On September 5, the Netflix streaming service released the detective drama series «The Perfect Couple» starring Nicole Kidman and a friend of Ukraine, Liev Schreiber. The plot is based on the novel of the same name by American writer Elin Hilderbrand, which appeared on bookstore shelves in 2018. In this review, we tell you what’s wrong with the local wealthy family and whether the project can surprise you in the context of a detective intrigue.
Pluses:
the story, although not able to surprise or keep you in suspense, looks quite interesting; a good cast led by the unsurpassed Nicole Kidman; the picturesque landscapes of Nantucket are simply enchanting;
Minuses:
not all characters and storylines are equally interesting; the revelation of a detective intrigue is unlikely to shock anyone;
«The Perfect Couple»
Genre crime drama, detective
Director Susanna Beer
Starring Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Eve Hewson, Dakota Fanning, Billy Gole, Jack Reynor, Megan Fahy, Donna Lynn Champlin, Michael Beach, Ishaan Hatter, Sam Nivola, Mia Isaac, Isabelle Adjani, Tommy Flanagan
Premiere Netflix
Year of issue 2024
Website IMDb
A big celebration is planned in the luxurious home of the wealthy Winbury family on the Nantucket coast — a wedding. Benjy, one of the three sons of a family consisting of the famous writer Greer Harrison and the joint-loving Tag, plans to marry a girl from a simple family named Amelia Sachs. Nothing seemed to stand in the way of a good celebration. But when one of the guests is found dead the day after the dress rehearsal, the whole family’s life is thrown into chaos.
«The Perfect Couple» — is an adaptation of a detective novel by Elin Hilderbrand —, an American writer who specializes primarily in romance novels. In 2019, the popular New York Magazine characterized the author as «the queen of beach reading», which already gives us some idea of the kind of reading Hilderbrand offers. The events of her works usually take place somewhere in Nantucket — and now the creators have remained true to this tradition and moved the action to this picturesque island.
But the project by director and screenwriter Suzanne Beer is not the only one to boast of beautiful scenery, as it has managed to assemble a really great cast, which becomes one of the saving graces for a not-so-great story
The problem is that not all the characters are genuinely interesting and, consequently, not all the plot branches seem necessary. For example, Eve Hewson’s romantic dalliances don’t really add much intrigue, but rather are a side and frankly superfluous plotline that would look appropriate in the same romance novels. Or take the mysterious character of Tommy Flanagan, who was supposed to be a maneuver for a potentially cool twist, but in fact turned out to be a natural plot device.
At first glance, the plot may seem like another police procedural story like CSI; even the cult sitcom «Two and a Half Men» once wittily played on «Crime Scene Investigation» by using an identical plot «murder at a wedding in the house of wealthy fools».
However, the authors seem to be more interested in intra-family squabbles than in the actual investigation, and Western reviewers have been comparing the show to «Big Little Lies» and «White Lotus». So if you’re comfortable with these kinds of plot emphases, there’s a chance the show will work for you.
And «The Perfect Couple» has a lot in common with «Knives Out», which are now also cares for Netflix. In addition to the development of events in Massachusetts, as it was in the hit first part, there is an irritating dominance of luxury in the frame. A sufficient number of not particularly pleasant or at least questionable characters, each of whom has something to hide, a satirical look at the arrogant rich, among whom there is no room for sincerity, etc.«I don’t trust him. He makes his bed like a poor man» — sounds in one of the eloquent dialogues.
In other words, the whole Winbury family idyll is desperately pretend and would only be suitable for the cover of an empty glossy magazine. The perfect picture hides a bunch of skeletons in the closet, and even the slightest smile looks insincere. In the debut episode, this blatant artificiality is further reinforced by the extremely vivid shots of wedding joy with a bunch of smiling people, and all this happiness is very reminiscent of the ending of an average American rom-com. And don’t forget about the show’s satirical opening sequence with its primitive dancing to pop music in the spirit of «Deadpool & Wolverine».
«The Perfect Couple» is clearly not a revelation in the detective genre, and many viewers will probably guess the identity of the killer beforehand (and if not, the reveal will hardly shock anyone). But the story manages to stay afloat thanks to moderately interesting character interactions, clever mini-cliffhangers at the end of the episodes, breathtaking Nantucket landscapes, and energetic acting performances.
Among the others, the unsurpassed Nicole Kidman shines especially well, with her every appearance and every dialog making you literally stick to the screen. Liev Schreiber does nothing but chug alcohol and smoke weed, but this is enough to create the right impression of his character. Compared to these two, everyone else, of course, loses in charisma, except for Jack Reynor, who still tries to pretend to be a classic spoiled rich man. But the character of Eve Hewson seems somehow sluggish and not at all interesting, despite her important role in the plot.
In general, the new Netflix project will clearly not claim a place in the list of top series of the year, and it has nothing to surprise. But it does a good job with the «stick in front of the screen on weekends» function. That’s all anyone could ask for.
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