Sharp Objects: Season 1

"Beautifully constructed by Vallée and Noxon, and unforgettably performed by an ensemble that seems destined for awards ceremony stages in the near future, this is a worthy follower to “The Night Of” and “Big Little Lies” in this new trend of HBO Mini-Series Obsessions."

"As a detective story, it’s top-of-the-line, and its detective, a reporter who’s too close to her story and far too removed from compassion and from a clear understanding of reality, is a character that will endure long after the mystery is solved."

"On TV, Sharp Objects can't precisely capture Flynn's prose and the internalized descent into disorientation taken page-by-page, but series director Jean-Marc Vallee finds his own visual language that, driven by a ferociously wounded performance by Amy Adams, makes this eight-hour limited series haunting and riveting--both prestige and pulp."

"Sharp Objects’s touch remains delicate throughout, thanks to its gifted lead, its beautiful writing, and, yes, its laser-sharp editing."

"Grim as this assessment may be, this also makes the drama one of the better offerings on TV right now--not a feel-good summertime story by any means, but one deserving of attention and worth seeing through to the finish."

"Camille is literally covered in clichés (we’ll have more on her “Memento”-esque body stylings when spoilers aren’t a concern), but Adams is so subdued in every other measurable quality, her character never spills over into farce. ... Adams trusts her director and the writing, but she also trusts herself. Sharp Objects is a story told in flashes, but it’s always burning."

"Sharp Objects views Camille's assignment, and confrontation with her past, as a laudable, necessary undertaking. Perhaps because it's framed through Camille's perspective, the series is unrelentingly pessimistic. Yet beneath its grimness, Sharp Objects ultimately testifies to the triumph of survival, no matter how ugly or desperate a form it takes."

"Sharp Objects is at no point fun, but is executed at such a remarkable level that it’s as thrilling as it is tragic. Read full review"

"Whenever Sharp Objects seems to be on the verge of spiraling into contrived pot-boiler absurdity (which is often, particularly in its latter half), the quicksilver filmmaking and Adams’s exact and understated lead performance pull it back."

"A suspense tale that reveals a fine drawing of an unravelled protagonist. ... Adams conjures her woundedness without sentimentality. In a performance that is raw but understated, she elicits thrills and occasions sadness, at the center of a tale about a house haunted by itself."

"Great performances from Clarkson and Scanlen help make the cold war at home more riveting than the slow burn of the murder mystery, but the pitch-perfect casting of Adams is Sharp Objects’ greatest asset."