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CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION | ||
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Positive:
17
Mixed:
9
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews
TV Guide MagazineSep 13, 2021
Season 1 Review:
it's an acting tour de force, to be sure, impossible to look away from even when it's almost too difficult to watch. [13 - 26 Sep 2021, p.16]
Sep 10, 2021
Season 1 Review:
This is a full-on remake that retains much of the basic framework of Bergman’s masterpiece and carries an emotional punch that’s nearly as powerful. Old Juilliard pals Chastain and Isaac, who teamed up so memorably in the 2014 crime noir “A Most Violent Year,” deliver a master class in tandem acting that’s as good as anything I’ve seen on any platform in 2021.
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The GuardianOct 11, 2021
Season 1 Review:
Nothing here, be it questions or attempted answers, is new. Too much has been said about every aspect of modern marriage and its breakdowns – not least, of course, as a result of Bergman’s groundbreaker – over the last few decades for that to be the goal any more. But they are rarely explored with such style, truth or credibility.
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Sep 13, 2021
Season 1 Review:
Nevertheless, like a loving gesture that a relationship's long years transform from a heated compulsion into a reflex, there are times in which this adaptation feels as if it's going through the motions, albeit very prettily. ... Just because a story is familiar doesn't make it worthless, of course. Watching Isaac and Chastain impressively tango, spar, and exchange carefully choreographed fireworks displays is enough of a reason to take in "Scenes From a Marriage."
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Sep 10, 2021
Sep 9, 2021
Season 1 Review:
One does not come to "Scenes From A Marriage" for plot, much of which is absurd. One comes for the acting, which is largely superb. ... Our sympathies have been upended, and the questions left in the wake of it all make for a viewing that's provocative, if sometimes dire.
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Sep 9, 2021
Season 1 Review:
If Scenes from a Marriage has a saving grace, it’s the dynamic duo of Chastain and Isaac who are far and away the best part of this project. ... It’s a master class that deserves recognition, and both actors reach the depth required to sell the dialogue. I just wish the material was worthy of their talents.
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Sep 7, 2021
Season 1 Review:
The work Chastain and Isaac do here is pretty spectacular, in both the showy moments where Mira or Jonathan is going for the throat and in the subtler ones where they’re just recoiling from the latest verbal grenade their partner has tossed. ... [The] third episode was among the best hours of TV I’ve seen all year, and left me wondering if I had judged the whole endeavor too harshly to that point. But then the remaining two episodes brought a more familiar blend of moments that inspired awe, right next to ones that inspired eye-rolls.
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IndieWireSep 7, 2021
Season 1 Review:
HBO’s “Scenes From a Marriage” is curious to watch in contrast to Bergman’s original, just as it’s tender craft and measured performances make it easy to admire. But for anyone who’s toughed out any of the difficult character studies that already succeeded the 1973 classic, this latest iteration may not be worth the heartache.
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iDec 3, 2021
Sep 7, 2021
Season 1 Review:
But because the series repurposes so much from Bergman, it would be impossible not to measure it against the original and find the new version somewhat lacking. The performances, as crucial here as they would be in a Shakespeare adaptation, are solid. ... It’s a better-than-average TV show adapted from a masterpiece that you can still watch in the comfort of your all-too-delicately constructed home.
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Sep 9, 2021
Season 1 Review:
It’s all well observed and exquisitely acted, yet this "Scenes" seems to have defied Tolstoy by finding an unhappy family that is unhappy in a very familiar way. ... If you have [seen the original series], this "Scenes" feels less like a reimagining than like a highbrow stage revival — movie stars spending a few weeks doing Ibsen at a summer theater fest. ... Of course, "Look at these talented stars in this classy production" has been a successful draw before. Whether it’s enough for you may determine whether you call it a wrap before "Scenes From a Marriage" does.
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Sep 7, 2021
Season 1 Review:
The high-emotion sparring between stars Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain is spectacular and provides some reason for viewers to invest in this stressful series. ... The strangest thing is that Levi seems to be completely aware that he’s remaking this property in the least interesting way possible.
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Sep 7, 2021
Season 1 Review:
The writing and direction tend to undercut the reality of his and of Chastain’s work together, making the show engaging to watch as an acting exercise by two gifted former theater students who are game and willing to try anything than it is as an examination of contemporary marriage.
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