Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Not much depth behind ‘Big Little Lies’
Someone has been killed as “Big Little Lies” opens, but the HBO series refuses to reveal the victim. The same set-up propelled Liane Moriarty’s best-selling novel. After a while, you may not care who died. Despite a cast headed by Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman, “Big Little Lies” asks you to spend time with adults who are brattier than their young kids.
The seven-episode series, which debuts Sunday, may look like a glossy mystery and you may go in expecting juicy fun. Yet there’s also a creepy, voyeuristic story unfolding. Are you up for spying on attractive people who are miserable in their swank homes in Monterey, Calif.?
The top-notch talent extends to behind the scenes. TV veteran David E. Kelley (“Ally McBeal”) wrote the script and uses a distracting device of having a chorus of gossipy onlookers weigh in on the action.
Jean-Marc Vallée (“Dallas Buyers Club”) directs in a smooth but tricky style. It’s often unclear if the characters are dreaming, imagining events or living through horrendous moments. Yet these folks lack compelling flair. Flashy editing and stunning photography are lavished on tiresome, shallow types.
Witherspoon plays against type as Madeline Mackenzie, whose overbearing and know-it-all style thwarts her good intentions. She is cruel to her ex-husband, Nathan Carlson (James Tupper), and her current husband, Ed Mackenzie (Adam Scott).
Celeste Wright (Kidman) seems to have a perfect marriage to Perry (Alexander Skarsgård), but the series quickly and graphically disabuses viewers of that notion. Kidman excels in the most wrenching moments.
Jane (Shailene Woodley), the new single mom in town, has a troubled young son, an angry outlook and shocking memories.
Least-likable status goes to the high-strung Renata Klein (Laura Dern), who makes every problem worse. She bullies her husband, Gordon (Jeffrey Nordling), and their young daughter.
The actors throw themselves into these roles, but the chilly characters irritate more than captivate. These people scream with believable fury, and viewers may feel like doing the same. Beyond the mystery, how this other half lives is more disturbing than engrossing entertainment.