I've been noticing banner ads for Mare of Easttown on Disney+ Hotstar for a while now and I honestly don't know why I didn't start watching the show immediately because it is a genre that I immensely enjoy- crime thriller.
Anyway, I got to it a bit late (when it was already 5 episodes down) but binged all 5 over a couple of nights. The show had its finale this week and I thought it would be good to share my review.
Things I Liked:
1. A female protagonist who felt very real. Mare (Marianne) is a single mother, who is also raising her grandson. Her son, Kevin, died of suicide a couple of years ago and Mare has still not come to terms with his passing. She is prickly, not openly affectionate, struggling but also focused on her job and family. She is very real. She is coping the best she can without any self-pity or even taking the time to allow herself to heal. Also, as a bonus, the highly competent and utterly beautiful Kate Winslet has played Mare so perfectly! She has barely worn any makeup and all her lines and other age markers have not been covered up cosmetically or surgically! She plays a mid-40s small-town cop with so much honesty and vulnerability.
2. At the centre of the show's narrative are two key events- Mare's personal life and the brutal murder of a teen mom. So, the story moves around Mare and her local team of cops trying to solve the murder of this young girl as well as the one-year old case of Mare's close friend's daughter, who just went missing. We get to see the investigation, delve into the life of the dead young girl- her strained dynamics with her baby-daddy, her best friend who is still keeping her secrets and some other teens who were cat-fishing and bullying her. Plenty of red herrings and motives for many people wanting this young girl dead and the show does a good job of keeping things mysterious for quite some time.
3. The resolution of the missing-girls case and the murder case are both nicely done. The show deals with themes that plague small-town America- poverty, unemployment and a raging opioid pandemic! This not a Gilmore Girls type idealised, fake small town America. This is so real and every heartbreaking issue is dealt with with so much maturity and kindness. Whether it is the story of Mare's friend, Bethy's, younger brother and his small-time thievery to support his addiction or that of an old couple who believe they have someone stalking their home or even young women turning to escorting and prostitution to earn a living. So many everyday life tragedies and struggles have been portrayed with an underlying kindness in this show, which I really liked.
Things I Didn't Like:
1. This show is a crime drama and not a crime thriller. It moves slowly and, as mentioned above, the show covers a lot of ground exploring both Mare and Easttown's issues and struggles. So, if you, like me, go in expecting a crime thriller, which is pacy and action-filled, then you'll be a bit disappointed. This is slow-burn type of a crime drama and you'll need to align your expectations accordingly.
Rating: 4/5
This is a nicely made and interesting (though slightly slow-paced) show with some great performances and an interesting murder mystery. Do watch.
Mare of Easttown is streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.
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