'Defending Jacob' Review: A grim slow-burning, tear-jerking whodunnit series that strikes the right chords
Spoiler-free review
Imagine a mirror — absolutely spotless that gives a picture-perfect reflection when you stand in front of it. Now imagine a stone thrown with such blunt force that the mirror smashes to smithereens, altering the same reflection beyond recognition.
At the end of the day, what's changed is the way you look at yourself in the cracked mirror, you may be the same person, but the person in the mirror is a starkly different broken image. Now, as far as analogies go, this comes closest to the plot of 'Defending Jacob'.
The crime drama series starring some prominent names in the industry is a classic whodunnit based on William Landay's novel of the same name. Chris Evans is Andrew Barber, a Massachusetts assistant district attorney, living with his wife Laurie (Michelle Dockery) and 14-year-old son, Jacob (Jaeden Martell).
This is a perfect example of a typical, happy and perfect family. Laurie is a fitness enthusiast who runs in the wee hours of the morning, then sets up the day for Andy and Jacob.
Andy is a relentless ADA. This is the same Chris Evans who when suited up as Captain America said, "Whatever It Takes" when the superheroes went on an all-out attack against mad Titan, Thanos (Josh Brolin).
He says the same phrase here again in one of the episodes, and that's his mantra when it comes to nailing the corrupt and crime-committers in the city. Jacob is just another regular teen — loves his music, has his friends, an obsession towards video games and loves his waffles.
There are breakfast table conversations, a bit of banter and some love before they all kickstart their day. The 12th of April is an eventful one, one that made sure the Barbers would never go back to a life they lived.
A boy, Ben Rifkin, is found dead at Cold Spring Park, Newton, with three stab wounds to his chest. Andy's the man piloting the case, and in what comes as a twist of cruel fate, his own son, Jacob is accused of the horrendous act.
The trailers give out a major chunk of the story and for those who have read Landay's novel, know for a fact that 'Defending Jacob' is a tragic, complicated story.
While the grim series largely follows the book plot, what it does is give it an honest attempt in capturing the pain, the emotions and the impact an event of this scale would have on each member of the family.
Each of the eight episodes is a slow-burner and perhaps was made that way since the focus was solely on the characters fighting their demons.
'Defending Jacob' asks questions for Laurie and Andy: What is normalcy? Is it normal to have people sneering, sniggering and judging you on the streets and you come back home pretending nothing happened?
Is it normal to look at your son and convince him he's not a murderer when the world has assumed he is? Is it normal to think if their son was the murderer? And the answers are painful, no doubt. Sitting through eight episodes of this intense drama, it's unfair to deny that the series hasn't struck a chord.
Barring the pilot episode which is more an introduction to the Barbers and the case, the rest of the seven episodes are a gritty affair. There are overwhelming emotions and moments — painful, touching and nerve-racking — both for the audience and for the characters who bring out these emotions with consummate ease.
Evans, with those broody eyes, and mysterious past of his own, is not the Evans we have seen and loved during his decade-long stint as Captain America. This man is on a blurred path that he traverses and is torn between a good dad and a helpless ADA.
Dockery could easily be called the binding force of the Barbers and complements Evans perfectly as a mother who has a hard time battling her own emotions. Jacob, played by Martell is very convincing as the accused teen.
He's the sort whom you'd have a hard time deciphering if he's actually done it. Supplementing these powerful performances are Pablo Schreiber, JK Simmons, Cherry Jones and Betty Gabriel, who play integral roles in the crime drama.
Such is the tone of the series, that it appears the scenery and the surroundings too was picked when the season was gloomy and almost black and white. The dull surroundings, the frequent patter of rain act as a shroud that conveniently wraps itself around the plot points.
The music by Atli Orvarsson adds a touch of ominous to the whole story. It should come as a surprise if 'Defending Jacob' isn't an Emmy nominee.
It's just one of those series that needs to be out there for the world to see, not because it has a star cast or an innovative streaming platform that its part of, but because of the riveting and perfervid piece of content that it actually is.
Landay's book won the 'Strand Critics Award for Best Novel' for its unflinching and intriguing courtroom procedure. The TV series version just might go beyond one award.
'Defending Jacob' will debut on Apple TV+ on April 24.