What if Gwyneth Paltrow had a Goop summer camp? Ok, honestly, that may be very far off from the actual plot of this series, which is based on the hit novel by Liane Moriarty, but it’s the feeling I got watching this trailer for Nine Perfect Strangers. The upcoming 8-part series, which debuts on Hulu August 18th, is centered around a group of people at a posh self-help camp. The itinerary appears to include things like “Dig your own grave and lie in it” next to the hot yoga area. Other then the obvious tedium that this plot would induce, the trailer gives a real feel that something else is going on, something sinister.
What I can tell you for sure is that the writing MUST be great, you don’t pull a cast like this without having something amazing on paper. Check this out, Nicole Kidman, Melissa McCarthy, Michael Shannon, Samara Weaving, Luke Evans, Regina Hall, Grace VanPatten, Bobby Cannavale, and Tiffany Boone. That’s about as eclectic and amazing a cast as anyone could possibly hope for. Kidman, who leads the retreat, seems to exude an otherworldliness, so that may be where my supernatural leanings for the series come from. In any event, this looks to be a show worth watching for the performances if nothing else.
Nine Perfect Strangers Debuts On Hulu August 18th, 2021
Joining them are Charles (Rufus Sewell), a surgeon, and his young trophy wife Chrystal (Abbey Lee), Charles’ mother Agnes (Kathleen Chalfant), and Charles and Chrystal’s daughter Kara (Mikaya Fisher), as well as their dog. Upon arriving at the beach, they see a famous rapper, Mid-Sized Sedan (Aaron Pierre), seemingly in a daze. Almost immediately things seem off. A body floats to the beach and Charles suspects Sedan of foul play. The kids find old items from prior hotel guests buried in the sand. A final couple, Jarin (Ken Leung) and Patricia (Nikki Amuka-Bird), join before the horrors really unfold. Trent (Alex Wolff), Maddox (Thomasin McKenzie), and Kara (Eliza Scanlen) return from playing on the other end of the beach having aged considerably in a matter of hours. The guests realize that thirty minutes on the beach equates to a year of aging, and that their days – or hours – are numbered.
With two well received films in 2015’s The Visit and 2016’s Split many had hopes that Shyamalan was returning to his late 90’s and early 2000’s form. After The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, and Signs Shyamalan had solidified himself as a can’t miss director for fans of suspense. He was a powerful filmmaker who kept you on the edge of your seat and was known for twist endings. Old does have elements that are reminiscent of classic Shyamalan. The building dread, unique camera angels, deadly silence coupled with eerie melodies, and subtle moments of humor are familiar.
Old does have numerous issues, however. Even within the ‘rules’ of the beach, there are things that occur leaving the audience scratching their heads. The acting is nothing to write home about. No performance is terrible, but nothing stands out as well. Many of the characters are underdeveloped – which, given the limited runtime of the film as well as the characters’ lives, is understandable. This still leads to a disconnect with certain characters as the film progresses. There are aspects of the script which do not sound natural and seem forced. From the jump, Prisca mentions time and aging – clearly a harbinger of things to come. The dialogue stood out like a sore thumb. It did not flow at all and felt like training wheels for the audience. Shyamalan has a knack for subtly in his films and that scene was a far cry from it.
It is easy to envision Old being a devisive film. Some gravitating towards the intensity and accepting of the, at times, absurd while the other side laughs and gawks at what they are watching, unable to suspend their disbelief. Whichever side you fall on, one thing is clear, Shyamalan is still able to keep the audience entertained. Old does not drag during its runtime, and the film is full of nonstop tension which is downright frantic at times. It seems the moment the audience can get their heartrate down a bit, a new horror is waiting. Old had a great deal of potential and seemed to be right up Shyamalan’s alley. Unfortunately, its deficiencies hold it back from being one of his greats. That being said, Old is still an entertaining and heart-pounding film worthy of a watch.
