There’s something fascinating about watching the wealthy and powerful live their luxurious yet risky lives. Shows like Big Little Lies, The White Lotus, and Succession combine both humor and social critique, adding a fun layer to their storytelling. Netflix’s latest series, The Perfect Couple, is part of this growing genre.
The series, based on the book by New York Times bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand, stars Nicole Kidman and Liev Schreiber. It promises a thrilling murder mystery across six episodes, mixing suspense and drama. While the show starts strong with good pacing and well-built characters, it falters at the end, with rushed plot points that reduce the initial tension.
Shawn Levy, who recently worked on Deadpool and Wolverine, is the executive producer of this series. Directed by Susanne Bier (The Undoing) and led by showrunner Jenna Lamia (Good Girls), The Perfect Couple is a dark comedy that blends humor with dark themes.
Set in Nantucket, the show looks at the lives of the wealthy, where old money and social standing are everything. The story takes a dark turn when a guest at a wedding is found dead, sparking a real-life investigation. Everyone becomes a suspect, adding many layers to the story, which remains gripping despite its weak conclusion.
What is The Perfect Couple About?
The story follows Amelia Sacks (played by Eve Hewson), a middle-class woman engaged to Benji Winbury (Billy Howle), a member of the wealthy Winbury family. Right from the start, Amelia faces tension with her future mother-in-law, Greer Garrison Winbury (Nicole Kidman).
This power struggle becomes a key point in the series, with Amelia constantly reminded that she is not part of their world. Unlike the Winburys, Amelia doesn’t share their values, making her a threat to those who don’t care about the consequences of their actions.
At first, The Perfect Couple gives off vibes similar to The White Lotus. These wealthy, privileged characters are completely disconnected from reality. Much like other shows in this genre, the Netflix series gets its charm from portraying out-of-touch characters and the extravagant details of their lives.
This is a family bored with their wealth. One scene shows patriarch Tag Winbury (Liev Schreiber) casually hitting golf balls into the ocean, not caring if they hit seagulls. In their large beachfront home, the family’s carefree attitudes are revealed through dancing and casual conversations, highlighting their privilege.
Still from The Perfect Couple (Credit: Netflix)
We also meet Benji’s siblings, Thomas (Jack Reynor) and Will (Sam Nivola). While Will is heartbroken, Thomas is arrogant and self-centered, married to the controlling Abby (Dakota Fanning).
Thomas publicly flirts with other women and complains about not being chosen as Benji’s best man, losing the role to Benji’s best friend, Shooter (Ishaan Khatter). This conflict highlights the family’s sense of entitlement and the hidden dysfunction beneath their polished appearances.
To balance things out, Amelia’s best friend Merritt (Meghann Fahy), a social media influencer, joins the wedding festivities. Though she draws attention, Merritt remains loyal to Amelia.
The characters are introduced early on, setting the pace and tone. What begins as the wedding of the season turns into a nightmare when a body is discovered on the beach. This triggers a series of events that uncover the family’s darkest secrets, leading to a conclusion no one could have predicted.
As secrets come to light and everyone becomes a suspect, the tensions rise. These interactions add depth to the show, revealing more about the characters and their motivations, making The Perfect Couple even more gripping.
The Cast of The Perfect Couple Shines
As we get to know the Winbury family through Amelia, we see that their seemingly perfect world is full of cracks. These characters are far from perfect, and their interactions with Amelia, who serves as a voice of reason outside their bubble of privilege, make this clear.
Eve Hewson, best known for The Knick and Bad Sisters, delivers a standout performance. Although she’s not as famous as her father, Bono, her portrayal of the determined and empathetic Amelia is striking. She holds her own alongside Kidman, lifting the series to a higher level.
Nicole Kidman, known for her versatility, shines as Greer Garrison Winbury. Her performance is subtle yet powerful, conveying a mix of authority and emotion.
Greer is a protective mother with many secrets, and Kidman’s portrayal keeps the audience on edge. Liev Schreiber’s performance as Tag Winbury is also notable. His character is harder to read, but Schreiber portrays him as someone simmering with hidden emotions.
