The flashbacks and the cuts to them "live" and together when they are just texting is very confusing. They jump around so much with little indication of where we are in the sequence of events. Acting is okay, I think Elle Fanning portrays Michelle pretty well. Could have been done in less episodes, I'm gonna power through to finish, but it drags a bit.
100 Reviews
Interesting for the first couple episodes but now dragged out
brittneyhayes22 April 2022
The show seems to jump from the past to present with no real indication. It can be jarring and annoying. This had potential to being an incredibly addictive series but it's just too dragged out and occasionally confusing. Elle Fanning is sensational though. Let's be honest - she is the reason I'll finish this series.
Horrible editing
Kim_jee2 April 2022
The premise and storyline is good, but the horrible editing makes it seem like there is no continuity between the scenes. I don't know if it's the director's vision or scene editors were lazy or what.. transition between scenes seem very abrupt.
Another dragged out docuseries
nathan-p-hart10 April 2022
Intriguing story. But so far pacing is terrible. A mini series off a few episodes would have sufficed. I am getting tired off over dramatized docuseries. I would have given it 4 stars but Chloe Sevigny is carrying the entire show. She's so good.
Worth A Watch
catfanatic88824 April 2022
First I had my feelings about this actual story years ago but I adore Elle Fanning so am watching it. She is perfectly cast in the leading role. Some have criticized her detached affect but I feel she nailed the part. It's a sad story but it's interesting seeing it from all sides especially hers. This is worth a watch.
Worth a Watch
marymcfarland-018669 April 2022
I was unfamiliar with the story on which this limited series is based, and have never seen the documentary that was referenced in some of the other reviews.
Chloe Sevigney gives an excellent performance as the bereaved mother. The actors playing the lead teen characters are doing a solid job portraying how teens with serious mental health issues actually behave.
Recommend.
Chloe Sevigney gives an excellent performance as the bereaved mother. The actors playing the lead teen characters are doing a solid job portraying how teens with serious mental health issues actually behave.
Recommend.
Unexpected
kmurphy87348 April 2022
Chloe, Chloe! From Gummo to insanely brilliant in this role! You've maneuvered a brave resume which I believe has suited you perfectly. Love your quiet confidence. Love the young man who plays CoCo! What a gem!! Such a brilliant show. A little vibrato but very well done.
Elle!
bianca-423-5200230 March 2022
Elle Fanning does an amazing job on this - she portrays the desperate teen grasping for every bit of attention she can get superbly. As for the series, only three episodes in, so I can't comment on the plot in its entirety - but there are already such negative reviews on here from people that have probably watched ten minutes of it, so I wanted to balance it out and let people know that Elle's acting alone is a good enough reason to give this show a chance and the real life events it's based on make a great story.
Needed subtitles for the text messages! Otherwise interesting and sad story well told.
djtom-5754410 February 2023
The performances and subject matter are pretty hard to criticise - Elle Fanning in particular is superb and is an eerily good likeness to the real Michelle Carter - the story is sadly compelling too. It occasionally dragged (despite the very sad and tragic nature of the real life story it depicted) so ideally it would have benefited from being a couple of episodes shorter. One main criticism I have though is that the text messaging was so frequent (plus an integral part of the story) that it should have been subtitled like the dialogue was. I had to keep stopping it to look closely at what was being said in the texts which was annoying!
Way too long and slow
pfpgssx25 April 2022
I was really looking forward to this because I remember this story from the news. Needs editing, and a lot of it. This could have been told in half the time. The acting is decent. One big pet peeve: expecting the audience to read numerous texts from a phone screen. Not everyone has an 85" TV. This seems so basic to me.
Better than expected
ashnbarbosa17 August 2022
This mini series turned out better than expected. Really got into it by episode 2. Great cast, Elle Fanning was phenomenal! Very sad subject matter, however I thought it was done well. My only gripe was trying to read all those texts messages.
I expected a lot from this show but...
Laqshayaroraofficial30 March 2022
Just watched the 1st three episodes of this Hulu original, 1st episode is average, 2nd is awesome, 3rd is boring (very slow). It would have been better if they had released all 8 episodes at once of 30 minutes (or less) duration. I liked the cast (especially Elle), story, direction and the dialogues but this show is so slow, editor could have done a way better job.
After watching the 1st three episodes of this show, I watched the HBO documentary "I love you, now die" although i don't like documentaries, I really loved that and have decided to skip this show.
After watching the 1st three episodes of this show, I watched the HBO documentary "I love you, now die" although i don't like documentaries, I really loved that and have decided to skip this show.
So slow
tenealesharman22 April 2022
The acting isn't terrible, but the pace is so so slow it's hard to stay interested. The flashbacks and time frames are really confusing. And the actor who played Conrad I couldn't get on board with. Had they condensed the series I may have had more tolerance for it but I'm going to struggle to get to the end.
