“My Brilliant Friend” is exactly the kind of story TV needs to explore, but it’s told in a way that ensures fewer will be made. Focusing on a deeply relatable friendship between two girls in 1950s Italy, the eight-part HBO adaptation digs into the personal observations of characters typically marginalized in stories of the era. The girls are the leads and their friendship forms the journey; boys, men, and their affairs are pushed to the periphery. While the series captures dynamics of adoration and jealousy that rarely have the spotlight, director and writer Saver Costanzo, as well as fellow writers Francesco Piccolo and Laura Paolucci, fail to translate Elena Ferrante’s bestselling, four-novel franchise into an enthralling onscreen experience.
Faithful to a fault, much of the impact is lost in translation. Narration becomes a crutch, direction is bland, and pacing is sluggish. Frustrations like these will likely turn off...
Faithful to a fault, much of the impact is lost in translation. Narration becomes a crutch, direction is bland, and pacing is sluggish. Frustrations like these will likely turn off...
- 11/15/2018
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
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