All the Light We Cannot See

"Shawn Levy's Epic Series 'All the Light We Cannot See' premiered on Netflix on Nov. 2, 2023.

Based on Anthony Doerr's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, the four-episode limited series unfolds in a besieged city, immersing viewers in the lives of Marie-Laure, a blind French teenager, and Werner, a German soldier. Their paths cross in occupied France as they navigate the challenges of World War II.

Marie-Laure's story begins in Paris, where her father works at the Museum of Natural History. With the Nazi occupation, they seek refuge in the fortress city of Saint-Malo, accompanied by a precious and perilous museum artifact.

Meanwhile, in a German mining town, orphan Werner and his sister find solace in a radio that brings them tales from distant lands. Werner's talent for building and repairing these radios leads him into the resistance.

While the narrative flirts with romantic and fairy tale elements, it occasionally grounds itself in realism, offering a unique blend of myth and reality.

The casting of visually impaired actors, such as Loberti and Nell Sutton, who portrays young Marie, adds authenticity to the characters, story. This casting choice enhances the representation and genuine portrayal of the story's protagonists.

'All the Light We Cannot See' may not be a typical comfort watch, it offers a glimpse into a simpler time, contrasting with its wartime setting."

Firstly, I read the book, All the light we cannot see and found it to be a profoundly beautiful book. Doerr the writer described the events in such beautiful terms and moves the reader with his words, I just had to put the book down on occasions to close my eyes and be there, with them, for a minute to let the emotions and images wash over me. To be truthful I was a little bit worried when I heard Netflix was doing a series, but overjoyed when I read that Louis Hoffman, from the brilliant Dark, was playing Werner the main character. Aria Maria Loberti a legally blind new actress, was also very believable and strong. I think that the series tried very hard to encapsulate the concepts of the story. Nothing can ever be as good as the book. Very few series or films are as good as the original book, in which our own imagination draws the environment, the people and their natures and their characters. In this series the two young main characters were absolutely beautiful, and Lewis Hoffman is a stunning young actor and I have much regard for him and found it an absolute pleasure to watch. My only complaint about the whole series was Marie-Laurie walking without shoes with glass and debris everywhere go r so long towards the end, but that's a small complaint overall. I'm also rereading the book now.

All The Light We Cannot See takes a lot of liberties compared to its source material. The most glaring of which is its choice of having everyone speak English. It's a jarring decision and incredibly inconsistent with its actors. You have German Actora portraying Germans speaking English in France with a German Accent, British Actors Portraying the French in France with English Accents, and an American Actor portraying a Frenchman in France with an English Accent.

The biggest thing missed out because if all that is how important the language barrier was there, both historically and in the source material but someone made an ill-advised decision to have everyone speak English instead of going with what would have been an excellent subtitled series with everyone speaking their character's native and/or learned tongues.

Aria (Marie) does an excellent job in her acting debut, along with her more seasoned German co-star Louis Hofman. Hugh Laurie is an absolute delight to watch in anything and the supporting cast does well. Now for the Elephant in the room, I have absolutely no idea why the hell they put Mark Ruffalo in this. He is neither French, nor German, and speaks with a terrible British accent. You could easily find a multi-lingual actor (Christoph Waltz as a popular example) who could easily take that same role and blow it out of the water. Instead we get a half-baked heartless performance from Ruffalo that probably cost them a large portion of their budget to bring on board.

This could've been an excellent series if they took the time to let it cook some more, had a few more episodes, and made some better casting decisions. Instead it sits, in my eyes, not nearing its full potential, despite some stellar performances from young actors and actresses, great cinematography, costuming, and location/environment shooting.

6/10 I lament what could've been an excellent unique period piece limited series.

Loved Louis Hofmann in DARK so I have to watch it. It's a warm tale of courage and hope that's been told via a French blind girl & a German soldier in World War II days. It was surprising to see Nazi radio enthusiast, Werner talking in a non German accent & Ruffalo being British while in Paris.

The story gets tangled with flashbacks, cinematography was more focused than the emotional connect of protagonists. It could have been better, maybe it's just the timing when the world is at war again.

"Darkness lasts not even for one second when you turn on the light". The crux of the show perhaps...

In summary, this 4-episode series is a remarkable and highly-produced work that goes beyond the typical TV series. Created by renowned figures Steven Knight and Shawn Levy, it tells a unique perspective of the Nazi-occupied small town in France during a historical period. The plot primarily focuses on the search for a blind young woman who becomes a symbol of resistance during the war and a young Nazi who is forced to hunt her down. The series weaves two distinct life stories, the radio plays a central role in connecting both characters, serving as a bridge that links their lives and stories together. One set in the past with intricate subplots, leading up to the heart-wrenching war scenes in the present. What makes it exceptional is the fact that the lead actress is a real blind actress with no prior acting experience, and she delivers a natural and captivating performance. It's a series leaving a lasting impression and is definitely worth watching.