Miniaturiste

I absolutely loved The Miniaturist, I thought it engrossing, and enchanting. I'll admit, after ten minutes, I found myself thinking I wasn't going to get into it, as I'd hoped for a Ghost story, unaware of the very different direction it was going to head into.

Initially, I was struck by how incredibly beautiful it is, it is a lavishly produced drama, with incredible costume and set design. The production values are excellent, it is so well shot, so easy on the eye.

Superb acting, Anya Taylor Joy and Alex Hassell share the spoils, with the former shining initially, and the latter shining later on. In all fairness though, each cast member performs admirably, Romola Garai never fails to impress. Each character adds something, nobody just there to make up the numbers.

It has a mystery, and an intrigue, you're desperate to know who the talented, but well informed miniaturist is, but the main element I would say is the love story element.

The authentic Dutch settings add to the overall feel of it. I think this is a drama that will only improve on subsequent viewings. I loved it, 9/10.

The basic source of seduction for this mini-serie is the atmosphere. As beautiful embroidery of cultural references, from Vermeer and Rembrandt to Victorian Gothic stories. The week point - maybe...atmosphere. More exactly, its pressure who seems transform the characters in clay sillhouettes. In essence, a beautiful adaptation , unrealistic in few points but real seductive for the flavors of a lost time. So, a sort of gem. Maybe not original but aestheticall at whole.

Jessie Burton's 2014 debut novel 'The Miniaturist' does have a good deal to admire. Although some of the characterisation lacks depth (especially Johannes of the main characters), Burton's depiction of the 17th century Amsterdam setting is so attentive to detail that one feels like unseen observers of the action and the atmosphere has a real eeriness and mysteriousness.

Its 2017 adaptation does a very respectable job adapting it. There is a lot to admire and there are not a lot of adaptations that manage to be faithful in most detail and the spirit of the source material without being too faithful. 'The Miniaturist' manages this obstacle very well. It is easy to see why it won't click with some viewers. For a BBC period drama (or any kind of television period drama for that matter), it is quite unconventional, the setting is not one seen a lot, it's not adapted from the work of a famous novelist like Charles Dickens or Jane Austen, it's a slow burner and there are a few scenes not for the faintest of hearts.

'The Miniaturist' is not perfect. Telling who is who in the supporting roles is not easy at first, that and that it never quite overcomes the book's characterisation shallowness (Johannes did seem underdeveloped at first, and the supporting roles are fairly sketchy other than how they serve to the story and any important events), are the first half's only real problems for me.

Second half is very compelling and quality is extremely high throughout, but not everything felt resolved enough. The miniaturist explanation seemed half-baked, confused and needed more time than it had to explain it properly (flashbacks may have helped perhaps) and a couple of subplots like the sugar one didn't feel tied up enough and still felt hung open by the slightly abrupt end.

However, 'The Miniaturist' is hugely successful everywhere else. Visually it is quite an achievement. It's sumptuously shot, atmospherically lit and the period detail is like a puritan era-set/Rembrandt painting come to vivid life. The mix of austere and not-so-austere (with flashes of brighter colours in Nella's costuming) costumes was striking. The doll's house was beautifully designed and suitably mysterious, while the miniatures were exquisitely eerie.

Music score was understated yet hypnotic. The dialogue provoked thought and intrigued without letting go. It is very stirring and taut in the trial scene too. Where the 'The Miniaturist' (2017) really succeeds too is in the atmosphere, again advantaged by the source material. The story unfolds in a slow-burner way but the mysteriousness, subtle tension, eeriness and dark dread to me it didn't feel ponderous. The climactic moments are quite powerful, and, even though one wishes they could have gotten to know the characters more, it is hard not to feel that the outcome is an injustice.

Direction is atmospheric and draws out uniformly great performances from the cast. In particular Romola Garai, a revelation in a formidable but complex roles. Anya Taylor-Joy enchants and affects as Nella, avoiding making her too passive, while Alex Hassell is brooding and charismatic, particularly telling in the trial scene where Johannes makes a very persuasive case for himself. Hayley Squires is a spirited Cornelia while Geoffrey Streatfield brings authority to Frans, a character that part of you hates.

Overall, very well crafted and very admirable. 7.5/10 Bethany Cox

While I found the movie not at all bad, I was irritated by the use of "Senor" and "Madame". The Dutch do not use these titles, they use "Meneer" and "Mevrouw". Surely this basic element of the spoken language of Dutch should not of been overlooked.

This is an interesting and well acted drama. The directing and writing are also very good. The production values are quite striking because of the fidelity in representing the environment of the time in history that the drama takes place in. Further, while visiting Amsterdam Holland, I was able to visit a museum there that has the centuries old miniature houses that are like the one in this series. I find it interesting that this series could very well be a play, because there is a small cast of actors, and the events take place in mostly indoor settings. There are reviews that suggest that the central female character tends to have a modern woman's sensibilities and view point.

I think it is reasonable to believe that some women, through the ages, were very "modern" in their thinking. In researching the series. It is mentioned in the book that the series is based on. That there is a mystical element to the story, and that does impact the plot of the series. Where some questions aren't answered.