While scrolling on Youtube yesterday, I found a series called Defending Jacob. It got good reviews and it was a crime suspense drama. So, I thought to give it a look so that I would be warmed up to watch some bigger English series like Breaking Bad or Money Heist. Also, I was curious about the differences between the Indian Web Series based on crime and the english ones. Considering all these aspects, I watched the series today on Apple TV+. Let us see how it is:(SPOILER FREE REVIEW)
Defending Jacob is a 2020 crime suspense drama miniseries directed by Mortem Tyldum and written for the screen by Mark Bomback. It stars Chris Evans, Michelle Dockery and Jaeden Martell in lead roles. The story revolves around a mysterious death in a park in the community of Newton. When Jacob Barber is accused of murdering this child, the Barber family try to prove themselves not guilty. So, is Jacob not guilty? Find out in the series.
The screenplay of the series I should say is good but it has some significant negatives. This series is an adaptation of the book with same name written by William Landay. So, I was expecting riveting stuff as a book can give a lot of matter to work with. The writers really did their best with it. The best thing which worked for the series is the central family dynamic. They are projected to be a happy family before the accusations come along. Then, whatever they showed after the accusations is too realistic and if we think from their shoes, maybe our situation would have been similar to theirs. The character design of them is also commendable. Also, the acting by Chris Evans, Michelle Dockery and Jaeden Martell as Andy Barber, Laurie Barber and Jacob Barber do a terrific job in their roles. Their best comes in some scenes where it is absolute turmoil in the family. Next thing I liked about the series was the relation between Andy Barber and his father. The actor who played and his character is a spoiler and I am sure you will be surprised. It is really fascinating, the dynamic between them and how they behave. It also adds to the whodunit element of the series. The first three episodes set up things very beautifully and I was really becoming a fan of the series at that point. Episode 4 and 5 slow things down a little bit but I thought it happens to every webseries. Then, Episode 6 picks up speed and Episode 7 was really the best episode of all. It gets the courtroom drama perfectly as we are reminded of all details and we make sense of everything. But, then from the end of Episode 7 things go off the rails. (SPOILER ALERT). At the end of episode 7, Leonard Patz confesses the murder which is a very simple ending for all the build-up and suspense built. It was odd because there was another episode remaining. Then in Episode 8, they go to Mexico on a vacation and some shit happens which is linked to Jacob. First of all, this did not make sense at all and it was unnecessary. I would have accepted it if the series would have given me a proper ending. It pisses me off when there is no proper ending. It is not an open ending. Nope. They say Laurie is pissed off at her son and speeds the car to go off road and hit herself on the edge of the tunnel. Then, both of them are in hospital half alive and Laurie forgot that she intentionally hit the car. You can make a decision about it.
Now, the comparison of this series and the Indian crime web-series. One thing I have to say that this is linked to the cultural roots of India and America. Both countries have different family systems. You get to really understand it with the Coronavirus cases count. Just think about it. So, you should have been observing excessive cuss words and intimate scenes in many Indian web-series. But, the curious part I observed was how it was put to a minimal in this series. Taking out F*** , which has lost its meaning there were no cuss words and the one intimate scene was deserved by them keeping their circumstances in mind. This is because of one thing. Such scenes are very common in their culture and they are not here. Indian audiences get attracted to such scenes because they are not allowed to view them. When comparing the most recent Indian web-series Paatal Lok to this web-series, I would choose this series because it is so realistic in its portrayal. Sure, it ending got screwed but some of the moments in this web-series were far too worse than this ending. I can understand taking inspiration. I would not mind it. But, take the right stuff from it. I would say TVF is the best example about it. The concept of web-series is to tell a story which cannot be squeezed into a film. So, TVF takes stories from our Indian roots and tells them in a clean and efficient manner. Take the example of Kota Factory, their most well-known series. They told the story of students in Kota already a unique story that cannot be filled into a film. They gave it some memorable writing inspired from real situations without any vulgar scenes having some clean romance.
Hope you have enjoyed my blog. Make sure you follow my blog and my insta @rursreviews. I am reviewing movies and shows from all around the world that you should or should not watch. It would be helpful if you support it.
The screenplay of the series I should say is good but it has some significant negatives. This series is an adaptation of the book with same name written by William Landay. So, I was expecting riveting stuff as a book can give a lot of matter to work with. The writers really did their best with it. The best thing which worked for the series is the central family dynamic. They are projected to be a happy family before the accusations come along. Then, whatever they showed after the accusations is too realistic and if we think from their shoes, maybe our situation would have been similar to theirs. The character design of them is also commendable. Also, the acting by Chris Evans, Michelle Dockery and Jaeden Martell as Andy Barber, Laurie Barber and Jacob Barber do a terrific job in their roles. Their best comes in some scenes where it is absolute turmoil in the family. Next thing I liked about the series was the relation between Andy Barber and his father. The actor who played and his character is a spoiler and I am sure you will be surprised. It is really fascinating, the dynamic between them and how they behave. It also adds to the whodunit element of the series. The first three episodes set up things very beautifully and I was really becoming a fan of the series at that point. Episode 4 and 5 slow things down a little bit but I thought it happens to every webseries. Then, Episode 6 picks up speed and Episode 7 was really the best episode of all. It gets the courtroom drama perfectly as we are reminded of all details and we make sense of everything. But, then from the end of Episode 7 things go off the rails. (SPOILER ALERT). At the end of episode 7, Leonard Patz confesses the murder which is a very simple ending for all the build-up and suspense built. It was odd because there was another episode remaining. Then in Episode 8, they go to Mexico on a vacation and some shit happens which is linked to Jacob. First of all, this did not make sense at all and it was unnecessary. I would have accepted it if the series would have given me a proper ending. It pisses me off when there is no proper ending. It is not an open ending. Nope. They say Laurie is pissed off at her son and speeds the car to go off road and hit herself on the edge of the tunnel. Then, both of them are in hospital half alive and Laurie forgot that she intentionally hit the car. You can make a decision about it.
Now, the comparison of this series and the Indian crime web-series. One thing I have to say that this is linked to the cultural roots of India and America. Both countries have different family systems. You get to really understand it with the Coronavirus cases count. Just think about it. So, you should have been observing excessive cuss words and intimate scenes in many Indian web-series. But, the curious part I observed was how it was put to a minimal in this series. Taking out F*** , which has lost its meaning there were no cuss words and the one intimate scene was deserved by them keeping their circumstances in mind. This is because of one thing. Such scenes are very common in their culture and they are not here. Indian audiences get attracted to such scenes because they are not allowed to view them. When comparing the most recent Indian web-series Paatal Lok to this web-series, I would choose this series because it is so realistic in its portrayal. Sure, it ending got screwed but some of the moments in this web-series were far too worse than this ending. I can understand taking inspiration. I would not mind it. But, take the right stuff from it. I would say TVF is the best example about it. The concept of web-series is to tell a story which cannot be squeezed into a film. So, TVF takes stories from our Indian roots and tells them in a clean and efficient manner. Take the example of Kota Factory, their most well-known series. They told the story of students in Kota already a unique story that cannot be filled into a film. They gave it some memorable writing inspired from real situations without any vulgar scenes having some clean romance.
Hope you have enjoyed my blog. Make sure you follow my blog and my insta @rursreviews. I am reviewing movies and shows from all around the world that you should or should not watch. It would be helpful if you support it.
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