I wasn't expecting much, I didn't absolutely love the first two seasons, but unlike conventional wisdom I loved the third iteration, maybe because it was only six episodes instead of eight, the story wasn't drawn out.
The story?
"Big Little Lies" in Wales. At least that's what critics said, but I can't vouch for that because I never saw "Big Little Lies." I go for more highbrow fare. Or much more lowbrow. But having said all that I'm recommending "Keeping Faith" because of EVE MYLES!
I haven't seen a picture where I don't see Nicole Kidman in every role she plays. She's pretty good, but her acting is visible, kind of like Meryl Streep, she's showing off, in an understated way, trying to win an Oscar.
That's not Eve Myles.
Eve Myles runs the gamut of emotions, goes from zero to a hundred and back again with no governor, just like a real person. Kinda like Joni Mitchell said, "laughing and crying, you know it's the same release."
So when the series starts, Eve's husband Evan has disappeared, and she's forced not only to carry the law firm, but the show. Sure, there are peripheral characters, but it all revolves around Eve/Faith. Without Faith, there is no show!
Unlike Nicole Kidman, Eve Myles has not gone under the knife to try and excise her unique qualities to look just like every other Hollywood star. She has what my mother used to call "air-conditioned teeth," which could be fixed, certainly by an L.A. dentist/orthodontist, but she's owning what God gave her. As for her hair... Felice remarked how many colors there were in it. You see Faith is a mother and an attorney, and there's just not enough time in the day to get everything perfect. This is not June Cleaver, put-together with her pearls... Faith is always running around, dropping documents, wearing her heels but kicking them off at the first opportunity... You see Faith is real.
As are the emotions.
Do you trust your spouse? Do you believe what they say? How much evidence does it take for you to question their statements?
And Faith is a bleeding heart to boot. She goes to the wall for her clients. Not only in the courtroom, but personally, when it's not win or lose.
So in the original two seasons the story revolves around this criminal family. And the police investigation. But the third season...
It revolves around Faith and...
Someone we haven't seen before. Who has caused Faith to be who she is. The backstory, it's uber-important. Find out where someone came from and it will explain their behavior in the present day.
Also, Faith gets involved in the legal case of a dying boy and...
Yes, there are some hokey elements, especially at the end. And I'm not really giving anything away, it's just...just when the show is approaching highbrow, it goes lowbrow.
But everybody looks to Faith, she's the strong one, she has to be there for everybody, her no-good, wandering eye husband, her family, her best friend alcoholic Lisa... That's a lot of pressure. And sometimes Faith reaches her limit, but she always puts on her coat and exits the front door and addresses the issue.
Sometimes an actor is so talented that not only do they supersede the material, they make the whole show worth watching. You can't take your eyes off Faith, her behavior isn't always predictable, she's principled but not a goody-goody either. She is the opposite of the ice queens in Hollywood blockbusters, the eye candy who look good, but are wooden and two-dimensional. In the U.S. we think it's solely about looks (and money!), whereas in the rest of the world, looks are not everything. I'm not saying Eve/Faith is unattractive, but she's not the drop dead gorgeous star of an American production, she wouldn't instantly turn your head.
You see Eve/Faith has a personality, an identity, and that's what we're drawn to. Sure, you might be attracted by looks, but they don't go that far. You know the cliché, show me a beautiful woman...
I'm not sure you can say that anymore. You can't say so much anymore. And some shouldn't be said, but if thoughts just go underground is that a good result?
So, everybody ends up in love with Faith.
And the truth is it's hard to be an attractive, dynamic woman in society. Men can't stop propositioning you, you're what they want!
I just cannot say enough about Eve Myles, how great she is. The six episodes of the new season breezed along.
And I loved how things fell through the cracks, when you're trying to service everybody yet complete your obligations, some people are going to be slighted, and there could be significant effects as a result. We're all imperfect, but some of us enter the fray nonetheless, willing to make mistakes in the furtherance of good.
"Keeping Faith" is on Acorn. Which costs $5.99 a month. The easiest way to get it is via the Amazon Prime app. Search for "Keeping Faith" and just before it plays you'll be asked if you want to pay. But you do get seven days free, so if you watch fast and cancel in time... And if you sign up and then come back on again...you don't get another free seven days, just so you know. And the good thing about buying through Amazon is it's on your Amazon bill and Amazon has the best customer service of any online entity.
I wouldn't put "Keeping Faith" at the top of my list, insist you watch it right now, but I'd put Eve Myles there. It's your decision.
P.S. "Ferry," a prequel to "Undercover," started on Netflix yesterday, unfortunately it's only a movie, I'd prefer a series, but Frank Lammers is in the league of Eve Myles, he's a modern day Tony Soprano. I can't wait!
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