For those who enjoy attempting to solve a cryptic mystery, HBOhas the perfect series. The Undoing may only have six episodes, but they are more than enough to leave viewers on the edge of their seats gnawing for answers. Led by Golden Globe-winner Hugh Grant and Academy Award-winner Nicole Kidman, The Undoing is full of stellar performances and nauseating turns.
Nominated for two Emmys, including Outstanding Lead Actor In A Limited Series, The Undoing comes from director Susanne Bier, who also directed 2018’s Bird Box. Adapted from Jean Hanff Korelitz’s novel You Should Have Known, HBO’s The Undoing has received quite a bit of attention. The story follows marriage counselor Grace Fraser (Kidman) and her husband Jonathan Fraser, a children’s oncologist, as they navigate the shocking discovery of the brutal murder of a fellow parent from their son’s school.
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Fans of thriller flicks may recognize the Frasers' son Henry. He is played by Noah Jupe, who has starred in A Quiet Place, Wonder, and No Sudden Move. Other notable members of the cast include Donald Sutherland, who plays Kidman’s father Franklin Reinhardt, Lily Rabe, and Edgar Ramírez.
At the start of the series, viewers get a taste of what normalcy looks like for the various parents at the prestigious Reardon School in New York. Grace comes across as a busy mom that can somehow manage to be involved in her son’s school, uphold a seemingly perfect marriage, all on top of her demanding patients. As a member of a small group of moms who plan events for the school, Grace’s best friend, a lawyer by the name of Sylvia Steineitz (Rabe), introduces a new mom to the mix. The woman is Elena Alves (played by Matilda De Angelis), an artist whose son is new to the school.
Elena doesn’t appear to be as well off as the others, wearing clothes that are dull in comparison to the expensive garments worn by the women around her. Adding the fact that she’s brought her newborn daughter with her, suggests she can’t afford to pay a babysitter. As the clear outsider, Elena proves that she can’t easily be intimidated and begins to breastfeed her daughter at the table, taking all the other moms by surprise.
The true surprise is when Elena turns up murdered with no apparent explanation. With Reardon’s prestigious reputation to maintain, the women begin to question those they’ve called friends. As one of the women who were the most welcoming to Elena, Grace is the most affected by the news. So it takes no one by surprise when the cops turn up to ask her a few questions. Lead Detective Joe Mendoza (Ramírez) makes it clear that he will uncover what has happened to Elena, no matter what stones he has to unturn.
Like any meaningful mystery, each episode offers details that make viewers second guess the answer they’ve already given themselves. It’s impossible to know who to trust and know who is telling the truth. While there is one clear suspect, there’s a lot of information that makes some, including Grace, take a step back to reevaluate their options.
Those that enjoyed Rian Johnson’s classically done whodunit, Knives Out, will find some similarities between the two. While The Undoing is much grimier and doesn’t have many comedic moments, it makes the viewer second guess all the information they’ve received. By the end of Knives Out, many were underwhelmed and felt there was no true surprise to who had committed the crime. Ransom seemed to be the guilty party the entire film and by the end, he is the one revealed to be guilty of not only attempting to kill his grandfather, but for hiring the detective, killing the housekeeper, and committing arson. The Undoing shares some of these qualities but certainly proves a point in doing so.
HBO has gained a lot of success for its original series but has also been the subject of a great deal of criticism. Game of Thrones was one of the most popular shows in the world and the last season has made it irredeemable for many long-term fans of the George R.R. Martin series.
Also adapted from a novel, The Undoing does a lot right that many mystery thrillers fail to do. It doesn’t rush its story and offers enough turns to keep people guessing. The Undoing manages to tie up bigger plot points while leaving enough room for interpretation. The series consists of complex and morally gray characters that all seem to be trying to conceal a secret while trying to uncover another. Despite a limited backstory for these characters, there is more than enough room to develop sympathy for some, hatred for some, and ambiguous feelings for a number of them.
When it comes to mysteries or any type of crime thriller, it's nearly impossible to have an ending that pleases everyone. The Undoing has a reasonable ending but it is not without a few final twists. In the end, some viewers found themselves falling for the same tricks that Elena Alves did.
The Undoing is now streaming on HBO Max.
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