‘The Perfect Couple’ Review: Nicole Kidman and Ishaan Khatter’s Netflix Series Is As Imperfect as Its Flawed Characters (LatestLY Exclusive)

The Perfect Couple Review: A group of wealthy individuals gathers at a location, and a murder takes place. The viewer is not immediately informed of the victim (though we don’t need to wait until the end of the season to find out who died). Through the death, we delve into the dysfunctional lives of the suspects. When you think about it, Susanne Bier's The Perfect Couple has all the elements of the next season of The White Lotus - except this one is on Netflix, while The White Lotus is on HBO. The cast is excellent, the mystery is gripping, and there are moments of dark humour. Yet, as The Perfect Couple progresses, the cracks in its foundation become more apparent. ‘The Perfect Couple’: All You Need To Know About Charm La’Donna, Who Choreographed Opening Title Dance Sequence to Meghan Trainor’s ‘Criminal’ Song!

Based on Elin Hilderbrand's novel of the same name, The Perfect Couple follows the wealthy, snooty Winbury family, who have opened their beautiful house near Nantucket Lake for the wedding of their middle son, Benji (Billy Howle), to his girlfriend Amelia (Eve Hewson). Benji’s mother, Greer (Nicole Kidman), is a best-selling novelist who controls the family, while his father, Tag (Liev Schreiber), enjoys his weed and golf.

To the public, especially Greer’s fans, the couple appears to be 'perfect'—an adjective Benji and Amelia seem to be competing for. However, the discovery of a body in the lake on the morning of the wedding slowly unravels the facade of this idyllic setting.

Other characters contribute to the drama. There’s Merritt (Meghann Fahy), the bride’s best friend, who harbours a secret. Thomas (Jack Reynor), Benji’s annoying, debt-ridden older brother, and his sarcastic pregnant wife, Abby (Dakota Fanning), add to the tension. Meanwhile, Benji’s younger brother, Will (Sam Nivola), is about to turn 18—a detail that plays a more significant role in the narrative than a mere observation. Will’s character, notably, wasn’t in the original novel.

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We also meet Shooter Dival (Bollywood’s Ishaan Khatter), the groom’s best friend, who behaves most suspiciously after the body is discovered. Additionally, family friend Isabel Nallet (Isabelle Adjani) arrives with her own set of French complications. The murder is investigated by Detective Nikki Henry (Donna Lynne Champlin) and the local police chief, Dan Carter (Michael Beach), whose daughter, Chloe (Mia Isaac), was part of the wedding catering team and may have seen or overheard something.

'The Perfect Couple' Review - Changes That Work and That Don't

The Perfect Couple makes several notable changes from the book, including altering character names (Celeste in the novel becomes Amelia in the show), adding new characters like Will, and gender-swapping others. For example, the Greek male detective from the book is replaced by the acerbic Nikki Henry, whose disdain for the rich, pompous Winbury family leads to some entertaining put-downs and observations.

While the basic setting and character descriptions remain similar in both the show and the novel, and the murder victim and killer are unchanged, the motivations and methods differ. Some of these changes benefit the show; others do not. I was particularly disappointed with the reasoning behind the murder. The novel did a better job portraying the victim as a tragic casualty of Winburys' recklessness. In the series, the motive feels weak and is only vaguely hinted at earlier.

'The Perfect Couple' Review - The Uneven Screenplay

While it inevitably invites comparisons to The White Lotus which becomes its undoing, The Perfect Couple is engaging for the most part. It’s not really a murder mystery, even if the crime is central. Rather, it’s a commentary on class privilege, told through two perspectives: the police investigation and the bride’s realisation of the true dynamics within the family she’s marrying into. That said, the plot doesn’t offer anything groundbreaking or particularly shocking. There are no standout moments that linger with you afterwards.

Perhaps aware of this, The Perfect Couple ramps up the melodrama and zaniness in the final couple of episodes, throwing one twist after another—sometimes within a single scene. Like for instance, when Greer opens quite a can of worms in front of her family and publicists in the final episode. The screenplay becomes absurd at this point, but not in the deliciously dark way I’d hoped. The killer's reveal, the circumstances leading to the murder, and the motivations all felt weak.

Additionally, some subplots feel shoehorned in to create artificial tension. While making Will central to the mystery was a smart move, his subplot with Chloe and their ocean excursion seemed like an unnecessary detour. The love triangle involving Benji, Amelia, and Shooter started promisingly but fizzled out. Perhaps the intention was to show that Amelia was just as psychologically troubled as her future in-laws, but the storyline lacked the weight to make that point convincingly, nor does it allow us to feel for any of the characters.

'The Perfect Couple' Review - The Performances

As for the performances, the ensemble cast did well overall. Liev Schreiber and Eve Hewson were the standouts for me. Schreiber was fantastic as the seemingly laid-back father who isn’t as cool as he appears. Hewson, who represents the audience’s perspective on the Winburys, shines in portraying her character’s emotional insecurities and anxieties.

Nicole Kidman delivers her role as the prudish socialite with wide-eyed intensity, although she truly shines in the final episode. However, the final scene between Greer and Amelia, where they attempt to reconcile, doesn’t feel earned. Jack Reynor and Dakota Fanning add enough acidic flair to their scenes. As for Ishaan Khatter, the desi dude was impressive, even though, at times, his subplot felt too tangential to the main narrative. ‘The Perfect Couple’: What’s Ishaan Khatter Doing in Nicole Kidman’s Netflix Series? All You Need To Know About His Role! 

'The Perfect Couple' Review - Final Thoughts

The Perfect Couple is a mixed bag. While it nearly succeeds in crafting a compelling narrative about class tensions and family dysfunction, it falters in delivering a satisfying murder mystery. The strong performances and intriguing setup keep you engaged, but the rushed and occasionally illogical twists detract from what could have been a sharper, more resonant series. The Perfect Couple is streaming on Netflix.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 09, 2024 02:23 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).