Pieces of Her

Matt Roush says...

Toni Collette gave one of her best performances ever on Netflix in the 2019 limited series Unbelievable. I wish the same were true of this sluggish adaptation of Karin Slaughter’s 2018 stand-alone novel. Collette brings an undercurrent of relentless anguish to the role of Laura Oliver, casting a dour pall over a supposed thriller that kicks into gear when Laura goes to surprising extremes to save her 30-year-old daughter Andy (Bella Heathcote) during a random shooting in their sleepy town of Belle Isle, Georgia. The ensuing media attention, and a less random attack, propel Andy on a dangerous quest of discovery when Laura’s (or whoever she is) long-hidden past begins to surface. A sullen Jessica Barden plays Collette’s younger self in flashbacks that dilute what suspense there is in Andy’s increasingly incredible ordeal. (See the full review.)

What's Worth Watching (Mar 4)