The Poison Tree

This was a wonderful adaptation of the novel The Poison Tree by Erin Kelly. Wonderful backdrop and phenomenal acting by Matthew Goode, MyAnna Buring and Ophelia Lovibond really make this miniseries worth seeing. The story is pretty dark with a bit of a twist at the end. It attempts to answer the question of what lengths one would go to in order to protect their loved ones.

The story starts with Karen and her daughter Alice picking up their husband and father Rex from jail upon his release. He has served the last ten years for a double murder. Through a series of flashbacks we get to see the reality of events leading up to the crime and the crime itself, meanwhile in the present Rex's old cell mate is attempting to blackmail Karen and their is a mystery caller/stalker that is also wrecking havoc with their reunion and lives.

Ophelia Lovibond plays a wonderful narcissistic sycophant who leaves destruction in her wake. She might be fun for a minute at a party....but you should stay far, far away from her.

Short, but haunting I think this is worth seeing tv and a lot better than some of the sitcoms being offered in the US.

Acorn TV had only 2 episodes and it did not seem like the story was finished. I've heard of 'mini-series' but this is extremely mini! Matthew Goode was excellent from what I saw in 2 shows. Disappointed there wasn't more.

Not a deep review here... I like dark and psychological, and am turned off by gory, perverse, etc. This was compelling without being overboard. Not a happy story to be sure! But interesting. There's one choice the protagonist made that I would not have, but besides that it was a good ride. I agree with the others that the acting was terrific.

Karen Clarke (MyAnna Buring) and her daughter Alice go to welcome her husband Rex Clarke (Matthew Goode) coming out of prison after 12 years. In flashbacks, Karen is introduced to Rex by his volatile party girl sister Biba Capel (Ophelia Lovibond). The siblings are estranged from their famous father who is throwing them out of their home.

Basically, this is a long wait for the reason of his incarceration. It's a tease of something that is less than compelling. It's not a big mystery even. It's a slow inevitable reveal. The structure really defeats its intensity. The blackmail bit is the only true tension but it's not that elevated. Somewhere, somehow, this needs to find more tension. It does get to an interesting reveal that isn't even on the radar. That's the problem with this story. It's structured incorrectly to concentrate on the wrong mystery.

A complex story certainly. The twists and turns take you across decades with much of the story told in flashback. I found this adaptation to be extremely atmospheric and well acted.

In summary, the quality of the production is high, and the story will hold your interest. The acting is first-rate.

The journey to the story's resolution is satisfying even if the resolution itself is not completely so.