Laura’s Book Rating: 5 Stars
Laura’s HBO Series Rating: 4 Stars
Okay, so I just recently watched the HBO mini series of Big Little Lies, based on the book by Liane Moriarty. I read the book a few years ago and it is still one of my favorites to talk about and recommend. I decided to do a combo review of both the book and the HBO series.
The Book (2014):
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty was one of the best books I have read in the past few years. I love the genius intertwining of the lives of the people in Pirriwee and the unexpected twists and revelations. Moriarty has an incredible ability to create vivid, multi-dimensional characters. I feel like I know the specific personalities of Madeline, Jane, and Celeste. They were each distinct people living in the same universe, but with vastly different situations. Although the premise of 3 moms all having kids in the same kindergarten class may seem shallow or boring, the book is so much more than that. I could not put this book down. I never once felt like it was too long and I wish I could read the twists again for the first time. Big Little Lies also convinced me to read Liane Moriarty’s other books (although none so far have quite lived up to BLL).
“Sometimes doing the wrong thing was also right.” Nobody is perfect and no relationship is perfect. Moriarty allows you to see the dark parts of her characters without casting judgement. She presents them as the whole person, with the good and the bad. At times the subject matter can be a bit heavy and dark. It deals with social pressure and appearances, the relationships between parents and their children as they grow up, sexual assault, and the lasting impacts of trauma and the ripples of terror it can send through a family and a community. However, the book also shows forgiveness between friends and partners, unconditional loyalty among friends, and the beauty of blended families. Despite some sad and serious events, the book still manages to be witty, funny, and heartwarming at times.
What I took away as the main theme of the book is that nothing is ever as it seems. You never know what goes on behind closed doors or how people and events may be connected. This book is a MUST read. As I would almost always recommend, you should read the book before watching the mini-series, although it’s not necessary.
The HBO Series (2019):
“That’s the essence of a happy marriage isn’t it? The ability to pretend?” This seems to be a major theme of the series, and not just in the context of marriage. (Big) Little lies that people tell themselves or each other, just to keep the peace or preserve an outward appearance are central to the events in the show.
I would like to warn that this series, similar to the book, deals with some harsh, dark subject matter. It is definitely not PG and can be graphic or upsetting at times. There are scenes of abuse and assault, deception and betrayal. However, it also shows the resiliency of women in the face of hardship. Reese Witherspoon and Shailene Woodley give great performances. Laura Dern surprised me with a very convincing performance as well. But it was Nicole Kidman who I thought really shined. She delivered an authentic, captivating performance as the beautiful and damaged Celeste.
Season One is based on Liane Moriarty’s novel, while season two continues based off the first season of the show. I enjoyed exploring a little further past the events of the book because there is so much there to dive into. However, it did feel like some characters of season one really took a back burner to others. Celeste arguably becomes the focal point of the whole series, while Bonnie blends into the background with quiet, depressing scenes that are not really connected to the other characters. Madeline becomes less likable and almost like a caricature of herself in the few scenes that focus on her. The story and acting is still high quality, but the plot feels unbalanced and a bit disconnected at times.
The cinematography was full of beautiful shots that juxtaposed the calm and chaos of the ocean. This created a feeling of something sinister lurking beneath the beauty of this picturesque town. While I liked the cinematography itself, I did not love the editing style used at several points through the series. I felt like there was a lot of reused footage and I watched the same scenes multiple times. There were some annoying cuts to certain shots and quick flashes of a scene. There was also an effect they used where sound was echo-y and drowned out in these flashes. I understand that this was for dramatic effect and that the scene still made sense without specific, clear dialogue. However, if that footage is going to be shown more than once, it should become more clear with each flash. It would not have been my preferred editing choice, especially for a few key pivotal scenes. Due to the unbalanced plot and annoying edits, I can’t quite give the series 5 stars, although I did love it.
Side note: check out the theme song “Cold Little Heart” by Michael Kiwanuka (Radio Edit is best) for some chill morning coffee vibes.
Comentarios