Nine Perfect Strangers, the preview review of the first 6 episodes
Nine Perfect Strangers
There is probably no Hollywood star who has adapted to the fast-changing entertainment industry like Nicole Kidman. Fans of Big Little Lies and The Undoing know this very well and will certainly be attracted by the large number of talents that accompany Kidman in Nine Perfect Strangers, a miniseries produced by Hulu and broadcast in Italy on Amazon Prime Video starting from August 20. Created from the collaboration between John Henry Butterworth, David E. Kelley, Nicole Kidman and Liane Moriarty (the author of Big Little Lies and the novel of the same name from which it is based), the series is presented as a thriller full of mysteries, but since first episodes turns into a sort of soap opera where the most important focus becomes the inner journey of the characters. Without going too far, here is our preview review of the first six episodes. As always, spoiler-free.Nine Perfect Strangers: nine travelers and a seemingly insane director
Already from the first episode the main story is introduced, as we observe nine very (im) perfect strangers arriving in a distant refuge called Tranquillum House. The latter is an exclusive health and wellness resort that accepts only a small percentage of the many people who try to book a stay. Of course, each of them arrives with a heavy baggage, but in a metaphorical sense since this is made up of pain, trauma, insecurities and many other things that millions of people around the world trying to fix daily even paying large sums for specialist sessions. Directed by a mysterious Russian named Masha (Nicole Kidman), the Tranquillum project promises a transformative experience, but initially the participants seem stubbornly disinterested in doing what it takes to truly transform. However, as Masha's strategies become more and more extravagant, ICU may be the last thing they need to fear.That's the alluring promise that both the fictional Tranquillum House wellness retreat offers, and Nine Perfect Strangers with its plot. They lure curious and unsuspecting customers with a smile, stating that drinking the right drinks, assuming the right yoga positions, and staying away from the phone long enough can cure any misfortune, but it's all a lie. Nine Perfect Strangers, in its excellent attention to detail and character insight, is a wonderful adaptation of Liane Moriarty's novel of the same name, a series that delves into the central story of healing and pain while adding the melancholy streak of lack to the subject. effective of a quick solution to the improvement. The result is a spectacle as electrifying as Big Little Lies, with a sharp and aggressive edge that has nothing to do with well-being.
Characters with great psychological character
Having read the book (it is not essential to do so to appreciate the serial transposition) one is fascinated by the adherence of the cast to the original work, in a combination of elements that highlight the strengths of the protagonists and humanize their weaknesses. Leading the group is undoubtedly Nicole Kidman in a role practically designed for her. The actress excels in this of her being a vaguely evil savior, as well as a goddess-like woman who inspires fear from every pore by forcing people to respect and obey her through her willpower. Among the visitors (or rather patients), Melissa McCarthy undoubtedly stands out in the role of novelist Frances Welty. McCarthy's flawless timing and quiet tenderness turn her into the perfect heroine of a romantic comedy, exactly the kind of woman starring in her own books.Then there's Michael Shannon as the over-optimistic Napoleon Marconi , the patriarch of a poor family traumatized by his son's suicide. Through her rambling monologues and big smiles, Shannon embodies how toxic relentless positivity can be. It is precisely for this reason that the enigmatic Masha decided to welcome him into the project, giving him an exclusive economic discount. Then, again, we find Regina Hall, Bobby Cannavale, Manny Jacinto, Melvin Gregg and Samara Weaving: in short, each actor in this miniseries brings his great talent and unique stories as painful as they are enigmatic.
Nine Perfect Strangers is one of those rare series where it is impossible to choose a favorite character because everyone is just perfect. The result is to have a compelling and delightfully packaged production that, however, as an apparent thriller is more interested in examining people's psychology to understand which of them would be attracted to the splendid trap built by Masha. Currently, in contrast, there is only Luke Evans who has landed the most thankless role in the generally unpleasant Lars and is the actor whose character is still heavily unfinished in the six episodes at our disposal.
The concept of well-being as it had never been addressed
The director, after all, knows how to do it because, although there are evident extremes of neglect and authoritarianism, there is a kind of merit in her madness when she achieves the promised results. The topic of achieving personal well-being has been explored in depth by various television series, including the unexpected Rick & Morty. What strengthens Nine Perfect Strangers, however, is the willingness to explore the type of person who is drawn to these solutions. There are very contradictory characteristics in each of the characters present in the series: the people who want a solution to their pain so much that they are willing to shell out astronomical sums and accept crazy solutions, are also the same who are too afraid to face their demons. daily.On the contrary, those who cannot afford to pay a lot, positively accept every timing and every decision, even the most painful psychologically. In a nutshell, over the course of the six episodes that were previewed to us, Nine Perfect Strangers tenderly displays the vulnerabilities that accompany any kind of self-improvement journey, even if the latter were to simply have a placebo effect.
