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Dear Child (2023)

2023 · Crime,Drama,Mystery · crime-psychological-profiler, contemporary-realistic

Dear Child poster

Dear Child is a German-language Netflix psychological crime thriller built around one of the most unsettling child performances in recent European drama: a girl raised in total captivity who has internalized her captor's rules so completely that her behavior reads as eerie rather than traumatized. The show opens with visceral mystery — a woman escaping, a girl who knows too much — and sustains claustrophobic dread through precise cinematography and a strong tonal commitment to darkness. It sits comfortably in the tradition of prestige continental European crime (Dark, The Killing) and rewards viewers who want psychological menace over action. Its core weakness is a widely-criticized finale that leaves major plot threads unresolved and character motivations unexplained, disappointing many who were fully invested through five strong episodes.

From the reviewers

The acting is top-notch especially from the young actress playing Hannah. She is the glue to the show and all eeriness emanates from where she comes from.
The story is well-told, with excellent cinematography blending colors and darkness with the right amount to spook you.
the rather mundane reveal and the somewhat anti-climactic and rushed ending put a downer on what could have been a flawless new production from Germany.
It was mysterious from beggining to end and very engaging. High quality thriller. All the actors were amazing especially the children. The girl who played Hannah was quite scarry which is very difficult to portray for such a sweet looking, child actor.
I watched it at night and it gave me the creeps which I love!!

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