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- Blanchett and Kline Are an Oscar-Winning Duo
- Playful Narrative Style
- Visually Striking & Tragic All at Once
As a seasoned cinephile with a penchant for unraveling complex narratives and a deep appreciation for the visual artistry that graces our screens, I must say that Cuarón’s “Disclaimer” is an enthralling, visually striking masterpiece that transcends the boundaries of traditional storytelling. It’s like a symphony composed by Cuaron, with each episode serving as a unique movement, expertly woven together to form a gripping, multi-layered tale.
Note: It’s unlikely that any major spoilers or unexpected plot twists will be revealed here.
It might have come as a surprise to many movie enthusiasts that Academy Award-winning filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón ventured into television for his recent work titled Disclaimer. However, our anticipation grew once we found out that a lineup of Academy Award winners and nominees would star in the series, along with Emmanuel Lubezki, a three-time Oscar winner for cinematography (on films such as Gravity, Birdman, The Revenant), joining Cuarón yet again as the director of photography.
Notably, Alfonso Cuarón, who wrote every episode and directed, having adapted Renée Knight’s celebrated novel with the same title for this project, has shared that he essentially treated it as a movie at the ongoing Venice International Film Festival. So, rest assured that despite his transition to the small screen, the skilled filmmaker hasn’t lost his touch. Brace yourself for an awe-inspiring experience unlike any other. This Apple TV+ adaptation is bound to captivate fans of the novel and undoubtedly make waves in next year’s award season.
Blanchett and Kline Are an Oscar-Winning Duo
If Blanchett aspires to further her EGOT journey, Disclaimer undoubtedly represents a commendable attempt. While Mrs. America on FX previously garnered recognition and a nomination, Disclaimer seems to align more with theatrical, high-profile roles. At the age of 55, the gifted Australian actress continues to deliver captivating performances, and her character, Catherine, is frequently brought to tears and deep despair.
Catherine, a distinguished journalist, graciously accepts her latest honorable award as an engrossing miniseries unfolds. Her devoted husband Robert (portrayed skillfully by Sacha Baron Cohen in this serious role) stands by her during grand events like these, and significantly so at her more delicate moments – such as when she receives a puzzling manuscript through the post, which appears to expose a hidden past of hers that she’s concealed from Robert and other close family members, including her aloof adult son Nicholas (Kodi Smit-McPhee).
Disclaimer is chronicled across seven chapters, which is a wonderful service to the groundbreaking and twisty novel, for that matter. To reveal anything beyond the pilot’s developments here would be cruel and (mostly) unusual, not that we’re tempted to do so. The series’ teaser trailer that has been released successfully keeps things under wraps, to the point where someone who’s read the novel might even watch the teaser and think, for example, that it is Kline who plays the husband of Catherine, not Baron Cohen.
Fortunately, Kline embarks on his unique personal odyssey, resembling a parallel central narrative that is expected to position him as a strong candidate for the Lead Actor category in next year’s Emmy Awards. Baron Cohen and Smit-McPhee will be featured in the supporting roles instead.
In addition, Academy Award nominee Lesley Manville (known for “The Crown” and “Phantom Thread”) is expected to be a strong contender for the supporting actress category during the awards season. The intensity she’s displayed in previous critically-acclaimed roles is evident in her performances on “Disclaimer”, where her character’s interactions with the more subdued Kline are particularly noteworthy. Their portrayal of a troubled couple, while reminiscent of Catherine and Robert’s dynamic, doesn’t follow a straightforward narrative structure.
Playful Narrative Style
Alfonso Cuarón, a skilled storyteller, never strays from clarity and cohesion, guiding his plots with precision and assurance. His narratives are supported by intriguing narrators who meticulously follow their assigned storylines. While the specifics of these narrations will be left unsaid to avoid spoilers, they aren’t merely expository; instead, they create an unsettling, mind-penetrating atmosphere that sends a shiver down your spine, particularly in the way the narrator delves into Catherine’s harrowing journey while captivating events unfold.
Furthermore, the fact that Emmanuel Lubezki and Oscar nominee Bruno Delbonnel serve as cinematographers for the series increases anticipation regarding its visual aspects. Just like Steven Soderbergh tailored a unique aesthetic to each narrative thread in his acclaimed film Traffic (2000), the various central characters in Disclaimer are artfully portrayed with deliberate differences in visual style, such as using shaky footage for one and then employing fluid, elegant tracking shots for another.
Visually Striking & Tragic All at Once
With each episode, the tension escalates, making it clearer that some timeless novels might not be fully captured within the 90-120 minutes of a movie. Cuaron, who once directed a Harry Potter film adaptation (the third and generally considered the best), takes this concept to new heights with Disclaimer. By staying faithful to Knight’s novel and adding layers to the original material in intriguing ways, Cuaron demonstrates that a miniseries format would be the ideal medium for such depth and expansion.
I find myself immersed in an epic tale that spans across numerous nations, where I race against time to unravel the mystery behind clandestine attempts to tarnish my reputation and that of my loved ones. Employing my journalistic abilities, I strive to expose the culprit who seeks to sully me, with ties to past painful experiences.
In regards to the series’ inaugural phrase, “Beware of narrative and form” — as avid television viewers, we can attest that the only thing to be cautious about is the potential depletion of your Friday evenings, once you’ve finished an episode and find yourself engrossed in discussions with others about what unfolded. Prepare the online discussion boards!
The film “Disclaimer” will start streaming on Apple TV+ from October 11, having recently been screened at the Venice International Film Festival.
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2024-08-30 18:32