BIG LITTLE LIES

US, 2017, 7X 50 minutes, Colour.
Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern, Alexander Skarsgaard, Adam Scott,, Zoe Kravitz, James Tupper, Jeffrey Nordlund, Iain Armitage, Darby Camp, Santiago Cabrera, Kathryn Newton, Joseph Cross.
Directed by Jean- Marc Vallee.

Big Little Lies was a very successful television series nominated for many Emmys. It was based on a novel by Liane Moriarty, an Australian author – but was optioned by Reese Witherspoon and the location transferred to California, the city of Monterey.

In many ways, this is something of the Desperate Housewives of Monterey – but is more.

With 7 1-hour episodes, it has the opportunity to build up characters, set them in the atmosphere of Monterey, focus on four women and, to a lesser extent, their husbands. But the children also have a central focus.

The performances are excellent, Reese Witherspoon as the ever controlling and demanding Madeline, revealed eventually as not as perfect as she would like to project her image. Nicole Kidman is very good as Celeste, a former lawyer, in a violent marriage, her husband, Alexander Skarsgaard, controlling and violent towards her and she responding violently and their both responding sexually. There are some interesting sequences at a therapist with the wife in denial but eventually having to admit the truth. Shailene Woodley is gaining, a young unmarried mother who has bitter memories of the father of her young son. She is befriended by the women in the town.

On the other hand, there is the highly strung professional woman, Renata, played by Laura Dern. Her child is bullied at school and accuses Shailene Woodley’s son. This mystery recurs throughout the series and eventually, another child is revealed as the bully.

There are all kinds of other things happening in the town, especially with the young children and their going to school, the putting on of a risky play, Avenue Q and protests against it, Celeste being asked to exercise her legal skills for the play being allowed to go ahead.

Adam Scott is very good as Madeline’s husband, quietly working at home, trying to please his wife as well as cope with her ex-husband and his new wife and parenting the teenage daughter who gets into quite a tangle herself with her Project.

The film ends with a community Trivia Night with Elvis impersonations but also with the death, and another twist, the police baffled, the townspeople gossiping throughout the film, intercut with the action, with justice actually being done without benefit of law, and the reconciliation amongst the characters and the future.

The series was directed by Canadian Jean- Marc Vallee came to prominence with his C*R*A*Z*Y, directed Matthew Mc Conaughay to an Oscar in The Dallas Buyers Club and directed Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern in Wild.

1. The popularity of this series? Designed for the television audience? The original novel, Australian and transferred to the United States?

2. The effect of watching the series, the situations, development of characters, interactions, death, gossip? Twisting revelation? The solution?

3. Monterey, California, affluence, homes, school, the theatre? The rehearsals for Avenue Q? The trivia night? The atmosphere of soap opera – but more?

4. A portrait of housewives, their deepest aspirations? Expectations? The women’s focus of the series? The place of men, children? Centering on the school?

5. The intercutting of the dramas, love, betrayal?

6. The action taking place over two weeks, life in the suburbs, at school, the theatre and the cases, the drama of the child hitting another? Counselling and its effect?

7. The background of the people from Monterey, the board meeting, the quick cuts, the intercutting of the gossip and opinions?

8. Reese Witherspoon as Madeline, her age, taking Chloe to school, the encounter with Jane, bonding with her? Madeline controlling, wanting perfection, not perfect herself? Her first husband, the memories, their clashes? His remarriage, her jealousy of Bonnie? At home, Acted, married for years, take him for granted, the details of life, his domestication, her demands? Her relationship with Abigail, the teenager, talking with her, wanting to control? Her friendship with Celeste, their discussions? Tom, the restaurant? The clashes with Renata? The revelation of her affair with Joseph? Scenes with him, his advances, his wife? Her love for the theatre, Avenue Q, discussions with Celeste, the mayor and case, the discussions? The performance, Joseph’s wife? The issue with Jane, Jane and the father of Ziggy, the gun? The discussions after Jane’s visit? Joseph, the confrontation, the accident, his injuries, the effect on Madeline, Joseph’s wife? The importance of the meal, the Abigail project? The visit, the tensions, the frank talk? Discussion with Abigail, Madeline’s confession about her affair? The possibilities for the future, telling Ed?

