One Night

It is so incredibly wonderful to watch stories of womens' lives told by women. Over the past few years I look for these shows. It makes me realise how profoundly accustomed we were to watching stories about women as imagined by men. Another thing I noticed was that the reviews for these shows are filled with men saying how unrealistic the characters are, and how crazy the female characters are. It's so refreshing not to be limited by those points of view, to see ourselves represented in tv drama.

This is the second thing I've watched this week showing women living with a constant threat of intimidation. I grew up as a teenager in the 70's. We had a good life, lots of freedom, but I've been thinking lately about how it was natural for us to have to be so very careful. I sometimes talk to my sister about the ways we had to act and talk and adjust ourselves to stay safe. I'm beginning to notice how much we adapted how we are in the world, and every show like this that I see shifts that dynamic.

This series is so beautifully written, directed, acted. Early on I worried about the pacing, but then a few more threads got woven in and I worried how it could all be resolved in 6 episodes. I used to live a few kilometres from where this is set, just down the road a bit. It is stunning country, and thats obvious in the scenery in this series. Makes me wonder why more tv hasn't been made in the area. The steep bluffs, the ocean, the small villages dotted along the coast, the sea cliff bridge, all create such an atmospheric background.

A couple of things that stuck out for me. All the women were very natural, hair messy, skin blemishes. The older women - the grandmothers - had sun damage, as you do living in that climate. The accents were all excellent. None of the characters were perfect, they all had their flaws which was part of the complexity of the drama. But in the end they managed to come to terms with themselves and each other. There was a lot of very positive messaging without being in any way preachy.

I watched this in 2 sittings and absolutely loved it.

I crave Australian shows because the acting is 10 times better than it is in the US for example. Don't mean to hurt anyone's feelings but aussies seem to have what it takes to make it look natural. Nothing is ever overplayed. By the way I'm French, so...

Although the storyline wasn't that exceptional, I immensely enjoyed watching some of my favourite actresses (Kat Stewart and Nicole Da Silva, Yael Stone) gathered for this occasion. Couldn't dream of a better cast!!

Also, the scenery is really breathtaking.

I definitely want (no, NEED) more of these productions.

Okay I'll go check IMDB now!

I highly recommend watching "One Night." 6 parts. Stellar casting. Amazing cinematography of the Illawarra region including my favourite road. And an incredible storyline. I binge watched it over two nights. It is that good. Did I mention the cast? Already a fan of so many but this is next level acting. Jodie Whittaker. (Dr Who! Enough said) Yael Stone. (Orange Is The New Black) Nicole da Silva. (Wentworth) Plus supports who are usually leads themselves. Noni Hazlehurst. Tina Bursill. Best thing I've watched in a long time. The only reason that it didn't get 10 stars is that it dragged a little at one point.

The story was captivating and addressed a topic (sexual assault and its aftermath even decades later) that is rarely seen in this kind of depth. The emotions of the characters were so real that you could feel their pain at times, but you had to keep going to find out what happened. I was impressed by how brutally honest the series was regarding how much a single trauma can affect someone for years to come, as well as how it impacts their relationships with others. They also pulled no punches with all the things other people say that are the opposite of helpful and how much pain that causes the victim/survivor. Incredible acting by everyone involved, but Jodie Whittaker is definitely the standout, conveying so much with just her eyes. Amazing performance. I binged the series in two days which I rarely do, and it felt like reading a really absorbing book. Definitely worth the watch. Nice to see a series that is female-driven both on and off screen.

This is probably one of my favorite series of all time, aptly addressing the issues of complicated female friendships, perceptions over time, and of course the prevalent issue of sexual assault and how it can impact you. Very intense, kept me wanting to keep watching each episode despite the late hour. All three leads were amazing, but Jodie Whittaker in that "one scene" where her expressions perfectly conveyed her emotional responses to what she was "listening to" ( I wont spoil it for you) just broke me.

All the characters are complex, as we are in real life, each trying their best to navigate their way after a traumatic night that robbed them of their youthful openness and joy about life.