Lady in the Lake

Lady in the Lake is a stylish and promising take on the well-worn genre of the missing persons thriller, providing a peep through the curtain at Baltimore’s Jewish and Black communities without overexplaining or patronising the viewer.

The show comes across as more curious than didactic about the many social issues it raises; whenever ethics come up, motives get murky. That balance works well, even if the antagonists in this (ostensible) two-hander barely ever meet on-screen. Clocking in at a modest seven episodes, this adaptation manages to feel both expansive and propulsive; it might not feature as many points of view as the novel, but it still feels like a page-turner.

With superb performances from Natalie Portman and Moses Ingram, and dreamy direction by Alma Har’el, Lady In The Lake is a beguiling — if heavily stylised — watch.

Though she sometimes errs toward the dreamy and diaphanous at the cost of coherence, creator, writer, and director Alma Har’el (Honey Boy) mostly manages to do justice to her uncommonly complicated characters without sacrificing the wild plot twists or binge-inducing suspense that are among the pleasures we expect from this type of show.

The mystery itself isn’t what’s notable about “Lady in the Lake.” It’s the characters, and the communities they populate. .... Cross’ performance is patient, never showy, but draws you in throughout. But it’s Portman and, to a lesser extent, Ingram who carry the series.

Filled with several powerful performances (particularly from Portman and Ingram), dilemmas that sadly still ring true, and visual and musical elements that contribute to the series' lavish look, this Apple TV+ original might not appeal to the masses, but it's still a production that excels through distinct attention to detail.

Time jumps and intricate plots can feel taxing and, like many vibe-heavy endeavors, if you aren’t attuned to its rhythms, it’s easy to drift off entirely. But the series is just as easy to admire for how thoroughly it subverts expectations, as well as its exhaustive love for its leads. There’s enough truth here to make the search worthwhile.

“Lady in the Lake” is an adaptation done right, and while the blending of the two stories doesn’t always flow as well as it needs to, it's impossible to not be intrigued by both Maddie and Cleo’s separate lives.

As the show progresses, Cleo moves from admirable to sympathetic — an arc Maddie never completes. But this ambiguity makes Maddie even more interesting.

Every episode of “Lady in the Lake” is brimming with intrigue and fresh revelations and scenes of startling and sometimes violent impact. Trust me when I say you’re better off watching it one week at a time.

Portman is especially good as the restless Maddie. [5 - 25 Aug 2024, p.4]

Overall, not a minute is wasted with key information packed into every frame, each minuscule element filling in another piece of these multilayered and intersecting stories, guided by a cast that grasps and leans into the complexity of its setting. Were it not for Portman dragging the series down, it would be a must-watch. As it stands, skip the sixth episode altogether and the rest fits together a lot better.

Despite not really having a good idea how the show is going to get to its destination, the performances by Portman and Ingram make Lady In The Lake worth watching, hoping against hope that the story comes together at some point before the end of the season.

Issues aside, "Lady in the Lake" is a very watchable, often compelling series led by two brilliant actresses who give it their all in episode after episode. It's not necessarily on its way to being the next great Apple TV+ sensation, but if you like period dramas and crime stories, you'll find a lot to love here.