9. Celeste, the twins, the relationship with Perry, a hard life, giving up the law, being a mother, the difficulties of the birth, the twins? Taking them to school? Her friendship with Madeline, becoming a friend of Jane? The meetings, the restaurant, chatting? At home, Perry, his wanting control, demanding on Celeste, anger, hitting his wife, her hitting him back, leading to’s sexual encounter? His being away frequently? The decision to go to the therapist? The two together, the discussions, Celeste going alone, in denial, the counsellor eliciting a response from Celeste, the plan for the future, confiding in someone else so that it is not one word against another? Setting up the apartment, renting it? Her taking on the case with the mayor, the meeting, her arguments, her enjoying the experience, the possibility of a career, the opinion of the counsellor? Perry forbidding her to go to the play? The buildup to going to the trivia night?

10. Perry, Jane seeking the father of her son, the truth? Jane, identifying Perry, the violence, and his death?

11. Jane, her age, arrival, with Ziggy, six years old, giving the lift to Madeline, the friendship, Ziggy being accused of hitting the little girl, her identifying him? Jane at home, with her son, the absent father, the insertion of the memories, on the beach? Friendship with Tom, the chats with her friends? Relying on Madeline? The gun, the firing practice? Madeline and the lead for the father of her child, San Luis Obispo? Her reaction about the accusations, testing her son, believing him? The discussions with the teachers, the discussions with Renata, her anger, the effect on Renata’s eye? The apology, the discussions, their becoming friends? Gordon attacking her? The truth, Ziggy Innocent, his friendship with the little girl? Her telling Celeste the truth, telling Renata with Celeste? Her recognising Perry?

12. Renata, her character, her power, work, relationship with Gordon? The daughter, at school? Renata highly strung, excessive anger, shouting at her husband, the clash with Jane, the petition against Ziggy, the teachers? The bite on her daughter’s shoulder? The fight with Jane, the injury to her I? Jane’s apology and their bonding?

13. The importance of the children, Ziggy and the initial suspicion, a quiet boy, the background in his asking about his father? Jane’s answers? Renata’s daughter, the victim, pointing to Ziggy? The twins, their planning, affection for their father, his pretending to be the monster? The truth, Max and his bullying, Chloe and her behaviour? Propitious at home?

14. Abigail, living with Madeline, the visits to her father, her relationship with Ed? Teenage? Assertion? At home with Chloe? Moving out, setting up a project, selling her virginity online, the social causes? Angers? The dinner, Madeline’s confession?

15. Ed, genial man, working at home, love for Madeline, not feeling that he was loved fully by her? Relationship with Abigail? A sounding board at home? Challenging Madeline’s first husband, visiting Bonnie? The preparation for the dinner? Agreeable, Abigail’s project? The trivia night, his performance as Elvis, singing? For Madeline? The absence?

16. Perry, his job, with Celeste, the kids, being away, dominating and violent? Punishing Celeste? Forbidding her to go out? The counsellor and the sessions? The boys? The revelation of the truth, his death? Bonnie’s role and pushing Perry?

17. Bonnie and her husband, characters, at the school, their own daughter, the story, the clashes, the fight and her daughter being upset?

18. Gordon, relationship with Renata, his daughter and the accusations, the clashes with Jane?

19. Tom, at the restaurant, genial, friendly, helping the women out?

20. The investigations about Perry’s death? Interrogating the women? The police are dubious about their answers? The women all bonding, the scenes of the beach – and the future?

21. The background of the teachers, in the school, handling the bullying situation, publicly with the mothers? The gossip? The accusations?

22. The final twist, the death and the truth?