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Sharp Objects (2018)

2018 · Crime,Drama,Mystery · crime-psychological-profiler, family-relational, dramatized-true-crime

Sharp Objects poster

Sharp Objects is a slow-burn HBO limited series adapted from Gillian Flynn's novel, following journalist Camille Preaker (Amy Adams) as she returns to her suffocating Missouri hometown to cover the murders of two young girls. The show is less interested in the whodunit than in excavating generational trauma, self-harm, and the grotesque intimacies of a diseased mother-daughter relationship. Jean-Marc Vallée's direction — with its hypnotic flash-cuts, subliminal word inserts, and a dread-soaked small-town atmosphere — creates a formally distinctive experience that rewards patient, attentive viewers. The finale is widely described as one of the most shocking endings in prestige TV, landing with retrospective force.

From the reviewers

The 'slow burn' pace is a dramatic marinade, allowing us to really soak in the character and absorb the experience. It makes the finale that much more impactful, and what a twisty finale it was!
This is a character study in damaged human beings, how they got to that point, and the different ways it manifests in their lives. It is dark and unflinching in some places, and it is fascinating.
The scene transitions between past memories and the present are very successful. It's like the scenes are intertwined. You're not leaving the general story of the series as you watch the past memories scenes.
Amy Adams and Patricia Clarkson are really good. I found the tension between them very good. Unfortunately, it is not possible to escape from the parents we are attached to.
In an age of constant renewals and shows that refuse to bow out when they're on top, there's something to be said for the beauty of a self-contained story, well-told.

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