La mia prediletta

I started to love German productions after Dark and 1989 because they make very intelligent programs, without too much drama (which I hate) and with a lot of suspense and mystery (which I love). So I was very hopefull for this and it didn't dissapoint. It was mysterious from beggining to end and very engaging. High quality thriller. All the actors were amazing especially the children. The girl who played Hannah was quite scarry which is very difficult to portray for such a sweet looking, child actor. Also Jasmine was pretty scary too. I watched it at night and it gave me the creeps which I love!! It has heen a long time since Netflix brought a new series that was this engaging in my opinnion so I highly recommend if you are into dark, psychologcial mysteries.

This series is captivating from the get-go, with a perfect blend of mystery, family drama, horror, and cop procedural show. The acting is top-notch especially from the young actress playing Hannah. She is the glue to the show and all eeriness emanates from where she comes from. The story is well-told, with excellent cinematography blending colors and darkness with the right amount to spook you. Up until around episode 5, I consider this a 10, however, the rather mundane reveal and the somewhat anti-climactic and rushed ending put a downer on what could have been a flawless new production from Germany.

Very well done series. Beautifully filmed, good acting, interesting story line. I was fully invested right to the creepy end. The end was a disappointment, so I took off three stars. It was too abrupt, and it felt unfinished.

Movies and series that end like this annoy me a bit. It seems really lazy and disrespectful to the viewer. I mean; the audience bothered to invest all their time and emotions, so have the darn courtesy of finishing the story properly please! With a better ending, I would give it 9 - 10 stars, as I do love my dark, gloomy, creepy Scandi / European crime, and this one ticked all the boxes.

As Episode 1 of "Dear Child" (2023 release from Germany; 6 episodes ranging from 45 to 50 min) opens, we see a woman and 2 children who are locked up by a man. The woman manages to escape but she is badly injured in a hit-and-run. Somehow her 12 yo daughter makes it out as well. At this point we are 10 minutes into Episode 1.

Couple of comments: this is the latest from German director Isabel Kleefeld, turning the German bestseller of the same name into a 6 part mini-series. This is a super plot-heavy psychological drama, so the less said about the story line, the better. All I will say is that what appears at first hand in the opening episode raises more questions than it gives answers. Of course all is revealed in the remaining 5 episodes. Kleefeld and the rest of the production team is to be commended for creating a very tense atmosphere from the get-go that barely lets us. Equally up to the task is the non-names (for me anyway) German cast, none more so than the girl who plays the 12 yo. Beware: some of the scenes are disturbing, borderline psychological torture, so no, this ain't for the faint of heart.

All 6 episodes "Dear Child" started airing on Netflix a few days ago. I just watched this over 2 nights (3 episodes a night). If you are in the mood for a complex psychological drama that is very tense from the get-go, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

Pulled me in from the beginning! Writing, directing, acting, and cinematography all great. A mystery with intriguing characters, and a perspective not often seen in this genre. It can have triggers around abuse, perhaps even more around psychological, so definitely read the description. I found myself saying "oh my god, this show!" several times when something came to light. In speaking to others who have been watching it, we seem to share a highly favorable opinion and viewing experience. It seems like Germany, Sweden, Finland and that region really know how to produce this type of dark, slow, psychological thriller/drama, and this is one of the best I've seen. Highly recommend.