Shout out to Warner Bros for supplying a copy of, The Undoing for this review. My opinions are my own.
This show gave me weird vibes immediately, I really didn't know what to think of it... but it was all part of the tone the director's wanted to set.
Story: In this HBO limited series the story revolves around Grace (Nicole Kidman) and Jonathan Fraser (Hugh Grant), though the show opens with a little boy who I later identified. Grace and Jonathan seemed to have a pretty good life together. Jonathan is a Child Oncologist, while Grace is a respected Therapist.
There are some real-life therapists who have a problem with Kidman's character in the show but... some were taking low-key shots at other real-life therapists. I'm saying no names, and I'm not a therapist, but I thought the goal was to... highlight the source of problems + provide tools to solve, cope and/or overcome those problems resulting in a breakthrough. I guess that's just me, and I'm not saying that Grace has to be harsh or anything with her clients but... I don't see anything wrong with mentioning certain things that challenge them to take personal responsibility for their actions. Spoiled milk shouldn't be sold in stores, but at the same time... if you see the bad date, smell a bad smell, see a thick consistency and... you still indulge, that's a personal decision.
Anyway, their life goes from joyful to miserable in the blink of an eye... as a tragedy sets them on a course for this undoing. It all stemmed from this mysterious woman who emerged on the scene acting very strange (almost like a free spirit who couldn't help herself). I thought she was attracted to Grace, and then I thought she was trying to get therapy sessions with Grace, and then that switched to me questioning her being potentially obsessed with her. I don't want to spoil it, but this particular woman set off a chain reaction of drama following a violent murder. There was bombshell after bombshell in this show as investigators began to dig and information began to come to the surface.
I didn't know what to make of it... because there were so many twists and turns, but when it's all said and done it was an interesting experience. My initial suspicion was confirmed in the end as far as who did it, but they make you feel almost surprised that you were right (and it doesn't stop there as the goosebumps start to form for the grand finale). I don't know how a season 2 would be possible... but I'd be interested in seeing how that plays out. I guess I can kind of see it, but... I can't explain without delivering spoilers.
Visuals: Visually the show has a lot of eye-catching cinematic scenes, whether it's the galas, shots in the courtroom, or even a small apartment... the shots were quality. While watching the show, it felt like it was meant to be a movie but it was made into an extended film by way of this limited series.
Audio + Extras: The audio in The Undoing was great and lent itself to the overall tone of the show. Audio is delivered in DTS-HD and Dolby Digital 5.1 for your audio pleasure, and even if it's not exactly an action film... crank it a little.
Extras include:
Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant Introduce The Undoing... which is cool to see them interact outside of the show and reveal something that I never realized about them. Of course they talk a little about the show but seeing how they worked together in this series... I'd like to see more. I'm not sure if you should watch this before watching the show either because Hugh slips up a little.
Creating The Undoing... is basically what you'd think, it highlights the directors (which Nicole Kidman is also an executive producer). Mainly it showcases the film style of Susanne Bier, but it also delivers additional info about the show.
The Undoing Revelations... delivers more of the character perspectives, but... I'd advice leaving this one until after the show. This particular extra contains its own section of revelations for:
Fernando Alves, Franklin Reinhart, Henry Fraser, and... The Bridge Scene.
I was trying to pick and choose between which of these extras are safe to watch before the show (maybe Creating The Undoing)... but if you want to jump in without an idea of whats to do, just leave these until after the show is done.
Price: Pricewise... The Undoing comes in at $24.98 on DVD and $29.98 on Blu-Ray + Digital Copy. This limited series delivers 6 episodes that run for about an hour each... plus the extras. The overall quality delivered here can justify the price for the most part because some movies rival the MSRP with less runtime and quality.
Overall, solid series... they play with you a bit make you speculate, doubt your own suspicions and encourage discussions about what the deal could be. I like shows that engage me on this level.
