Alice & Jack

I watched the first 3 episodes - I could not believe this was meant to be a real relationship. I was giving off about their two characters " shes an awful character- the worst person , no excuses for her actions even with her personal background. He is a idiot whos getting walked over time & time again" I went on imbd to read reviews that agreed with me.

I didn't feel great after watching these but i also wanted to keep at it.

Then it clicked, i clicked. By the last few episodes I understood her, I understood him. This was full of simple real moments in a relationship. I sobbed sore.

Beautiful.

Watching the first episode, it didn't feel like the first one it was like I was missing an episode. I don't understand where and when they became obsessed with each other they just seemed miserable, it was an average meet up with not much chemistry then all of a sudden he's pining over her and they are back and forth over and over, but why ? I'm still halfway through the series but does it get better? Was hoping for a better series to be honest especially with the actors involved. It doesn't feel like years are passing by either, both of them look no different during the time jumps lol should be better.

I just dont like romantic comedies at all! But this is so much more. The romance is enduring but utterly unorthodox. The comedy is dry and sardonic. Tragedy is the other player which provides the fuel for this wonderful study of love. "love" oozes out of Jack and manifests itself in a so many ways....not just his feelings for Alice.....these facets are worthy of fuller discussion. Credit to the screenwriting and the subtle direction for maintaining a pace which supports the narrative fully. Alice is unconventional in her dealing/management of love....understatement....by the fascination is why? Other characters are "real" and bring value and nuance to the evolving relationship story. Yes the eponymous protaganists can be irritating and even dislikeable....well Alice anyway...but these are realistic characters, real people....not romcom cliches. Bravo!

I felt compelled to write this review to counter some of the other reviews which I suspect were written by people with vested interests.

One review felt blessed to be in gleeson and riseborough's presence for a few hours..... I don't think so, the acting is clunky and insincere, the story is wooden and daft, and these people talk about relationships as if they understand them completely having watched other people have them. I've never met people like this in real life which is probably because there aren't people like this in real life.

There is an element of the Before sunrise/sunset films about it, but those romances have more sincerity and a genuine flow to them. This story consistently jumps forward in a way that implies that vast chunks of these people's lives are meaningless. The way characters are described within the programme are completely at odds with how they come across. Even leaving a bad review is giving this series more attention than it deserves.

This series is a diminished example of what PBS generally offers. In the first episode, the plot seemed quite appealing. It all comes crashing down in about ep 3, when redundant scenes of the troubled romance rear their ugly head. In real life, some relationships go through testing phases, particularly if one partner is sorting through past trauma. This is understandable. But to include repetitive emotional scenarios will wear out certain viewers. Subsequently, the overall rhythm suffered. The two lead actors were sincere, but I was not feeling their chemistry. Several of their scenes resembled acting class exercises. As the series evolved, each interaction between the couple became far too precious. I'm fairly new to the work of actress Andrea Riseborough, and there were moments when I found her believable. But many times the camera lingered on her face (not her fault), and that's when we witness her ever-revolving Parade of Expressions: contorted forehead, furrowed brow, dismayed eyes, and unsubtle mouth movements. I should add that I was impressed by her fine work in "To Leslie"; her pliable face seemed fitting for that character. In Alice & Jack there is one unintentionally funny moment when she offers a reassuring kiss to her lover, yet her face is so poignantly troubled. Fast forward to the final episode: it came off as a predictable mess. I was thinking "hopefully the writers won't adopt such a convenient ending", but in fact they did just that. The final scenes were deflating and ruinous. I'm shocked that PBS gave this series a green-light. Likewise, I'm bothered that I chose to endure the entire series.