Big Little Lies HBO

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find the dialogue really stilted. The conversation between he ex and the current husband felt so damn fake. That said, I like the eye candy (scenery and human), the music, and of course the mystery, so I'll keep watching.

I agree. It's not very realistic but fun anyway, like good chic-lit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Madeline seems like a caricature rather than a character. It's like a chick-lit type (Hello! Fashionable woman here with a Strooooooooong personality) is plopped down in the middle of an HBO show.

Yeah but it's exactly how she's written in the book - Reese has nailed her character.

I used to be a huge Nicole Kidman fan - she's a brilliant actress and has several Oscar-worthy performances under her belt (plus I think she actually won one, right?). But her face no longer moves, and that really limits her as an actress. Though in a way it works for her character here, who is totally shut down with a flat affect and trying to maintain the perfect exterior - like a mask. But still...there's only so far she can go when she literally cannot move her face.

I disagree because the character is so different than in the book. She has a strong personality, to be sure, but she's also distinctly different than many of the other moms. Maddie and Ed are solid middle class, Ed is a journalist and doesn't make a lot of money, she probably has to work for the income. I think she feels a bit insecure about that, but is relatively fine being on the edge of the cool/rich mom crowd. Plus she's so frustrated that her daughter is turning into a mini-Bonnie (vegan, crunchy, etc).

Can't stand Nicole Kidman as Celeste. I read Celeste as being distant but warm and kind to others. Nicole as Celeste is an ice queen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So I have been on hold for this book for a couple months, and just now after I have watched 2 episodes of the show the ebook came in. Should I read it now or finish the TV series and read it then?

I'm torn on how to respond here. I really liked this book and I agree with a PP that I might tolerate the series better if I wasn't comparing it to the book. I think they are VERY different, which doesn't necessarily make on or the other bad.

[Anonymous]

Is this thread full of spoilers? I have not read the book and do not want to be spoiled.

[Anonymous]

I'm calling it: Reese and Nicole will compete for the Best Actress in a Limited Series Emmy. Reese will take home the statue.
I think they both are perfect for their roles. Although, I'm glad I read the book a while ago so the particulars are not so fresh in my mind. Overall, I find BLLs to be remarkable TV.

If you want to see a current Nicole Kidman oscar-worthy performance, see her supporting role in Lion. She's still got it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm calling it: Reese and Nicole will compete for the Best Actress in a Limited Series Emmy. Reese will take home the statue.
I think they both are perfect for their roles. Although, I'm glad I read the book a while ago so the particulars are not so fresh in my mind. Overall, I find BLLs to be remarkable TV.

If you want to see a current Nicole Kidman oscar-worthy performance, see her supporting role in Lion. She's still got it.

Me too.

Screenplays almost always take creative license to alter things a bit.

I also read the book a long time ago. I'm not upset it's not following book verbatim either. In fact, I like that.

I like it adapted for the US vs Australia.

[Anonymous]

I also like the backstory that Nicole and Reese used their wherewithal to go out and get this project made. They both wanted better roles for women, Nicole used her Australian connection to option the book, they called on a seasoned writer and director and brought it to TV in 2.5 years. What other project has so many great complex female leads and all men in supporting roles?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find the dialogue really stilted. The conversation between he ex and the current husband felt so damn fake. That said, I like the eye candy (scenery and human), the music, and of course the mystery, so I'll keep watching.

I wasn't sure I was "getting" the whole confrontation between the two husbands. What is the undercurrent of hostility there? Is Madeline's current husband feeling less than masculine, and has a chip on his shoulder about it? Clue me in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is this thread full of spoilers? I have not read the book and do not want to be spoiled.

Not really, no real plot info. No one has said, "well in the book they all die in an earthquake, but you may not have gotten to that part in the TV series."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find the dialogue really stilted. The conversation between he ex and the current husband felt so damn fake. That said, I like the eye candy (scenery and human), the music, and of course the mystery, so I'll keep watching.

I wasn't sure I was "getting" the whole confrontation between the two husbands. What is the undercurrent of hostility there? Is Madeline's current husband feeling less than masculine, and has a chip on his shoulder about it? Clue me in.

