Reviews

Many have not liked the ending. I am one of them, however, a story has to end and this was a way of ending it.

I actually would have preferred an ending that was as ambiguous as the story itself. I think this severe ending puts the story out of balance.

I'll explain. My take on the story, up until just before it ended, was that people believe different things about the same events. Olivia and Kate/Holly believed they were raped. James believes he did not rape anyone. They are all correct.

I think that was the point of the story. The line "Don't be such a prick tease" can be a response to a no, firm or otherwise, or it could be pillow talk. 'Not here" could mean no, or it could mean later. Holly was turned on initially by James in the cloister, then backed off when he became rough, then happily reengaged with him when he became tender and was then shocked when he penetrated her. So, what actually happened? We know what happened but I think this story was about perspective. A Rashomon.

The subplot was annoying to me as well, perhaps in the same perspective sort of way. What did James do that was so wrong regarding the death of Alec? For that matter what did Tom do that was so wrong?

Wrong, yes, no, perhaps, but so very wrong?

In the end the story disappointed itself by making it a tale of revenge of a cheated wife.

The only definite crime in this was Kate/Holly's unethical behavior.

In that sense, it's the only unambiguous bit of information in the piece.

There is no possible explanation for it and would definitely result in severe punishment. The crown prosecution lead by Kate/Holly is the only clear miscarriage of justice in this show.

I liked it, principally because I found the character Edu sympathetic, but also dumb. It is hard to believe I gave it a 9 owing to the comments that follow.

Edu was just so adorable.

Things I didn't like.

Lisbeth Everest lied about having had no emotional life.

The name Lisbeth E.was given by Edu to Elisa.-I guess this didn't happen in the universe of the character of Edu we are meant to follow.

When Edu returned to attend the play, it was obvious to me that he would have, should have indeed, allowed the Edu of that universe to attend, instead of what he did which was to replace him. What good could that have done? I did say he was dumb.

How is it that Dr. Everest is a permanent resident outside of her own universe? What purpose did it serve (scientifically or otherwise) to not have revealed herself to Edu?

I really don't need to make sense of these and other discrepancies as this is common to this genre, which does not make it alright, but understandable.

It was the emotion that mattered, although, the loss of the children didn't make enough of an impact. The result was that the couple mourned the loss of their (possibly) happy marriage(s) more so than the deaths of their children, of which they had a shared, but distinct experience. This cast a light on this piece as lightweight and immature.

My PBS Station is repeating this now. I saw it the first time around a few years ago. Gritty and real it was. What sticks with me though is the ending. As I recall, it's been a while, it seems the priest has a psychotic break, or that's one way to look at it, for me the only rational way. As things are at their lowest, miraculously, and I guess I'll give you the religious take on that word, everything is right. Everyone forgives and is forgiven, and goes to church. As a non Catholic, indeed a non Christian, I am left to figure this out on my own. It seems to me that religion, in this case specifically Catholicism, is presented as a miracle cure, and by the end of the series the drug kicks in for the full effect. I liked the series, I just wish it hadn't ended in la la land. I truly don't know what the writers intended, which I guess is fine if they just wanted to be provocative. Still, I give it a 10.

Throughout the film you never really know on whose side you belong. The parents seem to be caring but at the same time neglectful. The child is obviously weird. At the very beginning when Brad receives the call that Abby, his wife, is about to give birth he rushes out of Central Park with Josh in tow, crosses Central Park West to get a cab but leaves the boy behind on the parkside curb. Another instance of Brad's less than fully adult moves is his reaction to the news that his dog is dead. We, the audience, do not know that this was the nature of the phone call that causes him to flee the squash club, mid game, not changing his clothes and running through the streets like a madman, carrying his clothes with him steaming in the wind. One would have thought that full on death and destruction were afoot, a la 9/11, but his dog was dead. Sad, of course, but not the catastrophe he made of it. Abby is also rather distant. Pride keeps her from admitting that she needs help and she comes across as being self absorbed and self obsessed. Neither parent actually ever fully completes a transaction with their son. They never ask him how or why he feels the way he does or does the things he does. They show no interest in getting help for this boy, who clearly needs it. They are just furious with him without the loving balance of a competent parent, or even a competent adult. If you suspected that your son murdered your mother your first reaction would not be to send him to boarding school (very far way) ASAP. No one ever asks him why he killed gran. The movie is flawed, no doubt. Much is left unexplained and unsaid. A little too much, in my opinion. I wasn't sure how I felt about the film even when it became clear that Joshua had planned the outcome, i.e. the demise of his parents, and that he was indeed a bad seed (not that his parents were such bargains) What has given me pause more than anything else is the last scene when he sits with his uncle Ned (Dallas Roberts) and sings a real love song to him. A song that went on and on. It was shocking! I need to see this again, but it seems to me that Ned remained clueless. Clueless that Joshua was responsible for the situation, and clueless that Joshua was in love with him, or to be more PC, had a huge crush on him. This ultimately made me realize that this is truly a creepy film, which is not a bad thing and probably the only thing that gives it a reason to be considered worthwhile.