Not revolutionary in an oversaturated True-Crime era, but Chloe Sevigny delivers
chloesevignysoscarnomination13 April 2022
The show is well made and enjoyable, and if your fond of the myriad of True-Crime dramas which have been gracing (and gracing and gracing and gracing...) our screens over the last several years, then you'll probably find something worthwhile here - but nothing new. The performances are all excellent but it's the one given by the great Chloe Sevigny which truly transcends. Sevigny takes a role which so easily could have been thankless and as cliche as some of the shows other elements, and turns it into a beautiful and gut wrenching portrayal of grief and the fight to live in face of it. She is a virtuoso and it's about time that we as a society gave her her flowers.
I was really into this show but...
saimariejohnson6 May 2022
It's really a good show in some ways, but it's not great. It's a bit drug along but Fanning's performance is on point, per usual and it is a true crime story that I feel is important to understand after what happened to Conrad Roy with regard to Michelle Carter's actions that lead up to her sentencing. I began to lose a bit of interest toward the end because it became a bit too slow from the starting point and the pacing made me lose some interest.
Text messages
jimlucy-0566723 August 2022
Some series I've watched were texting is made then the texts are shown in screen so they can be viewed whether relevant or not. I feel that if the text messages were shown prominently the plot/scenario would have made more sense and helped the viewers (me) to go with it.
Excellent so far but very sad
smith-miq29 March 2022
Very sad but a very important subject, life is so tough for teens. The documentary was such a brutal watch, this series will be just as hard. Hope the families are ok with this portrayal of there kids. Again I'm enjoying this but it's a sad story of real life.
Only 'boring' if you haven't experienced mental health issues or emotional complexity.
cdlrkmenzies3 August 2023
I couldn't believe the mediocre star rating here! Gobsmacked.
Fanning, Sevingy and Ryan are superb.
The writing, interpretation and editing are subtle, intriguing, and genuinely thought provoking.
There is room allowed to have an individual opinion, with shades of grey to how Carter and other key characters and relationships are portrayed.
I didn't know much about the case, so with no preconceptions I could appreciate it as an original creation. Perhaps my opinion would change of the reality if I read court transcripts etc. But as a fictionalised television series there is much to appreciate.
I would honestly say it's only boring if you are someone who doesn't like deep thought or a more sustained and literary style of storytelling. Or indeed, anyone who hasn't grappled with mental heath issues or complicated psychological relationships.
Fanning, Sevingy and Ryan are superb.
The writing, interpretation and editing are subtle, intriguing, and genuinely thought provoking.
There is room allowed to have an individual opinion, with shades of grey to how Carter and other key characters and relationships are portrayed.
I didn't know much about the case, so with no preconceptions I could appreciate it as an original creation. Perhaps my opinion would change of the reality if I read court transcripts etc. But as a fictionalised television series there is much to appreciate.
I would honestly say it's only boring if you are someone who doesn't like deep thought or a more sustained and literary style of storytelling. Or indeed, anyone who hasn't grappled with mental heath issues or complicated psychological relationships.
Just Watch "I Love You, Now Die"
BillyJessup30 March 2022
I have always been a bigger fan of documentaries rather than reenactments. For those of you who agree with that statement, just watch the HBO documentary "I Love You, Now Die." I started this and then realized how pointless it is to watch people re-enacting a story and there being "events that are dramatized" (as per the statement in the opening first episode) when you can just watch the real deal. Similar to The Dropout, where you can just watch The Inventor documentary about Theranos and Elizabeth Holmes.
The whole point of this review is: if you're more into that way of filmmaking, I want to make sure you know that exists as well. This isn't the only way to get this story.
The whole point of this review is: if you're more into that way of filmmaking, I want to make sure you know that exists as well. This isn't the only way to get this story.
Chilling , depressing and sad but nevertheless must-see TV
paul-allaer30 March 2022
Warning: Spoilers
As Episode 1 "The Girl From Plainville" (2022 release; 8 episodes of about 45 min each) opens, the local cops are following up on a missing person report about a young guy named Conrad. His black Ford pickup is eventually located, with Conrad having committed suicide. When the news of Conrad's death reaches Michelle, his (supposed) girlfriend, she bursts out in tears. Her parents don't understand it, as they've never heard her mention Conrad, let alone meet him. At this point we are 10 min into Episode 1.
Couple of comments: this tv mini-series is the brainchild of Patrick MacManus and Liz Hannah, yes, the same woman who created that other current mu-see TV mini-series "The Dropout". Episodes 1 and 2 are directed by none other than Lisa Cholodenko ("The Kids Are All Right"). Not to mention that the series stars Ellie Fanning (as Michelle) and Chloe Sevigny (as Conrad's mom). In other words, there is a bunch of top talent involved with this, and it shows. Even though I remembered the starting premise from when these events took place in 2014 (that Michelle had "coached" Conrad to take his life), I was till taken aback by it all. The mini-series in essence plays out in two parallel story lines: the fall-out from Conrad's suicide in 2014, and how Conrad and Michelle met in 2012 and thereafter.