The cast of The Perfect Couple includes both established actors and newcomers, bringing energy and depth to the series. Dakota Fanning, who plays Abby, steals every scene she’s in. Watching her portray a controlling yet vulnerable character adds a layer of entertainment to the show.
Jack Reynor provides comic relief as the entitled Thomas, delivering witty lines and amusing interactions. Meghann Fahy, known for The White Lotus Season 2, brings a familiar energy to her role but adds more depth, balancing fun and sadness in her portrayal of Merritt.
The Ending of The Perfect Couple Feels Rushed
The six-episode series keeps a strong pace, keeping viewers engaged and curious. Similar to the book, The Perfect Couple is easy to binge-watch. Each character has a duality that makes the show more compelling. However, while the first five episodes are strong, the final episode feels rushed.
The introduction of more humor in the finale reduces the tension that had been building, weakening the impact of the story.
The mystery is solved, but the ending feels abrupt. Some plot points remain unresolved, which takes away from the show’s earlier charm. While the family’s secrets are revealed and the killer’s motives are clear, the pacing speeds up too quickly in the final moments.
Still from The Perfect Couple (Credit: Netflix)
The emotional impact of the death is heartbreaking, but not all questions are answered, especially concerning the supporting characters and their relationships. This might be an attempt to stay faithful to Hilderbrand’s novel, but it leaves room for Netflix to possibly continue the story, much like they did with Big Little Lies.
Despite its rushed conclusion and changes in tone, The Perfect Couple succeeds in developing its characters, thanks to strong performances and intriguing tension. The series blends dark comedy with drama, keeping viewers hooked until the very end, even if the finale leaves some loose ends.
2012 was a major year for superhero movies. Marvel and DC changed the way they handled their key franchises. Marvel brought its characters together with The Avengers, while Christopher Nolan wrapped up his Batman trilogy with The Dark Knight Rises, just before the DCEU kicked off.
Even though The Amazing Spider-Man received mixed reviews, it still made nearly $800 million worldwide. A smaller hit like Chronicle showed that superhero movies didn’t need huge budgets to be successful if they had a strong story and a talented director.
Superhero movies were doing well, but a new Dredd film went unnoticed when it came out in September. It was the first movie about the masked judge, jury, and executioner, created by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra, since the 1995 Judge Dredd film starring Sylvester Stallone.
Despite early screenings at Comic-Con and the Toronto International Film Festival receiving positive feedback, Dredd struggled to make an impact, even with its smaller $45 million budget, compared to the over $200 million spent on The Avengers, The Amazing Spider-Man, and The Dark Knight Rises. Plans for sequels were soon abandoned.
‘Dredd’ Stands Out in the Superhero Genre
Dredd is one of the most underrated superhero films of the last ten years. It moves away from the campiness of the Stallone version. While not all superhero movies need a dark and gritty tone, it fits perfectly here. Dredd takes place in a future where cities are controlled by crime syndicates, and pollution has damaged the environment.
This setting isn’t far from reality. The film’s focus on the increasing power of law enforcement justifies its bleak tone. Even though Dredd himself does some good, he can’t stop the ongoing cycle of violence.
Karl Urban’s performance as Dredd stands out, and people often ask if he’ll return to the role. It’s not just because his growling voice sounds cool (though it definitely does).
Urban plays Dredd as someone worn down by his job. Enforcing the law isn’t heroic for Dredd, it’s just his work. The city’s corruption and crime have taken a toll on him. Urban brings a roughness to Dredd that goes beyond macho posturing, and it adds depth to his character.
Olivia Thirlby’s Cassandra Adds Depth to ‘Dredd’
Dredd’s strict way of doing things is tested by his partnership with psychic Cassandra Anderson, played by Olivia Thirlby. She’s a judge-in-training, paired with Dredd after barely failing the test to join his ranks. This close failure creates tension between them.
Still from Dredd (Credit: Prime Video)
For Dredd, delivering justice is only possible when he’s sure the person is guilty. Watching Dredd shoot a street thug during an armed robbery feels justified because he doesn’t show the same violence unless the threat is real. This sets Dredd apart from other superhero films, as it’s aware of collateral damage.
