Those who have read Margaret Atwood's amazing book, Alias Grace, already know of its layered and nuanced treatment of the story of convicted maidservant Grace Marks.
With that complexity in mind, the six-part mini-series had massive shoes to fill. The various editions of the landmark Canadian novel often exceed five hundred pages, making an on-screen adaptation that much more challenging.
Enter director Mary Harron from stage left. She, with fellow producers Sarah Polley and Margaret Atwood, has put together a drama that captures Victorian-era issues of femininity in a gripping and engaging story of passion, murder, and deceit.
The tale focuses on a retelling of the events leading up to the real-life murders of Thomas Kinnear and Nancy Montgomery just outside of Toronto. The imprisoned Marks is questioned, decades following her conviction, at the Kingston Penitentiary by ambitious psychoanalyst, Simon Jordan. The young doctor listens intently as she stitches together the events that preceded the dreadful killings of Kinnear and Montgomery. Grace, along with stable-hand James McDermott, was convicted of murder, but doubts surrounding Grace's guilt (and sanity) remain. As Dr. Jordan delves deeper into her psyche, he becomes more obsessed with what really happened. His efforts to determine her culpability persist, and truth and falsity become dizzying motifs in the story. What isn't said becomes as crucial as what is said and, as the narrative continues, certainty retreats into the shadows.
Sarah Gadon's casting as Grace Marks is, without question, marvelous. She manages to simultaneously convey purity and malevolence with a single glance, and the dynamic between she and Dr. Jordan is laden with wonderful tension. Supporting characters are all played capably (though notable renderings from Paul Gross and Anna Paquin emerge), but their solid performances are continuously, albeit unintentionally, overshadowed by Gadon's understated portrayal of Atwood's complex protagonist.
Whether or not you've read Alias Grace is of little consequence. It's a fantastic book, but the mini-series can be thoroughly enjoyed regardless.
Margaret Atwood's involvement in production clearly enhanced this magnificent mini-series. By the end, viewers are left to question fact, fiction, and everything in between.
Truly Excellent Period Piece Filled With Human Drama & Intrigue
zkonedog
"Alias Grace" is a show that, normally, would not necessarily come across my radar as something to watch. I started it after a recommendation from a family member, who very interestingly told me "it looks like a period piece, but it's done very well". That was telling to me. Often, when one thinks of "period piece", they think of stuffy dramas that look old and outdated even when they are new. A few really rise to the surface ("John Adams" a while back comes to mind), but many just reside in that "muddy middle". Fortunately, "Alias Grace" is a period piece done absolutely perfectly, as it creates and advances great characters, is at the same time a commentary on more contemporary times, and features writing/acting that is top notch.
For a basic plot outline, "Alias Grace" follows the story of Grace Marks (Sarah Gadon), who is held in prison for the charged murder of Nancy Montgomery (Anna Paquin). A psychologist, Dr. Jordan (Edward Holcroft), takes an interest in her case, and decides to interview her to determine if her conviction is legitimate or based on faulty confessions/evidence. Through these interviews, Grace reflects back on much of her past, filling in the backstory until getting to the day of the murder itself.
The main reason "Alias Grace" works so well is because it is just an incredibly written show. What's funny is that the main conceit (Grace being interviewed by Dr. Jordan) might lead one to think that this was a "nuthouse" or prison-centric type of show. While perhaps nominally the guiding path for the show, the real "meat" comes in the story of Grace's life and the events that happen to her over the course of a lifetime, really. Using Margaret Atwood's text, the filmmakers here really paint a visceral picture of what life likely consisted of for women (and men) of that time period. As I said previously, period pieces often have the tendency to "soften around the edges" a bit, but "Alias Grace" pulls no punches. It can be happy and cheerful, but also disturbing and dour.
Another highlight is Gadon's performance as Grace, which is probably award-worthy. While the auxiliary characters are great too, this is Gadon's show to carry, and carry it she does! One can't help but get swept away in her saga, as she displays such a wide range of emotions and actions from beginning to end.
I won't spoil any details here, but let me just say this: For the first five episodes, "Alias Grace" is an 8-star, "very good" type of show. The final (sixth) episode vaults it into 10/10 "excellent" status. That finale is one of the best single episodes of television I've seen since "The Leftovers" left the airwaves. It literally had me on the edge of my seat, with my jaw ajar when the final credits rolled.