I've seen the initial 3 episodes which started streaming on Hulu. Additional episodes will be released on Wednesdays going forward. Even though this min-series is a chilling if not depressing look at the human behavior with an immense underlying sadness to it all, I nevertheless find this to be must-see TV, period. Can't wait to check out the remaining episodes. If you have any interest in mental health or why teenagers do what they do, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.
*UPDATE* I've seen all episodes now, and I can only confirm what I wrote earlier. Transfixing viewing yet just sad all around. I've upgraded my rating to 8 stars as this was a terrific series, even with the sad undercurrent.
Couple of comments: this tv mini-series is the brainchild of Patrick MacManus and Liz Hannah, yes, the same woman who created that other current mu-see TV mini-series "The Dropout". Episodes 1 and 2 are directed by none other than Lisa Cholodenko ("The Kids Are All Right"). Not to mention that the series stars Ellie Fanning (as Michelle) and Chloe Sevigny (as Conrad's mom). In other words, there is a bunch of top talent involved with this, and it shows. Even though I remembered the starting premise from when these events took place in 2014 (that Michelle had "coached" Conrad to take his life), I was till taken aback by it all. The mini-series in essence plays out in two parallel story lines: the fall-out from Conrad's suicide in 2014, and how Conrad and Michelle met in 2012 and thereafter.
I've seen the initial 3 episodes which started streaming on Hulu. Additional episodes will be released on Wednesdays going forward. Even though this min-series is a chilling if not depressing look at the human behavior with an immense underlying sadness to it all, I nevertheless find this to be must-see TV, period. Can't wait to check out the remaining episodes. If you have any interest in mental health or why teenagers do what they do, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.
*UPDATE* I've seen all episodes now, and I can only confirm what I wrote earlier. Transfixing viewing yet just sad all around. I've upgraded my rating to 8 stars as this was a terrific series, even with the sad undercurrent.
Started off decent but fell apart so fast
DeadMansTrousers3 May 2022
Most people remember this court case and would be interested in watching a mini-series based off it, but this is not worth the time or effort. It started off as a factual representation of what happened and then it turned into a fictional dramatisation featuring musical numbers and overly dramatic scenes that have nothing to do with the court case. I think the creators probably did this to appeal to a younger audience but I found it frustrating and distracting.
SOOOOO SLOW
sohaipmorad8 April 2022
Brother, they have a good story and good actors, whu making it so slow, like it's incredibly slow for no reason its ruining everything.
Sometimes i feel like the set is cheap, the green screen is obvious idk man this show is wierd cus the general story is great but i have no idea why sooooo slow.
Sometimes i feel like the set is cheap, the green screen is obvious idk man this show is wierd cus the general story is great but i have no idea why sooooo slow.
Flawed, and drawn out
DaveSB273 May 2022
Two issues, 1. If you're going to make a show/film that's dependant on text messages, show them so the viewer can read them. Either across the screen, as other such films have done, in a VO or make the typesetting larger in the phone so we can read it. 2. A show that takes place in MA, with such wonderful perfect natural settings, and yet the filmmakers chose to film it in Georgia. Why, the MA tax break isn't big enough? Sad.
Outsmarts Itself
Astaroth229 January 2023
Acting is good but Chloë Sevigny (Lynn Roy) really stole the show. She played her role exceptionally well. Unfortunately, this series is presented in a way that tries to get a little too tricky. It's a style designed to be different but all it really does is outsmart itself.
For one, there is a constant jump back and forth in time that starts to wear and ultimately becomes annoying by breaking up the flow of the story. Had they done this sparingly it may have actually worked but it's happening all the time so it did not.
Next, the show takes liberties by injecting things into the narrative that never ever happened. On top of that, we have imaginary conversations shoehorned into the episodes while there are also real conversations, I think, that occur. What's real and what's imagined is anyone's guess. For example, there's a scene in the back of the truck... I was left wondering if that actually happened in real life - or whether it didn't but was supposed to have actually happened in the scene - or if it was just her imagination.
For one, there is a constant jump back and forth in time that starts to wear and ultimately becomes annoying by breaking up the flow of the story. Had they done this sparingly it may have actually worked but it's happening all the time so it did not.
Next, the show takes liberties by injecting things into the narrative that never ever happened. On top of that, we have imaginary conversations shoehorned into the episodes while there are also real conversations, I think, that occur. What's real and what's imagined is anyone's guess. For example, there's a scene in the back of the truck... I was left wondering if that actually happened in real life - or whether it didn't but was supposed to have actually happened in the scene - or if it was just her imagination.
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