Many people probably thought Colin Farrell’s physical transformation into the title character of The Penguin would dominate the series. Turns out, another performance is making its mark. Cristin Milioti’s portrayal of Sofia Falcone in Max‘s The Penguin is worthy of an Emmy.
Sofia Falcone is a new addition to the world created in the 2022 film The Batman. Farrell’s Oswald Cobb was a unique version of the villain audiences have seen multiple times on screen but he appeared sparingly in the film. His presence left such an impression that the character had more story to tell.
And what a story The Penguin is. It is an incredible dramatic thriller spun out of the organized crime that is such a familiar part of Gotham. The Falcone and Maroni families provide interesting stortelling potential. Cristin Milioti’s Sofia Falcone is a terrific expression of that potential, and Milioti’s performance deserves an Emmy.
Home From Arkham
The Penguin picks up after The Batman. Patriarch Carmine Falcone died in the film, which gives Oz a unique opportunity. He has worked for the Falcones for years. Carmine’s son Alberto (Michael Zegen) is expected to take his father’s place, but he ridicules Oz and you can imagine how Oz reacts to that. Oz manages to deflect suspicion from himself. This is no easy feat because Carmine’s death led to something else: the release of his daughter Sofia from Arkham Asylum.
From the start, Milioti makes interesting choices in her performance. Sofia has been in Arkham for 10 years. Oz is clearly unsettled when he sees her for the first time after her release. There is an underlying edge to Milioti’s smile when she tells him, “I’ve been rehabilitated.”
Oz used to be Sofia’s driver before she was accused of being the Hangman, a serial killer who strangled their victims, and was committed to Arkham. Milioti subtly makes the audience wary of her. And we’re not even sure if she is the Hangman. We sense that Oz may be worried about something more than Sofia finding out he killed her brother. But the two work together to grow the Falcone drug business anyway.
“Cent’Anni”
The fourth episode of The Penguin is Milioti’s showcase as Sofia. Titled “Cent’Anni,” it is filled with flashbacks that explain how she ended up in Arkham. And it is heartbreaking. If you’ve seen The Batman, you know Carmine Falcone had a proclivity for strangling women. It should come as no surprise that he was the Hangman. Sofia figured it out. She even realized he killed her mother and she tried to talk to her father about it but he framed her, getting her put in Arkham. He also had the entire Falcone family write testimony that she was mentally unstable. Sofia’s own father did that to her. Alberto was the only one who didn’t betray her, so it was no wonder his death affected her so much.
Besides that, Arkham is a nightmare. A sadistic doctor tortures Sofia with electric shock and other inmates attack her as well. Before Arkham, Sofia was a bit of a sheltered rich girl. She had to go to Arkham to become ruthless. We see just how ruthless in the present day when the family tries to push her out again. She does not hesitate to eliminate them all. And she does it in a dress that shows off the physical scars they indirectly caused. Milioti makes every mood shift and emotional turn pay off.
Head of the Family
After taking out the rest of the Falcones, Sofia takes charge of the remaining family operations. And she does it decisively. She abandons the Falcone name and takes her mother’s maiden name: Gigante. Sofia then joins with Salvatore Maroni (Clancy Brown) to try to find Oz and make him pay for everything he has done. She does all this without questioning her ability or her sense of purpose. At least, that’s the way Milioti makes it look. Her performance prompts the audience to feel for her even though she does many horrible things.
Also, Milioti’s work is a major reason why some viewers might regret that Oz must emerge victorious in their conflict. (At least for now.) These characters inhabit a world full of crime. And though nearly all of them do bad things, Sofia suffers more than most. It seems harsh for her to end up back in Arkham. We hope Sofia’s story is not over. Especially when her final scene shows her getting a letter from Selina Kyle, who was revealed in The Batman to be Carmine Falcone’s daughter. This half-sister pairing could tear up Gotham. Sofia Falcone is one of the best female characters to come along in a comic book story in a long time, and Cristin Milioti’s performance in The Penguin is worthy of an Emmy.
The Penguin is streaming on Max.