Final verdict: Another step in the right direction (and a big one!) for Netflix Original programming, on the heels of "Mindhunter" and "Stranger Things S2". Netflix has show in the past year that it can "play with the big boys" when it comes to original programming, and that's a net win for appreciators of quality scripted television as well.
Superbly made true crime story and Sarah Gadon is luminous
phd_travel
What a well made, superbly acted and completely fascinating series this turned out to be. A true life murder is always interesting but the details here are not too well known like Lizzie Borden's story. An Irish maid emigrates to Canada but gets caught up and convicted of the murder of her employer and housekeeper. The psychological and emotional insights are so well incorporated they ring true. The dialog is such that you listen for every word though some of the accents are a bit thick.
Acting is superb. Sarah Gadon is luminous and perfectly cast. Deserves an Emmy. Her facial expressions are just right for the complexities of the role. Anna Paquin is good too in a difficult role. Zachary Levi is kind and surprisingly not out of place in the time period. The supporting cast are good too.
The directing is precise and shows you what you need for the story. The horrific and painful parts of the story are such that it could not have been shown in such detail if it was adapted many years ago. What a perfect balance of beauty and horror.
The series is 6 episodes. Just the right length - neither too long to have any draggy moments or too short to feel short changed in any way. This series shows CBC more than matching the best BBC can produce.
Beyond Stunning
johnwiltshireauthor
I have just had the extreme pleasure of watching this series, based on Margaret Atwood's novel Alias Grace. Contrary to some reviewers on this site who claim that Atwood isn't known much outside her native Canada, I'd point out that she was compulsory reading on any English Lit course in the 70s in England. Oryx and Crake, The Handmaid's Tale, were speculative fiction ahead of their time (much like Orwell's 1984). Alias Grace is a more approachable novel and highly suitable for an adaptation to television. The leads of this series are superb, especially Sarah Gadon, who almost inhabited Grace to the endangerment of her sanity! A quite mesmerising performance. But the Oscar must go to the set dressers of this stunning work of art. As Grace tells her story, she is always working: sewing, beating rugs, scrubbing laundry, churning butter... and every single utensil, every button, every slip of thread is utterly real and compelling. Watch this series and marvel at just how good television can be. Now, having done this and The Handmaid's Tale, producers need to turn their attention to Cat's Eye, Attwood's most disturbing novel of all.
See more:
Amazing Grace
lior2298
Very much like in her "Handmaid's Tale" Margaret Atwood's heroin Grace is an intelligent low class woman that know better what she should say or not for the sack of her survival. Truth is given in small doses, and with lots of compassion poured in to the naive Dr's ears .He who is so eager to help yet so blind to the exploitation and abuse of working class woman.
Grace inner voice is strong and true. Also she has no control over her life, she is not broken. I often think that is the greatest sin of woman of her kind in the eyes of society.
With that complexity in mind, the six-part mini-series had massive shoes to fill. The various editions of the landmark Canadian novel often exceed five hundred pages, making an on-screen adaptation that much more challenging.
Enter director Mary Harron from stage left. She, with fellow producers Sarah Polley and Margaret Atwood, has put together a drama that captures Victorian-era issues of femininity in a gripping and engaging story of passion, murder, and deceit.
Sarah Gadon's casting as Grace Marks is, without question, marvelous. She manages to simultaneously convey purity and malevolence with a single glance, and the dynamic between she and Dr. Jordan is laden with wonderful tension. Supporting characters are all played capably (though notable renderings from Paul Gross and Anna Paquin emerge), but their solid performances are continuously, albeit unintentionally, overshadowed by Gadon's understated portrayal of Atwood's complex protagonist.
Whether or not you've read Alias Grace is of little consequence. It's a fantastic book, but the mini-series can be thoroughly enjoyed regardless.
Margaret Atwood's involvement in production clearly enhanced this magnificent mini-series. By the end, viewers are left to question fact, fiction, and everything in between.
Truly Excellent Period Piece Filled With Human Drama & Intrigue
zkonedog
"Alias Grace" is a show that, normally, would not necessarily come across my radar as something to watch. I started it after a recommendation from a family member, who very interestingly told me "it looks like a period piece, but it's done very well". That was telling to me. Often, when one thinks of "period piece", they think of stuffy dramas that look old and outdated even when they are new. A few really rise to the surface ("John Adams" a while back comes to mind), but many just reside in that "muddy middle". Fortunately, "Alias Grace" is a period piece done absolutely perfectly, as it creates and advances great characters, is at the same time a commentary on more contemporary times, and features writing/acting that is top notch.
