REVIEW: ‘Death By Lightning’ Shows That Not Every Biopic Needs To Be Well-Known

I am going to be honest here, I had no idea how soon into his presidency James Garfield was assassinated, and I for sure didn’t know the name of his assassin. That ignorance is what Death by Lightning uses to tell the story of two men that history has forgotten. 

From creator Mike Makowsky and director Matt Ross, this Netflix Original limited series is executive produced by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss (of Game of Thrones fame). While the story is historical, the direct inspiration for Death by Lightning comes from Candice Millard’s non-fiction book Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine, and the Murder of a President, which chronicles the life and murder of President James Garfield. 

Death by Lightning is a limited drama series that’s based on the epic and stranger-than-fiction true story of James Garfield (Michael Shannon), reluctant 20th president of the United States, and Charles Guiteau (Matthew Macfadyen) — a man who was not only Garfield’s greatest admirer but also his assassin.

Death by Lightning aims to bring two forgotten historical figures into the spotlight.

Death by Lightning is serious in nature, going to great lengths to highlight the progressive policies that James Garfield looked to enact, and mapping out the corruption that money from New York tycoons caused and manipulated to keep lining their pockets. The limited series explores James Garfield’s friendship with Thurgood Marshall, his support of an amendment that allows Black men to vote, and his support of immigrant labor.  

Much of the setup in Death by Lightning is to push the audience to ask “What if?” As we see Garfield’s inspirations and dedication to people, not millionaires, we’re forced into questioning the current state of our government and how, 150 years later, we’re still having some of the same conversations. How are our arguments so similar, considering the years since Garfield’s presidency? 

The parallels between arguments presented in the series reflect current topics of today, and while the limited series does take some liberties with what it shows, it’s not all fabrication. And so, a yearning for what could have been rises up and makes Death by Lightning all the better. 

Some liberties have been taken with historical fact, but Death by Lightning is still important to watch.

Michael Shannon gives a performance that embraces a calm and cool demeanor. But his timid nature isn’t to be mistaken for weakness. While Garfield’s rise to the presidency wasn’t something he specifically chose, being nominated by the Republicans in his party despite his support of John Sherman’s bid for the nomination, it is a responsibility he met with clarity and intention. That’s what Death By Lightning captures. 

Death by Lightning is a portrait of two men, and  James Garfield is the more interesting of them. A congressman from Ohio whose unlikely bid for the presidency took on corrupt money in government, James Garfield, is presented as both a hero and a common man.

As Garfield pushes back against the tycoons who have rigged federal systems to gain control of both the economy and law, the audience sees him as a larger-than-life figure, one who is doing what he can to stay true to himself. While his softer voice doesn’t ring through the halls like his brash vice president,  Vice President Chester Arthur (Nick Offerman), the choices he makes and his refusal to yield on his morals are admirable and inspiring. 

Michael Shannon is transformative as President Andrew Garfield. 

President Garfield is interested because while he is the leader of the United States, he is also a loving husband and dedicated father. In fact, the way that he both listens to and props up the women in his life throughout the four-episode limited series shows a respect that the other men around him are hard-pressed to show to others around them. But that kindness and respect, and his dedication to giving it to every person, is what Charles Guiteau uses to assassinate him. 

The name of the series is inspired by the James Garfield quote, “Assassination can be no more guarded against than death by lightning. And it is best not to worry too much about either one.” In the shadow of Lincoln’s assassination by John Wilkes Booth, calls for security around the president became apparent, but Garfield refused. But in that refusal, Garfield allowed his constituents to have unfettered access to him. 

A believer in leading for the people, Garfield opened the Oval Office up to those petitioning to become members of his cabinet. But with no lines drawn between Garfield and the public, Charles Guiteau takes a parasocial relationship that he built up in his mind and takes it to a damning level. 

Death by Lightning is some of Matthew Macfadyen’s best work. 

As the second man at the center of Death by Lightning, Charles Guiteau is a sad man whose ideas of grandeur push him to believe that he is the center of everything. A pathological liar and clearly unwell, the limited series continually showcases how Guiteau’s inability to connect to reality and his own insignificance fueled what would eventually be the assassination of President Garfield.

Death by Lightning is as much an exploration of parasocial relationships as it is a historical look at America. Part of you wants to understand him and feel bad for his mental state, but at the same time, as the delusion bubbles up and he begins to steal and break into areas to get access to the president, the snowballing element is in place. Guiteau believes that he is in the world to work for Garfield and be a larger man than he is.

The shame he feels from his inability to succeed or garner respect from his father fuels his delusion. It ultimately pushes him past the breaking point when Garfield decides to stop seeing constituents daily. Because of that, Death by Lightning doesn’t cast empathy Guiteau’s way, only understanding. We see the why, but aren’t asked to forgive him or understand why he did what he did.

Death by Lightning’s costuming department is firing on all cylinders.

Guiteau was not accepted anywhere he went, and the series chronicles that; however, it also brings into focus how his actions and inability to appear smaller compared to others contributed to it all. That said, despite how easy it is to hate Charles Guiteau, it’s easy to admire how much Matthew Macfadyen has put into this role. 

Where Shannon embodies the quiet power and kindness of Garfield, Macfadyen’s performance irks every annoyance button that a viewer may have. Matthew Macfayden as Guiteau is self-absorbed, narcissistic, and played with a mania that is hard to quantify. Macfadyen’s previous time on Succession fits the callous nature of his character in the series, which helps define it as one of the best historical dramas on Netflix. 

Apart from the character work, the limited series captures the time with gorgeous costumes and timely hair and make-up that transform actors we know and love into something completely different. While Macfadyen and Shannon are the core of the series, it’s Shea Whigham, Bradley Whitford, and Nick Offerman as Roscoe Conkling, James Blaine, and Chester Arthur, respectively, who show stunning transformations and highlight how much work a hairstyle does to craft a persona. 

This Netflix Limited Series is one of the best historical dramas I’ve watched.

Additionally, Death by Lightning utilizes music and its opening credits to introduce a modern element to the series, complementing its cheeky nods to current global situations. But what works best for this series is that it establishes a blueprint to highlight other small moments in history that have rippling effects, even if they have been long forgotten. 

Death by Lightning is dramatic and humorous, winking at its audience as it broaches topics and facts that we know now to be true but didn’t in Garfield’s time. As hero and antagonist, but more accurately described as co-leads, Matthew Macfadyen and Michael Shannon are excellent. The duo are powerful opposites in a dance that the audience knows will end quickly.

At only four episodes, Death by Lightning makes the most of its time, capturing history in a unique and succinct way that surpasses other dramas focusing on even smaller moments in time. 

Death by Lightning is streaming now, exclusively on Netflix.