When adapting novelist Elin Hilderbrand’s best-selling novel “The Perfect Couple” for Netflix, series creator Jenna Lamia could have made it an intense murder mystery, or leaned toward all the delicious bits that make the story an irresistible beach read. Lamia chose the latter. “The Perfect Couple” follows Amelia Sacks (Eve Hewson), a zoologist who is marrying into the wealthy and esteemed Winbury family. Unfortunately, when a body is discovered on the Winbury estate the morning after Amelia and Benji’s (Billy Howle) rehearsal dinner, the happy occasion quickly becomes a murder investigation. As clues are unearthed, long-held secrets about the Winburys come to light in the most absurd ways, making way for a pulpy, overdramatized and entirely entertaining show.
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“The Perfect Couple” opens on Nantucket Island during a picturesque Fourth of July weekend. With the cameras rolling, the audience is introduced to the guests enjoying the pre-wedding festivities under a massive tent in the Winburys’ beachfront backyard. While Amelia’s parents and best friend/maid of honor, Merritt (Meghann Fahy), are in attendance, this is mostly a Winbury affair.
Amela’s fiancé, Benji, is thoughtful and kind, but his affluent family is different. Benji’s older brother, Tom (Jack Reynor), is an blowhard bro barely kept in line by his conniving wife, Abby (Dakota Fanning). Meanwhile, Will (Sam Nivola), the youngest Winbury, is emotionally disturbed and haunted by the past. Windbury patriarch Tag’s (Liev Schreiber) sole passions appear to be rowing, golfing and smoking weed. And matriarch Greer (Nicole Kidman), an acclaimed novelist, rules her husband and sons with a seething calculation, and stands at the top of this house of cards.
The rehearsal dinner appears glamorous and joyful, but things take a dire turn in the early hours of the following day. Nantucket Chief of Police Dan Carter (Michael Beach) receives a call that a floater has been found. Chief Carter, a Nantucket resident who knows that Winburys’ power, initially attempts to wrap the investigation up as swiftly as possible. Yet he must confront the truth when Det. Nikki Henry (Donna Lynne Champlin) is brought in from the mainland to work on the case. As the pair quickly discover, there is much more to the Winburys than their flawless facade.
Kidman, Schreiber and Fanning, in particular, effectively portray profoundly broken people who are concerned only with appearances and maintaining their lifestyles. The show’s pacing and timeline also keep viewers engaged. As wedding guests are called into the police station for questioning, the audience learns about their inner thoughts and preoccupations. However, the series’ tone is almost comical, because the bigger picture becomes glaringly apparent as each puzzle piece clicks together. From the soap-opera-esque dialogue to a cheesy dance sequence involving the entire cast that opens each episode, there is never a point where viewers can take “The Perfect Couple” seriously. But this is why it’s so enjoyable.
Though Amelia adores Benji, it’s clear she’s deeply uncomfortable under the Winbury roof. Moreover, while everyone else seems terrified of Greer, Amelia is not interested in putting on airs. She pushes back against certain etiquette and desperately searches for answers to all the questions that have arisen for her. In Episode 3, “The Perfect Family,” a dinner descends into a reality TV-like affair when the bride-to-be boldly asks Greer about her use of NDAs and the cryptic disappearance of a family friend. What’s uncovered are answers no one at the table is ready to confront. A similar scene in the finale, “That Feels Better,” leads to more jaw-dropping and fantastical revelations.
While it’s billed as a gripping investigation, “The Perfect Couple” examines appearances and what people are willing to do to uphold them. Despite the nonsensical narrative and its lack of actual depth, the series has enough magnetic star power and conspicuous intrigue to make it a delightful and highly watchable experience.
“The Perfect Couple” premieres onNetflixSept. 5.
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