First impressions | New HBO miniseries ‘Mare of Easttown’ benefits from flawless Kate Winslet performances

Warning: spoilers for the upcoming first episode.

Kate Winslet is not only one of the most famous names today, she is also one of the best actresses of her generation. Known for a number of iconic roles including Rose DeWitt in ‘Titanic‘, Clementine in ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’ and Hanna Schmitz in ‘The Reader’ (performance for which she won the Oscar for Best Actress) Winslet not only has achieved immeasurable success on the big screen, but he also lent his versatility to television – whether as Mildred Pierce in the eponymous series from the start of the last decade, or Ms. Fillyjock in animation. “ Moominvalley ”. Now, years after her last appearance in a live-action production, the actress is back with yet another incredible surrender in the poignant “Mare of Easttown” miniseries.

The work, overseen by HBO, is already interesting for, once again, betting on the crime drama genre – this time taking us to the small Pennsylvania town that lends its name to the title. In the center of this melancholy and controversial village, Winslet insists on Mare Sheehan, a tongue-less detective in the tongue whose main goal is to maintain order among her neighbors and, in case of trouble, return to the house that she has. he shares with his mother (Jean Smart), with his daughter (Angourie Rice) and with his grandson, who took care of him after the apparent death of his eldest son, who appears to him in more cathartic and revealing moments . Once a famous basketball player at the local high school, Mare is known to everyone and seems to drag herself around to deal with countless everyday problems.

The truth is, the character is the classic embodiment of the literary anti-heroine, not because of her swinging nature, but because of the way she behaves towards others. Stepping away from the dated Manichaeism between the “young woman” and the “bad guy,” she is a chaotic balance between the two, and although she loves her family unconditionally, she cannot let certain issues – like the constant disapproval of his mother, who made his home, and the screaming personality of Siobhan, the daughter – impact on the equipment he built so hard to live with day in and day out. She’s passionate about work – or at least lies well enough for us to believe it; even so, she feels trapped in Easttown and, giving in to a defeatist perspective, loses hope of leaving her behind. It is for this reason that he channels all frustrated dreams to Siobhan, wishing that she would go to college and succeed as far as possible from there.

The picturesque construction of the city vaguely reminds us of other similar productions, such as ‘Big Little Lies’ and ‘Home Before Dark’ – which, on the one hand, help to get acquainted with the audience and, d ‘somewhere else. hand, stop betting on originality. In fact, the flawless performance of Winslet and the entire cast is enough to want us to discover what will happen in the next episodes, leaving the slippages mainly to artistic aspirations: the color palette is limited to a wary bluish winter, while the camera games are vestiges. from the constant appreciation of drama series and theatrical suspense, resembling any other audiovisual piece you can imagine.

Enjoy watching:

Ultimately, it’s Brad Ingelsby’s multi-narrative storyline that makes the series reach for the stars: Mare is the center of a complex sociological machine that doesn’t seem to see what lies ahead and, at the same time, suffers from a case that failed to resolve. – the disappearance of a girl a year ago which still shows consequences in a sick mother and in search of justice which, in fact, will never happen. However, the character of Winslet isn’t the only one stealing the show: we also have the virtuous presence of Cailee Spaeny as Erin McMenamin, a young mother who lives at the expense of a drunk father and is forced to endure the temper tantrums of an ex-boyfriend who got her pregnant and doesn’t care about everything that happens to her or her son. Abandoned by those she considered to be her friends, Erin becomes the main mystery when, at the end of the pilot episode, she appears dead in the stream running through town.

Needless to say, the start of the series is somewhat measured – and may even come to the chagrin of some viewers. As of yet, there is no confirmation of what to expect in subsequent chapters, but every detail imprinted in the plot is at least important for us to know about the various plots and subplots that unite our forces for something bigger. It’s no surprise that Mare is in touch with each supporting character to show their faces throughout the iteration, realizing that law enforcement isn’t black and white and as easy as it gets. could imagine – but a constant case study that needs to be analyzed in its completeness (as it does with the showdown between two brothers and even during the investigation of a supposed man watching over his neighbor’s house).

“Mare of Easttown” has it all to be another big HBO production, and while it walks at a short pace, it has already set the stage for what could become one of the big mysteries of the year. And, if the premise hasn’t prompted you, I recommend checking out the series’ impending debut for Winslet’s spectacular and majestic performance.

Make sure to watch: