‘The Perfect Couple’ series review: Nicole Kidman presides over this stylish, superficial murder mystery

A nonetheless from Netflix’s ‘The Good Couple’
| Photograph Credit score: Netflix

Susanne Bier, who directed that different shiny Nicole Kidman starrer, The Undoing, is again with one other smooth providing that includes Kidman as soon as extra as a wealthy lady of privilege in peril. Right here Kidman performs Greer Garrison Winbury, an insanely profitable author — fortunately not a gallery proprietor! She writes mysteries that includes Sprint and Dolly, with Sprint being modelled on her generationally wealthy husband, Tag (Liev Schreiber). The Winbury household are in Nantucket, internet hosting the marriage of their second son, Benji (Billy Howle) to woman subsequent door, Amelia (Eve Hewson).  

We’re launched in speedy succession to the gamers on the celebration. There may be Benji’s older brother, Thomas (Jack Reynor) and his closely pregnant spouse, Abby (Dakota Fanning), Will (Sam Nivola), the youngest Winbury, Benji’s greatest pal, Shooter (Ishaan Khatter), Amelia’s greatest pal and maid of honour, good time woman Merrit, (Meghann Fahy) and pal of the household, Isabel (Isabelle Adjani).    

Beneath stairs, there’s the scarily environment friendly and snobbish housekeeper, Gosia (Irina Dubova), the marriage planner Roger Pelton (Tim Bagley) and Greer’s editor, Enid (Adina Porter). When a physique is discovered on the seashore on the morning after the rehearsal dinner, it’s time for the plods together with chief Dan Carter (Michael Seashore), Deputy Carl (Nick Searcy) and detective Nikki (Donna Lynne Champlin) to swing into motion.

A nonetheless from Netflix’s ‘The Good Couple’
| Photograph Credit score:
Netflix

It is usually time for a lot of rocks to be turned to disclose the terrible creepy crawlies beneath the Winburys’ polished exterior. Chloe (Mia Isaac), Chief Carter’s daughter, appears to have a reference to the crime as she hides a bloody shirt, whereas Thomas Flanagan as Broderick Graham fills the Stranger slot.

Tag realises that regardless of how a lot cash they donate to the police for sensible uniforms and flash vehicles, useless our bodies can’t be brushed underneath the carpet. All of the characters are uniformly dreadful, together with down-to-earth Amelia, who labored at a zoo when she met Benji and so they fell in love. Tag’s supposed attractiveness isn’t very seen as all he appears to do is smoke up and play golf whereas not singing pop anthems from the Jurassic Age.

Gosia seems down her nostril on Amelia’s dad and mom, Karen (Dendrie Taylor) and Bruce (Michael McGrady) for gifting store-brought fruit even after rescheduling the marriage to accommodate Karen’s “dying”, and dismisses a personality for making their mattress like “a poor particular person.” The demise additionally finds chinks within the “good couple” picture the Winburys try to mission.

The thriller isn’t very intelligent and likewise granted the final awfulness of all of the characters, you don’t actually care whodunit. Kidman, is regal as Greer (she will do these roles in her sleep by now), whereas all the remainder do what’s requested of them, respiratory no matter life they’ll into their poorly written characters. The acute close-ups don’t reveal something in regards to the characters aside from their generally flawless pores and skin.

The garments are divine, particularly Kidman’s, with beautiful wide-legged trousers, an excellent azure shirt bringing out the blue of her unfathomable eyes, and all these difficult ties and sashes.

A nonetheless from Netflix’s ‘The Good Couple’
| Photograph Credit score:
Netflix

The one one who appears to have a good time is Fanning as Abby, bringing an off-the-cuff cruelty and indifference to every thing round her besides herself. Saying Shooter (what’s with that identify?) is from the Center East, and replying “precisely” when Amelia says he’s from India, is one in all her many throwaway gems. Champlin additionally has enjoyable along with her character of a detective seemingly dazzled by all wealth, whereas preserving her eyes peeled for the numerous ugly faults.

Although cliché ridden with breathless twists and turns that don’t make a lot sense, The Good Couple primarily based on Elin Hilderbrand’s eponymous bestseller, is addictive from that Hindi movie-style dance sequence within the opening credit to the ultimate reveal. It may have been cleverer, sharper and way more. The dearth of ambition gravely hurts this handsomely produced present and the statuesque Ms Kidman ought to critically take into account placing her substantial star-power into worthier tasks, regardless of what she did along with her accent on this one.

The Good Couple is at present streaming on Netflix