The Perfect Mother

The series builds up very good suspense and mystery build up during first two episodes of the series. During the third episode you donot know whether to believe in victim innocence or not. Donot go by very low ratings. It is definitely more than 7 and worth your time.

Summary

Packed with some interesting ideas, this short Belgian police miniseries fails to shake off its listless tone for most of its run, due in part to unconvincing performances. She is also not helped by certain implausible aspects of the script.

Review

Anya, a student, is arrested in Paris on suspicion of a murder. Hélène, her mother, travels from Berlin to help her. From the beginning, we know that Anya (Eden Ducourante) is not telling the whole truth, and the series is a path towards solving the murder.

This Belgian series has some interesting ideas but does not translate them well. The Perfect Mother doesn't work well either as a thriller or a family drama. The script has some inconsistencies (1) (among others, the participation of the lawyer that Hélène contacts, certain alternatives to the investigation that both undertake; see spoiler zone below) and as a drama, everything looks tired and listless, due in part to the cold performances of Ducourant (yes, I understand that it hides things) and a Julie Gayet in the role of a mother whose perfect world is progressively falling apart. Nor does the subplot that takes place in Berlin with Anya's father and brother contribute much. On the other hand, the issue of illegal immigration appears, and the series manages to convey some effective messages in this regard.

Anya had elements to be an interesting character, especially because of her motivations and contradictions, which the series exposes, but there is something wrong with her staging and they do not generate much dramatic interest.

The miniseries is very short and could have been a movie. As usual, the last chapter picks up the aim and the rhythm and the series concludes with a successful ending.

This series was short, only 4 episodes, by the end of the second episode, I had already figured out everything about Anya, and how it would end, nevertheless, it was easily watchable.

This series has a original plot and the story is pretty well told. However, the last episode is atotal let down and makes you wonder whether the makers were out of money or if they simply forgot to finish the story decently. Well done but ends with a disappointment that ruins it all.

Ok. Holds interest since you want to know ending. The mother looks confused the whole series. Her face is frozen. Tthe daughter and son are 2 whining rich kids. The ending leaves you wondering, with mom standing on the steps totally confused again. Give it a try.