- Network: Prime Video
- Series Premiere Date: Aug 4, 2023
Critic Reviews
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This series will not be for everyone, given its numerous, crushingly brutal scenes of domestic abuse and the devastating consequences of such pure evil actions. Still, by the time we reach the finale and one of the most moving closing sequences of any series this year, “Alice Hart” has earned its place as an important and inspirational story of female empowerment and the incredibly resilient nature of women who have endured so much and yet refuse to let anyone dim their shining light.
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The mood is melancholic, redoubled by long, drawn-out notes from the strings and minor-key piano arpeggios; passages of happiness feel fragile, fleeting, untrustworthy. In the end, though — or perhaps because — it does not spare the melodrama, I found it quite moving.
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Coupled with stunningly atmospheric direction and cinematography from Glendyn Ivin and Sam Chiplin, and a score that captures both the beauty and the pain that makes up the lives of the women on-screen, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart sweeps you up in its arms and never lets you go.
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Weaver is surrounded by strong performances, nicely interconnected story lines, and expanses of natural beauty; nonetheless, the miniseries belongs to her.
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“Lost Flowers” is a reminder that when it is handled with skill, sophistication and a measure of restraint, melodrama can be as satisfying as any other style of storytelling.
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It truly does feel like there’s a great 130-minute-or-so movie in this story. But that version would admittedly lose the show’s accumulation of small joys and how the writers let these excellent performers live in these roles instead of just running in and out of the spotlight.
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Across seven episodes, June’s intricate web of deceit begins to unravel, but even for those who have not read the source material, the seeds are all planted early enough that the occasionally soapy plot twists, which are part of the novel’s appeal, still feel earned and thoughtfully constructed.
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The Lost Flowers Of Alice Hart is a portrayal of domestic abuse that starts out a bit obtuse, but given the intense subject matter, that obtuseness is an effective way to bring people into Alice’s story.
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Despite its fundamental issues, Alice Hart deserves more than the casual dismissal it’ll likely receive while buried on Prime Video. Like June’s flowers that spell out heartfelt messages without words, the series is able to tap into a secret but deeply expressive language that, if arranged in the exact right way, can pierce the heart of you.