For a basic plot outline, "Alias Grace" follows the story of Grace Marks (Sarah Gadon), who is held in prison for the charged murder of Nancy Montgomery (Anna Paquin). A psychologist, Dr. Jordan (Edward Holcroft), takes an interest in her case, and decides to interview her to determine if her conviction is legitimate or based on faulty confessions/evidence. Through these interviews, Grace reflects back on much of her past, filling in the backstory until getting to the day of the murder itself.
The main reason "Alias Grace" works so well is because it is just an incredibly written show. What's funny is that the main conceit (Grace being interviewed by Dr. Jordan) might lead one to think that this was a "nuthouse" or prison-centric type of show. While perhaps nominally the guiding path for the show, the real "meat" comes in the story of Grace's life and the events that happen to her over the course of a lifetime, really. Using Margaret Atwood's text, the filmmakers here really paint a visceral picture of what life likely consisted of for women (and men) of that time period. As I said previously, period pieces often have the tendency to "soften around the edges" a bit, but "Alias Grace" pulls no punches. It can be happy and cheerful, but also disturbing and dour.
Another highlight is Gadon's performance as Grace, which is probably award-worthy. While the auxiliary characters are great too, this is Gadon's show to carry, and carry it she does! One can't help but get swept away in her saga, as she displays such a wide range of emotions and actions from beginning to end.
I won't spoil any details here, but let me just say this: For the first five episodes, "Alias Grace" is an 8-star, "very good" type of show. The final (sixth) episode vaults it into 10/10 "excellent" status. That finale is one of the best single episodes of television I've seen since "The Leftovers" left the airwaves. It literally had me on the edge of my seat, with my jaw ajar when the final credits rolled.
Final verdict: Another step in the right direction (and a big one!) for Netflix Original programming, on the heels of "Mindhunter" and "Stranger Things S2". Netflix has show in the past year that it can "play with the big boys" when it comes to original programming, and that's a net win for appreciators of quality scripted television as well.
phd_travel
What a well made, superbly acted and completely fascinating series this turned out to be. A true life murder is always interesting but the details here are not too well known like Lizzie Borden's story. An Irish maid emigrates to Canada but gets caught up and convicted of the murder of her employer and housekeeper. The psychological and emotional insights are so well incorporated they ring true. The dialog is such that you listen for every word though some of the accents are a bit thick.
Acting is superb. Sarah Gadon is luminous and perfectly cast. Deserves an Emmy. Her facial expressions are just right for the complexities of the role. Anna Paquin is good too in a difficult role. Zachary Levi is kind and surprisingly not out of place in the time period. The supporting cast are good too.
The directing is precise and shows you what you need for the story. The horrific and painful parts of the story are such that it could not have been shown in such detail if it was adapted many years ago. What a perfect balance of beauty and horror.
The series is 6 episodes. Just the right length - neither too long to have any draggy moments or too short to feel short changed in any way. This series shows CBC more than matching the best BBC can produce.
Beyond Stunning
johnwiltshireauthor
I have just had the extreme pleasure of watching this series, based on Margaret Atwood's novel Alias Grace. Contrary to some reviewers on this site who claim that Atwood isn't known much outside her native Canada, I'd point out that she was compulsory reading on any English Lit course in the 70s in England. Oryx and Crake, The Handmaid's Tale, were speculative fiction ahead of their time (much like Orwell's 1984). Alias Grace is a more approachable novel and highly suitable for an adaptation to television. The leads of this series are superb, especially Sarah Gadon, who almost inhabited Grace to the endangerment of her sanity! A quite mesmerising performance. But the Oscar must go to the set dressers of this stunning work of art. As Grace tells her story, she is always working: sewing, beating rugs, scrubbing laundry, churning butter... and every single utensil, every button, every slip of thread is utterly real and compelling. Watch this series and marvel at just how good television can be. Now, having done this and The Handmaid's Tale, producers need to turn their attention to Cat's Eye, Attwood's most disturbing novel of all.
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Amazing Grace
lior2298
Very much like in her "Handmaid's Tale" Margaret Atwood's heroin Grace is an intelligent low class woman that know better what she should say or not for the sack of her survival. Truth is given in small doses, and with lots of compassion poured in to the naive Dr's ears .He who is so eager to help yet so blind to the exploitation and abuse of working class woman.
Grace inner voice is strong and true. Also she has no control over her life, she is not broken. I often think that is the greatest sin of woman of her kind in the eyes of society.
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