Ladies in Black

Lovely, light, easy to watch drama.

Yes the faces are too fillered, accents too fake, themes too laboured, but if you park all that it's great! The cast are good and you can't help falling for the characters and being genuinely interested in what happens next.

Really enjoyable and can't wait for series 2!

I enjoyed this series. Debi Mazar is mesmerising as Magda, playing against type and she nails it. Miranda Otto gives a brilliant nuanced performance. Some of the other characters are a little wooden. It's a fascinating glimpse into 1960's Australian life. The running of the department store, University life and the migrant experience are well portrayed. The fashions were enjoyable however I'm glad we've moved on. The music score worked well. Overall it's a lighthearted series however we feel Magda's angst. It's interesting to be reminded of a the restrictions of a woman's lot and the burden on men to provide in those times. This is handled well and not rammed down the audiences throat.

Bit of a fan of the film, so was interested in watching this.

Set a few months after the film.

First disappointment was, it seems, no actors from the film are in this series. I didn't really expect Julia Ormond and Angourie Rice, but thought some of the others in the cast might have reprised their role. I can only assume the producers didn't bother to ask any of them?

The closest we get is "Marlow" character is mentioned in the film and the character gets an on screen presence is in the series. Also I think "Miss Cartwright" character, from the film, is mentioned in the first episode and why her character isn't in the series.

Overall I found it to be a bit more of a soap opera and felt the writing did let the actors down at times.

The acting is fine by the main actors, but some of the other roles I felt there was a bit of over acting happening, and that one or two of the roles were mis-cast.

I loved this series so much, but why is the music not from the era! 🙈 there are so many good songs from this era. The music choices are confusing. Casting of the Yanosis was also ill fitting, Ryan Corr and Rachael Taylor were perfect in the movie, the new casting didn't work. Jessica de Geow was great but Thom Green just didn't fit the bill, even the physical size difference between the two didn't make sense there just wasn't a charm factor, no chemistry between them, it just ruined that central storyline. Costuming was incredible, sets were incredible. Music, disappointing. Casting questionable.

As someone who watched the 2018 film and enjoyed it... This version in my opinion is really not it.

The 600 characters writing this are sad that this review has to exist. The only interesting thing was cinematography and the stunning shots of the store and the set pieces.

But I feel like even though the movie was in 2018, the decision to make a series 4-ish years on was a rushed one and sometimes it really shows.

It feels slow, characters are wooden and it's just really hard to like. But there are actors who you know and you're like "omg is that?" and yes it is!

Miranda Otto plays Virgina Ambrose brilliantly and is the one of many shining lights in the disappointment of the series.