Reviewed by Rama Gaind.
Director: Jean-Marc Vallée, Roadshow Entertainment.
The eight-part psychological thriller intrigues as an emotionally troubled reporter returns to her hometown to cover the murders of two young girls.
Camille Preaker (Adams, American Hustle, Big Eyes, Arrival) is suffering from alcoholism and was recently discharged from a psychiatric hospital after years of self-harming. Even after rehab support and still drinking, she’s forced to move back to her hometown of Wind Gap, Missouri.
There, she investigates the murder of two young girls. Upon arriving at her childhood home, she finds herself once again under the critical eye of her mother, which forces Camille to confront her personal demons.
While there she also dredges up her past, and complex relationships with overbearing socialite mother Adora Crellin (Patricia Clarkson, who won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries, or Television Film for this role) and her rebellious, much-younger half-sister Amma (Australian Eliza Scanlen, Babyteeth, Little Women).
Trying to put together a psychological puzzle from her past, Camille finds herself identifying with the young victims a bit too closely. Playing a character who is constantly drunk could not have been easy. As Amy says: “It’s interesting to play somebody that has different norms and values than you do.”
Noteworthy is acting by Adams, Clarkson and Scanlen, along with directing, visuals and dark atmosphere. The series is directed by Jean-Marc Vallee (Big Little Lies) from scripts by Gone Girl author Gillian Flynn and Marti Noxon.
Name the Australian actress in this series. If the answer is correct, you could win a two-disc Blu-ray of Sharp Objects. Entries should be sent to [email protected] by Monday, 16 May 2022. Names of the winners will be announced in Frank Cassidy’s PS-sssst…! column on 17 May 2022.
- Sharp Objects, Season 1 can also be streamed on Apple TV and Foxtel
