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Leigha
Nov 9, 2020 05:29 AM
This new limited series on HBO stars Nicole Kidman, and Hugh Grant - both offering solid acting performances. Kidman and Grant play a wealthy married couple living in NYC, with their middle-school aged son - Kidman is a high-profile therapist, Grant is a very well-respected oncologist. As the story unravels, Kidman finds out that her seemingly perfect husband has a few dark secrets that begin to reveal themselves by episode two. But, that's a problem for me. Two episodes in, and you simply don't know enough about the main characters to really feel empathy, anger, sadness or much of anything for them. Maybe you'll feel differently, but that's just my take. I'll keep watching because it could be one of those series that eventually offers the viewer a back story through flash backs, which would be a great way to flesh out the main characters, making them more relatable.
Wikipedia categorizes it under ''psychological thriller,'' which seems appropriate. Although, if it keeps rushing too much without fleshing out the characters, it might lose that thrill factor. Don't want to give away too much - but if you're watching this already, what do you think? I'd give it a B+ for now.
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Secular Sanity
Nov 9, 2020 02:51 PM
It looks good. I might give it try.
Nicole Kidman is 53. What the hell? Facelift? Ginger gene?
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Leigha
Nov 9, 2020 03:32 PM
She looks great and I love her hair in this show. It’s one of those stylish series from a fashion and interior decorating perspective. Pinterest with a plot.
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Magical Realist
Nov 9, 2020 08:17 PM
I caught the tail end of the 2nd episode, so I have to catch up. Looks pretty good. I really like both the actors.
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Leigha
Nov 10, 2020 01:25 AM
(This post was last modified: Nov 10, 2020 01:26 AM by Leigha.)
Okay...it’s getting better. I loved Nicole Kidman in Big Little Lies but she’s a bit stiff in this role. At first, I thought it could be her portrayal of the character, but she and Hugh Grant just seem a bit off.
It’d be cool to be a detective, although you probably see some horrific murder scenes that haunt your mind.
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Leigha
Nov 16, 2020 07:58 PM
(This post was last modified: Nov 16, 2020 08:13 PM by Leigha.)
I’m still rating this a B+ after completing episode 4. I like it but the acting is off. Nicole Kidman comes across as a stoic, jilted wife but not distraught enough. Hugh Grant is not the right guy for this part, imo. His performance is very good but not serious enough or something. I mean, you are being charged with first degree murder, dude.
Donald Sutherland is a great actor but sounds like a war lord from the Game of Thrones. Do people really converse like that?
Some references to white privilege tossed in which I’m not a fan of try-hard films or series who bring in their political views. It somewhat works in this episode, but it feels forced.
What I do like - it’s starting to resemble a real life game of Clue so for that reason alone, I’m going to continue watching.
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C C
Nov 16, 2020 08:49 PM
(This post was last modified: Nov 16, 2020 08:50 PM by C C.)
(Nov 16, 2020 07:58 PM)Leigha Wrote: [...] Some references to white privilege tossed in which I’m not a fan of try-hard films or series who bring in their political views. It somewhat works in this episode, but it feels forced....
Brace yourself for a continual bombardment of that (and the rest of the propaganda framework) throughout 2021, in show scripts done during and after last summer. The entertainment industry is having its biggest political orgasm in history when it comes to virtue posturing to prolong personal careers and (perhaps erroneously) potentially profit from its church-like sermons.
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Leigha
Nov 16, 2020 09:07 PM
(This post was last modified: Nov 17, 2020 04:37 AM by Leigha.)
(Nov 16, 2020 08:49 PM)C C Wrote: (Nov 16, 2020 07:58 PM)Leigha Wrote: [...] Some references to white privilege tossed in which I’m not a fan of try-hard films or series who bring in their political views. It somewhat works in this episode, but it feels forced....
Brace yourself for a continual bombardment of that (and the rest of the propaganda framework) throughout 2021, in show scripts done during and after last summer. The entertainment industry is having its biggest political orgasm in history when it comes to virtue posturing to prolong personal careers and (perhaps erroneously) potentially profit from its church-like sermons.
So true. I consider myself “braced.”
I think these topics are relevant and important, discussed out in the open. There’s something icky to me about tucking political agendas into film scripts, that don’t edify the overall plot or have anything at all to do with it. As though the viewer isn't “woke'' enough, and the writers are using the series as an opportunity to inject their opinions. That’s how it comes across to me.
Strangely enough, the scene where it's mentioned seems fitting, and sadly the comment about white privilege is true. If they're going to bring current events into the story line, shouldn't the cast be wearing masks and social distancing in each and every scene? I'm kind of wondering why that's being completely left out of the equation.
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Leigha
Nov 23, 2020 11:43 PM
(This post was last modified: Nov 24, 2020 01:31 AM by Leigha.)
I didn’t watch last night’s episode...anyone following along? If so, what do you think so far?
It has that “whodunnit” feel to it but it’s still lacking. Everyone looks too stylish to be going through such trauma. lol Sure, they’re quite wealthy but still. Almost like being accused of murder is more of a nuisance in their collective lives, than a living nightmare. The intense stress and strain of how horrible such an accusation would be, isn’t coming through in their acting.
I loved NK in Big Little Lies, but she’s not giving her all in this, imo.
Edit to add - Well, I finished watching episode five, and it filled in some necessary gaps. Perhaps, the off beat tempo is purposeful and here I am, blaming the actors. I might increase my rating now to an A-
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Leigha
Nov 30, 2020 05:14 AM
(This post was last modified: Nov 30, 2020 05:15 AM by Leigha.)
Who's watching this??? Omgomg
Tonight is the series finale and it was SO good. No spoilers...not even a joking hint, I'll give you.
Bravo HBO! That was a very decent limited series. Hugh Grant's performance really surprised me.
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