Paul Salyers

Three stars is generous. Did this really earn a Golden Globe nomination? The writing, directing, and yes, acting are all over the top. Chastain was not able to save this film from its constant barrage of cliches, and I’m not sure she tried very hard. IDK why critics find little fault with this film. Perhaps too much acting, directing, production power (read $) behind this flick... reviewers too scared to provide the filleting it deserves? Both myself and the individual I watched with found ourselves rolling our eyes constantly at the predictable “tough guy/gal lawyer” quips and too-tight sarcastic responses that seem to infest Miss Sloane. Is Chastain a good actor? IDK, though it’s hard to believe she did a better job than most others in this film. Truly, feel free to pass on this one if it’s not too late.

The short: This series was very enjoyable... in the scary movie sense of course. I would rate it slightly above the 4.0 stars I can give here, but not 5.0. Good acting, engrossing story line(s), plenty to get creeped out about, even the occasional jump scare. If you liked The Haunting of Hill House, you should like this. I liked it even more. The Long: Set in the English countryside (and occasionally London), an old and wonderful manor is the new place of employment for an American au pair who is charged with taking care of two orphaned children whose previous nanny had recently gone missing (found dead?) on the property. The children’s preoccupied and concerned uncle is their caretaker but is too busy to be at Bly to care for them. Several intriguing personalities are employed at the estate as well, and though they initially seem to revolve around the children and the American nanny, it becomes clear after just a few episodes they are all important components of an ever evolving story and plot(s) that ultimately do a very commendable job of keeping you wanting the next episode. The entire series moves the storyline in a variety of interesting ways so I’m just going to leave the telling of said story alone for the rest of this review. So why should you watch it? The Haunting of Bly Manor does a lot in 9 episodes. It creates an engrossing and macabre story of a haunting by a creepy female ghost (is there just one?) that is always at the forefront. But it weaves character development, sub stories, and even love stories (if you’re like me, that might sound like bad news, but it’s not in this case) that are all related and keep you wondering and guessing about next moves, who is who, and what is what. Is it flawless? No. Some scenes seem poorly or lazily thought out, the little girl, Flora, is adorable (and a good young actor) but the director seems to run with that a bit much. The 80’s wardrobe (the time period most of this series occurs in) is a bit cliche and can be distracting, and there are a couple loose ends that don’t seem to get attention at the end. But none of that is bringing this series down much. It’s scary (not terrifying), engrossing, and you end up caring about most of the characters.. at least the ones you’re supposed to. (advice: things really pick up after the third episode, so stick with it)

This show gets a lot of great reviews. I personally think it’s too pleasantly wrapped-up and cute. I really think this show hits the mark that it’s trying for in spades, but it’s def not my cup of tea. The silliness, stylized, “everybody wins at sex in high school” fantasy land is too much for me. Sorry, but glad everyone else liked it.

A funny, interesting and socially nuanced drama that keeps you engaged for every minute? Flaws? Probably, but I was too busy enjoying it to notice.