Well he expressly said at least twice that he was the consolation prize.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find the dialogue really stilted. The conversation between he ex and the current husband felt so damn fake. That said, I like the eye candy (scenery and human), the music, and of course the mystery, so I'll keep watching.

I wasn't sure I was "getting" the whole confrontation between the two husbands. What is the undercurrent of hostility there? Is Madeline's current husband feeling less than masculine, and has a chip on his shoulder about it? Clue me in.

Well he expressly said at least twice that he was the consolation prize.

I haven't read the book, but my take on watching the episodes is the ex-husband requests the meet up with husband #2 to get him to tell Madeline to be nicer to Bonnie (Zoe Kravitz, who is always being super nice). Madeline was mad at Bonnie for taking her daughter to planned parenthood without telling Madeline first, and you see Madeline yell at Bonnie in the school parking lot about it. I don't think men act like this, calling one another to meet in person to discuss some drama, but here they do. So they meet at the beach and ex-husband acts kind of like a dick, and I think husband #2 at that moment realizes that there are some truths to the complaints Madeline has made about her ex-husband (he's self centered, is rude, a bit high of himself, etc.) and that the reason Madeline has been complaining isn't because she still is in love with her ex but because, well, he's really a dick. So then husband #2, now that he has realized this, gets a bit protective and verbally defends Madeline to the surprise of the ex-husbadn (who I sense had thought husband #2 was a pushover and wouldn't have defended Madeline and would have agreed to tell Madeline to back off Bonnie). Ex-husband gets rude to husband #2, but husband #2 isn't the kind to punch someone so he tells his "i would love to get revenge on a bully" story and rides his bike off into the sunset.

[Anonymous]

Great write up in The New Yorker:

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/03/06/the-surprising-generosity-of-big-little-lies

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Great write up in The New Yorker:

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/03/06/the-surprising-generosity-of-big-little-lies

I agree that Kidman has the standout performance here. It's not ice queen or frozen face. It's award-worthy acting.
In general, I think Kidman takes so many unpopular roles, most with small production companies and throw in flops, that her actual acting abilities are underrated.

[Anonymous]

I've never read the book but I really like the series so far. I admit that I couldn't stand the suspense and went on Wiki to see who was killed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find the dialogue really stilted. The conversation between he ex and the current husband felt so damn fake. That said, I like the eye candy (scenery and human), the music, and of course the mystery, so I'll keep watching.

I wasn't sure I was "getting" the whole confrontation between the two husbands. What is the undercurrent of hostility there? Is Madeline's current husband feeling less than masculine, and has a chip on his shoulder about it? Clue me in.

Well he expressly said at least twice that he was the consolation prize.

I haven't read the book, but my take on watching the episodes is the ex-husband requests the meet up with husband #2 to get him to tell Madeline to be nicer to Bonnie (Zoe Kravitz, who is always being super nice). Madeline was mad at Bonnie for taking her daughter to planned parenthood without telling Madeline first, and you see Madeline yell at Bonnie in the school parking lot about it. I don't think men act like this, calling one another to meet in person to discuss some drama, but here they do. So they meet at the beach and ex-husband acts kind of like a dick, and I think husband #2 at that moment realizes that there are some truths to the complaints Madeline has made about her ex-husband (he's self centered, is rude, a bit high of himself, etc.) and that the reason Madeline has been complaining isn't because she still is in love with her ex but because, well, he's really a dick. So then husband #2, now that he has realized this, gets a bit protective and verbally defends Madeline to the surprise of the ex-husbadn (who I sense had thought husband #2 was a pushover and wouldn't have defended Madeline and would have agreed to tell Madeline to back off Bonnie). Ex-husband gets rude to husband #2, but husband #2 isn't the kind to punch someone so he tells his "i would love to get revenge on a bully" story and rides his bike off into the sunset.

Simple take. The scene prior---Maddie complained that hubby didn't have her back/he could stand up for once in awhile--in response to him saying she was always battling something. He also had said he wasn't her 'one' and questioned if her first husband was 'the one'.

Next day--he does just that and grows a set and calls a meeting with her ex.

This wins her love back and it's the scene of them dancing and connected again...she telling him he is 'the one'.