- Network: Apple TV+
- Series Premiere Date: Jun 4, 2021
Critic Reviews
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The outright fantastical elements of “Lisey’s Story,” some being of the monster-in-the woods variety, feel at some point to be in conflict with the more palpable drama at hand. ... All the performances are first-rate. Mr. Owen is in rare form. ... Ms. Allen and Ms. Moore are extraordinary and, though she plays to type, Jennifer Jason Leigh is a treat as Darla, the third Debusher sister.
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Lisey’s Story is a great case study for the strengths and weaknesses of King’s writing — beautiful themes occasionally clashing against self-indulgence. Lucky for us, the good outweighs the bad, and like Lisey, we can find a glimmer of closure among the fog of confusion and despair.
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“Lisey’s Story” feels overstuffed at times and might have been even sharper and more terrifying if it had clocked in with five or six total episodes, but this is still an elegantly haunting journey with memorably raw and real performances from three of the best actresses in the world — Julianne Moore, Joan Allen and Jennifer Jason Leigh.
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Even though it’s hard to understand Owen sometimes (I know that he’s a stand-in for a version of King himself, but just let the guy use his God-given beautiful British accent), there’s an earnestness that conveys his love for Lisey and her family.
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As the show progresses and the logistics of her journey come into sharper relief, it’s natural to wonder if all of this is worth it. It’s never an easy “yes,” but when the obfuscation starts to melt away and the show isn’t bent on delivering the extremes of human behavior, the punishing ride leads to a destination with some unexpected rewards.
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Delivers on a technical level that keeps it compelling beyond its flaws.
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The ultimate, lingering frustration of “Lisey’s Story” is its opacity in place of precision, and its inability to reconcile its two halves of romance and horror into a cohesive, satisfyingly concluded whole.