Sharp Objects

The first two Sharp Objects episodes take a slow-burn approach--too slow--but the pace picks up in episode three as Sharp Objects delves deeper into Camille’s back story and as Camille begins to connect with suspects in the case. That’s probably OK for fans of the novel, but for the rest of us, it’s a tough early slog in an era of myriad TV series choices.

Pacing issues undercut Adams, who presents a finely wrought picture of a woman who turns her anxiety in on herself with a ferociousness that leaves her scarred. ... Ultimately, the source material is not Flynn’s best work and shares little of the shocks and twists of her superior “Gone Girl.” Sharp Objects should leave more of a mark.

Sharp Objects transparently wants to be this year's "Big Little Lies," from its movie-star lead (Amy Adams) to the gauzy, washed-out tones and flashbacks employed by Jean-Marc Vallee, who directed both. The result, however, isn't nearly as compelling, focusing on a missing-girl mystery that actually plays second fiddle by a long shot to the protagonist's tortured personal odyssey.

Other than the discovery of a murder victim and a major reveal in the closing seconds of the seventh episode, almost nothing happens in Sharp Objects. ... The narrative creep notwithstanding, there are pleasures in Objects. Adams' performance is one of them.

Although the eight-episode series eventually perks up, in the seven parts made available for review it's often a lazy, dreary summer mystery that feels exploitative of the violence it depicts. It's a disappointing adaptation of its source material, with all the gravitas of a trashy beach read.