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Originally Posted by Buehler445
I did Station Eleven. I'll be goddamned if it isn't straight up compelling. It's pretty high brow. Normally high brow shit doesn't work for me, but this one did. It got it's hooks in me pretty good.
I do have to say you have to suspend your "cut the shit" reactions, because like most dystopians, there is a lot of shit that just won't work in real life, but whatever, it's a well told well acted compelling story.
I don't know what you all think of Mackenzie Davis, but I'm a fan. Other than the Martian, the only thing I've seen her in is Halt and Catch Fire. She isn't particularly pretty, but she does it for me. She can be very pretty when she tries to be, and seemingly never wears a bra.  But she carries a heavy load in this one and really knocks it out of the park. What she portrays is a very very complicated situation, and it's never not believable. They even ask her to do some physical stuff, which is a big ask as rail thin as she is and it was better than I expected.
This one really asks a lot of the viewers. Accordingly I should re-watch it because it's a big watch. But it does a good job of swinging for the fences without getting overly preachy. I think there is a book? I haven't read it, but would be interested to hear from any that have. |
I thought the best thing it did was stick the landing. The last episode tied things together sufficient to make prior reservations or resistance somewhat moot.
I had a particular [as in specific and probably not all that universal] aversion to the narrative, as I hate the 'let's put on a play' narrative of comprehensive problem-solving. And I hate this notion that great works performed with heart will unlock truths in every hardened heart. It smacks of creative types jacking themselves off, and it happens everywhere.
And that narrative was as central to this show as it could possibly be, but I didn't mind overly in the end, and it even managed to acquit that thesis fairly well.
Overall a worthwhile experience.
With that said, I think it's somewhat of a pale imitator of The Leftovers, which the production team oversaw just a couple years back. Not as apocalyptic, but every bit as emotional and resonant its themes.
And I agree about MacEnzie Davis. She is not a 'stunner' but she is very engrossing, and it struck me she's a good deal like a young Meryl Streep. Pretty in a plain honest manner, but so expressive and engrossing that you lose yourself in her performances. Watch Meryl in The Deerhunter and see if you aren't thinking the same things about her you are MacEnzie in their respective performances.