Alias Grace

This six-episode miniseries is an exquisitely shot piece that features a standout lead actress performance. Alas, after a strong beginning it sort of just fades into "good" territory when it seemingly could have elevated to "great".

For a very basic overview, Alias Grace (based on the Margaret Atwood novel of the same name) tells the story of Grace Marks (Sarah Gadon), a woman in 1840s Canada imprisoned for the murder of Nancy Montgomery (Anna Paquin). Psychologist Dr. Jordan (Edward Holcroft) takes an interest in her case and conducts a series of interviews to determine if her conviction is legitimate or based on faulty confessions/evidence. Through these interviews, Grace reflects on much of her past, filling in key backstories until getting to the "true story" of the murder itself.

The main reason Alias Grace leaves a bit of a mark in the streaming landscape is because it is so impeccably shot by Brendan Steacy. The images here are incredibly crisp, clean, and often haunting.

It of course helps to have Gadon's otherworldly performance as Grace. An award-worthy role, to be sure. One can't help but get swept away by her saga, as she displays such a wide range of emotions (often simply from her facial expressions and eyes) from beginning to end.

The limiting factor of Alias Grace, however, is that the miniseries does not end as strong as it begins. For the first two episodes (8/10 stars by me), it shows real promise as an engaging murder mystery and enlightening tale of female misunderstanding and abuse. But then, three 7/10 episodes roll by that are only visually (not plot) exciting before the finale claws back to 8-star range. The biggest problem? The show relies too much on the resolution of the murder mystery and not quite enough on the more interesting character intrigue/arcs.

It is quite possible that even at six episodes, Alias Grace is a little long in the tooth (at very least for what director Mary Harron wanted to focus on). It isn't a bad watch by any means, but the promise of the initial episodes sort of squeaks away like air out of a faulty balloon.

There are many good things about this, especially in the first half. The characters are well played. In the end, however, I was unsatisfied. It was as if there was a rush to be done with it all. Not a lot of depth in the last couple of episodes.

I found this to be a beautifully told, riveting story. It is certainly a slow burn so if you require fast-passed action this may not be what you are looking for.

Alias Grace is an example of thoughtful and deliberate storytelling. It presents the life experiences of Grace Marks (Sarah Gadon) as she shares her story with Dr Simon Jordan. Throughout the six-part miniseries, you are meant to consider whether she is culpable for the murders for which she was accused. Sarah Gadon gives a powerful, understated performance that draws you in. Her nuanced portrayal made me more interested in watching the development of her character than learning whether she had committed the murders.

I have read some reviews in which Alias Grace was criticized for being feminist propaganda which presented the male characters as predatory and the society in which Grace lived as patriarchal. I certainly agree that the series provided commentary on sexism and classism. But I think one should keep in mind that it's a historical piece set largely in 1840-1850.

A little history of Ontario, Canada: * In 1884, married women received the same legal rights as men to enter into legal agreements and buy property. * In 1917, women were granted the right to vote. * In 1928, the Supreme Court determined that the term "persons" in the British North America Act did not include women. This was appealed in 1929 and women became people under the act.

So ... Personally, I'm quite comfortable with the series' commentary on sexism and the presentation of the experiences of the female characters. If you aren't considered a person under the law, naturally it will reflect how you are treated in society.

I am somewhat sate of all these flashy trailers that leave me breathing air through my mouth and then i realize i've fallen for the same old marketing trick.

Like many others that probably watched this show, i myself have not read the book, nor do i intend to because it just leaves me questioning so many different aspects of this book/show that i never thought i would be questioning.

What i expected was a psychologically disturbed pathological liar that got away with killing and manipulating more than five people in her favor, what i got was a bible study of the feminist mind and her hot 50 year old master. He is hot, stop denying it.

The last two episodes should or could have been so much more but they never culminated for me it just went up, up and then down down and flatlined.

I have the feeling we are probably missing a lot of backstory. Nevertheless i think the show was good...maybe. Let's leave it to god shall we?

What a well made, superbly acted and completely fascinating series this turned out to be. A true life murder is always interesting but the details here are not too well known like Lizzie Borden's story. An Irish maid emigrates to Canada but gets caught up and convicted of the murder of her employer and housekeeper. The psychological and emotional insights are so well incorporated they ring true. The dialog is such that you listen for every word though some of the accents are a bit thick.

Acting is superb. Sarah Gadon is luminous and perfectly cast. Deserves an Emmy. Her facial expressions are just right for the complexities of the role. Anna Paquin is good too in a difficult role. Zachary Levi is kind and surprisingly not out of place in the time period. The supporting cast are good too.

The directing is precise and shows you what you need for the story. The horrific and painful parts of the story are such that it could not have been shown in such detail if it was adapted many years ago. What a perfect balance of beauty and horror.

The series is 6 episodes. Just the right length - neither too long to have any draggy moments or too short to feel short changed in any way. This series shows CBC more than matching the best BBC can produce.