Netflix‘s new hit thriller His & Hers has stormed the streamer’s most popular shows chart.
Starring Jon Bernthal and Tessa Thompson, the show follows Thompson’s Anna, a former news anchor pulled back to her hometown to solve a crime — where her estranged husband, Detective Jack Harper (Bernthal), just happens to also be investigating.
And though the twisty mystery is certainly addictive, Watch With Us can’t help but feel like your time is better spent watching a series that’s better, if a bit older.
HBO Max‘s Sharp Objects is a captivating thriller with a similar premise that has a bit more flair and a lot more bite.
We’re here to explain why Sharp Objects is worth your time.
It Works as a Riveting Character Drama and a Compelling Mystery
Sharp Objects is adapted from Gillian Flynn‘s debut novel of the same name and centers on alcoholic crime reporter Camille Preaker (Amy Adams). Recently discharged from a psychiatric hospital after many years of self-harming, Camille takes on a brutal case involving two young girls murdered in her hometown. An uneasy return to a place she always wanted to leave behind, Camille is forced to contend with her estranged, controlling mother, Adora (Patricia Clarkson), stepfather Alan (Henry Czerny) and much younger half-sister, the willful Amma (Eliza Scanlen).
As Camille investigates the horrific crime, her thorny relationship with Adora — a judgmental and well-respected local socialite — begins consuming her life, with memories of the childhood death of Camille’s younger sister, Marian (Lulu Wilson), now painfully brought to the surface. More than just an exceptional and twisty mystery narrative, Sharp Objects intertwines a fascinating and complex familial web based on lies, manipulation, repressed trauma and simmering secrets. Sharp Objects excels as a dense psychological puzzle that favors exploring its rich characters a little more than simply solving a mystery (but the mystery just happens to be really good, too).
Amy Adams Gives Her Best Performance Ever — Yes, Really
Some might disagree, but it wouldn’t be entirely out of line to assert that Sharp Objects is the best performance of Adams’ career. As Camille, she is intense, haunted and deeply flawed but also empathetic and authentic. More importantly, the pain of Camille’s character and the trauma that she lives with are never glorified. Instead, Adams paints Camille as relentlessly self-destructive yet engaging, even charismatic. She both evokes the inquisitive persona of a seasoned reporter as well as the physicality of a woman who has endured years of hurt, both internal and external.
In addition to the overt physical transformation Adams conveys for her performance — a standoffish slouch, dropping her voice an octave with a convincing southern drawl, even consuming excess salt to give her a constantly drained appearance — there’s also incredible nuance to her portrayal of Camille. Adams consistently hides depth and complexity within a reddened glance or a simple flicker of her eyelids. The actress successfully embodies a person who has spent so many years shoving her pain deep down inside her that it manifests on the surface. Though Adams was nominated for both a Primetime Emmy and a Golden Globe, she won neither. We should’ve taken to the streets.
The Unique Visuals and Editing Style Make It Stand Out
Amy Adams and Patricia Clarkson in Sharp Objects Anne Marie Fox / ©HBO / Courtesy: Everett Collection
Directed by the late Jean-Marc Vallée (Big Little Lies), Sharp Objects is a touch above your standard murder mystery series like His & Hers. The show’s visual flair, stylistic direction and haunting cinematography help to elevate the series into something unforgettable. Some critics even drew favorable comparisons between Sharp Objects and True Detective, two crime shows that lean on a dark, Southern Gothic feel and a suffocating atmosphere of tension and suspense.
Vallée created a distinct vibe for the show in which reality occasionally feels like a dream (or a nightmare), frequently shifting back and forth between time periods by blending flashbacks with present-day events. The detailed production design for the fictional town of Wind Gap, Missouri, adds to the immersive aspect of the show and an overall creeping feeling that you just can’t seem to shake. Ultimately, Vallée sustains a unique visual language to match the state of mind of his protagonist, with fragmented editing and hypnotic cinematography. The result is one of the most memorable thriller shows made in the last 20 years and a haunting meditation on familial trauma passed from generation to generation.
Stream Sharp Objects now on HBO Max.
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