The Perfect Couple Is Number 1 on Netflix, but Is It Actually Worth Watching?
Well, it's certainly not a White Lotus-level show.
The Perfect Couple was directed by Susanne Bier, who previously worked on the thriller The Undoing. Mysteries about wealthy people with terrible secrets are extremely popular: Big Little Lies with the same Nicole Kidman and the relatively recent hit The White Lotus.
Netflix's new series shares a lot with the aforementioned projects, but unfortunately that does not mean that the star-studded miniseries will have similar success.
What Is The Perfect Couple About?
Zoologist Amelia is about to marry Benji, a wealthy member of the Winbury family. The groom's parents are the famous writer Greer and her husband Tag, who at first glance seem like the perfect couple.
The wedding is to take place on the family estate in Nantucket, where the newlyweds' relatives and friends have gathered. On the morning of the ceremony, a body is found floating on the ocean. The ceremony is canceled and an investigation begins, with each of the guests under police suspicion.
The Perfect Couple Fails to Keep the Action Tense
From the first episode, the authors capture the tension in the air: a large family can hardly be described as friendly, and Greer and Teg's long-standing marriage has long been bursting at the seams.
The plot jumps from the present to the past, gradually revealing the secrets of each character. Guests take turns in the interrogation room and not without pleasure discuss acquaintances behind their backs. According to the laws of the genre, everyone in the house had a motive for murder.
The identity of the victim is revealed only at the end of the first episode: to avoid spoilers, we will not reveal all the details. The Perfect Couple begins as a gripping detective story, but episode by episode, the suspense wears off and the series turns into a family drama. The cops do their jobs, but the investigation mostly takes a back seat.
The Perfect Couple Is More of a Family Drama Than a Detective Show
The main focus is family intrigue and the bored elite who are forced to stay on the island and tolerate each other's company. Deception, betrayal, a web of lies – there is no trace of a harmonious existence in the Winbury house.
In six episodes, The Perfect Family fails to make the viewers fall in love with it or shock them with its ending – the vague finale is perhaps the show's biggest flaw. The strength of the project lies in its cast: Nicole Kidman, of course, captivates the audience, but Dakota Fanning deserves special mention, as she shines in every scene.
The series is an adaptation of Elin Hildebrand's bestseller, and the author has been called the queen of beach reading, and the new Netflix series can only be recommended for vacation viewing. Especially if you can't wait for the new season of The White Lotus and your soul is longing for a detective story with quirky rich people in a luxury resort.