Anderson’s ability to read minds challenges Dredd’s black-and-white view of justice. She brings empathy to situations that Dredd would handle with force. The film shows Anderson’s psychic abilities through nightmarish visuals, making it clear that she experiences the inner worlds of others.
This contrast between them adds another layer to their crime-solving partnership. Dredd acts like a tough detective, but Anderson’s powers allow her to get information from even the most unwilling people.
‘Dredd’ Uses 3D to Enhance the Film’s Action
Anderson’s psychic abilities are just one part of Dredd’s great use of 3D technology. Even though the film was converted to 3D after being shot, it still works to make the action feel more intense. Dredd and Anderson often communicate silently, and the 3D lets the audience see the details of their environment clearly.
Mega-City One, the decaying metropolis, looks realistic, but director Pete Travis uses stylized violence to keep a pulp-fiction feel. The violence in Dredd is exaggerated to the point of being absurd, with graphic scenes of destruction and dismemberment.
One standout use of 3D comes with the drug “Slo-Mo.” This drug, which Ma-Ma (Lena Headey) uses to control her building, makes users feel like time is moving slowly.
Still from Dredd (Credit: Prime Video)
The 3D shows the drug’s effect on people in a vivid and disturbing way. It also makes Dredd’s most brutal kills stand out. Watching Karl Urban blow someone’s head off to a slow, somber song is a memorable moment.
The tower where the action takes place is well-designed, and screenwriter Alex Garland focuses on making a large world feel small. Most of the action happens within one building controlled by Ma-Ma.
By keeping the story contained, Garland creates more suspense. While The Raid: Redemption used a similar concept a few months earlier, Dredd still manages to make its own mark on the “action in a tower” genre.
‘Dredd’ Was Ahead of Its Time
It’s ironic that Dredd came out just a few years before R-Rated superhero films like Deadpool, Logan, and Joker showed that there was a big audience for darker superhero stories. Dredd could have benefited from a wider range of superhero films, especially as some fans have grown tired of the typical Marvel and DC formula.
Dredd works well for those who don’t follow superhero films closely, as it doesn’t rely on any past knowledge of the character or its universe. Since the 1995 Judge Dredd film didn’t do well at the box office, many viewers likely saw Dredd as a fresh take on the character.
Dredd was released before R-Rated action films like The Equalizer and John Wick became hits. At the time, action movies were dominated by PG-13 franchises like James Bond, Mission: Impossible, Bourne, and Fast and Furious.
But audiences showed there was interest in more mature, violent action films. Even after the COVID-19 pandemic, films like Nobody, The Beekeeper, Monkey Man, and Bad Boys: Ride or Die prove that a film like Dredd could have found more success today.
Garland’s growing fame could have also helped Dredd. After writing the film, he became known for his successful genre films like Ex Machina, which earned him an Academy Award nomination, and Annihilation. Urban has hinted that Garland’s involvement in Dredd was more significant than people thought.
Today, Garland’s name would attract more attention to the film, making it stand out as more than just a comic book adaptation. It’s unfortunate that Urban hasn’t had the chance to return to the role, as he was perfect for it. While he’s found success playing Billy Butcher in The Boys, Dredd could have given him the big movie career he deserved.
Still from Dredd (Credit: Prime Video)
Not every comic book movie that doesn’t do well at the box office is worth revisiting, but Dredd might have just been released at the wrong time. Maybe audiences weren’t ready to forget about the Stallone version, or the marketing aimed too much at hardcore fans.
But Dredd fills a gap in modern action movies with its gritty, ‘80s-inspired science fiction. There’s still hope for a sequel or TV series, and this is a universe worth returning to.
“Dredd” stands out as an overlooked yet powerful superhero movie. Its gritty, dystopian setting, strong performances, and smart use of 3D effects make it a unique entry in the genre. Although underappreciated upon release, its impact and style continue to resonate, making it worth revisiting for fans of mature action films.
Dredd is currently available to buy or rent on Prime Video in the U.S.
