The Lizzie Borden Chronicles

There isn't much about the plot that will make you be on the edge of your seat, but it's enough to keep you entertained for an hour. It's just about Lizzie and her sister trying to live their lives after Lizzie's murder trial, where she was found not guilty of killing her father and stepmother. All in all, this isn't the kind of show that you'll be making a priority to watch, but it's not a bad show to watch if you're just flipping through channels. Christina Ricci does a great job playing Lizzie Borden. Christina Ricci is a timeless actress. I don't think she's aged in 20 years. Clea DuVall, the actress who plays Lizzie's sister, Emma Borden, also does a great job.

It's fresh, it has the right atmosphere, I can believe that it may be true! The acting is good, photography is excellent. Christina Ricci and Clea DuVall act natural, they are great actresses and I think they were the right choice for the series. It's easy to tell their characters and their differences. I liked the music, although I was astonished at the beginning. Everyone would expect traditional music of the time and that was a nice change. It gives a boost to the plot of the film. I didn't know anything about the real story, so I can watch the series unbiased. This kind of things used to happen in the past, when women had no other way to defend themselves.Anyway, I love that era and I would give the first episode a shot but now I have to saw that I'm looking forward to the next episode.

The plot started out well but I found the story grew over involved and dramatized to ridiculous lengths. I did not care for the choice of leading lady, Christina Ricci and felt she pulled away from the true character of a person who would be in that position by over dramatizing the character and the series would have faired well if the role had been played by someone who showed more emotion in their eyes and less threat of "constant in your face" attitude". I feel little effort was made. Her elements did not blend well. I did like the rest of the cast. I personally loved the music choices and felt the filming was done well despite some lengthy dark scenes. I thought Miss Duvall did an excellent job and fit the part. This is just my opinion. We are all entitled and the next persons opinion could be totally different. I lived with a person whose personality was flawed like Lizzies and they tend to see saw their personalities. This portrayal was too straight and narrow with little shift. If they do a new season, I hope she works on her part a little more. I know it was tough, but it was the leading role. Beauty only goes so far.

This series has everything I love - period piece, based on a real person, Christina Ricci! It is lovely to look at with beautiful costumes - but they need to spend some of that costume money on script writers. There is almost no plot. Someone makes Lizzie angry - 5 minutes later she kills that person - over and over again. No mystery, no tension, just anger then death. Predictable and boring.

I adore Christina Ricci but she is just not right for this role. She is not believable as someone from this era. Her speech phrasing is modern as are her movements. I need to write more for this review but this is difficult because this show has so little substance to it. Perhaps I will mention how it's difficult to tell one male character from another because they all have reddish beards.

You can barely hear the dialogue in this above the director screaming "LOOK AT WHAT I CAN DO! LOOK AT ME!!" Was he confused in thinking he was directing a rap video? He's about as subtle in attempting to get a mood across as if hitting the viewer with a sledgehammer. Maybe the story was weak and he was trying to keep anyone from following it. Every possible technique that directors use-again- subtly to draw you in is used without abandon. Used a few times you're drawn in- used every second in 1 hour and it's a mess. In fact, it's all I think about instead of the story. Usually this is seen in first time directors, but this guy has done some good work- what in the world happened? As for the story, "based on fact". I really doubt it. I'm no expert on Lizzy Borden but I've never read of any suspicious disappearances around her. She killed once, probably, but that's about it from what I've heard.