Families are families in every country around the world. The main character is a bit inconsistent, but the rest of the cast is quite strong, and in the end, it makes for an enjoyable watch if you are in the mood for this kind of drama.

SCORE: 7/10