Sarah Snook delivers another impeccable performance in All Her Fault, proving that there’s absolutely no role she can’t take on and execute to perfection. Bold, vulnerable, and so achingly masterful, she’s the undeniable star in every way. But it’s not just Snook, Jake Lacy, Dakota Fanning, Michael Peña, Jay Ellis, Abby Elliott, Abby Elliott, Thomas Cocquerel, and Daniel Monks—they each deliver something incredible throughout.
More than anything, the plot is gripping from the first few opening minutes, which is a rarity that we also saw in this year’s Adolescence. Narratives around missing children aren’t rare in Hollywood, nor are they unfortunately uncommon in the real world, but All Her Fault makes it feel thoroughly unique, and it’s entirely because of the execution and the believable plot twists.
A good mystery will plant enough seeds for careful viewers to predict the ending. Whether they get it right or not isn’t what determines whether it’s effective, but if it sticks the landing with its execution. And All Her Fault does this masterfully. You can almost tell who’s suspicious right from the start, but it forces you to look at other suspects—to question everything and everyone. Interestingly, the title is deceptive, too, which is another captivating detail in and of itself because so much lies in what we think we’re signing up for.
Because of this, the entire series carefully and deliberately paints a picture that we can analyze through multiple angles until the final revelations happen. How women resort to desperate measures and how they’re often perceived in the face of tragedies, as opposed to men, are just two examples. Incredible details, all around, really.
All Her Fault also deals with impeccable pacing, which in cases like this can wobble a bit between episodes five and eight. It can feel as though we should’ve already gotten the answers we’re waiting for, as opposed to continuing to unravel bits and pieces here and there. Instead, every bit of information we get makes the ending that much more gripping and thoroughly riveting.
More than anything, the screenplay and performances work closely together to create something that feels like it’s in a league of its own. People are rightfully talking about it all over social media because it’s deserving of the type of attention that comes from watching an effective plot twist that serves the character development we got throughout the series. It’s a large part of the reason why the limited series stands out, and why we don’t need a second season, no matter how good this was.
The entire story works tremendously to showcase how effortless a woman’s love for her child is, and everything women do to go the extra mile. It’s a short period of time in general, but the amount we get is no small feat. In fact, this is where there’s so much payoff in the story because it doesn’t feel short. And while I can’t speak to how well it adapts Andrea Mara’s novel of the same title, it’s so incredible that I have to believe the novel is just as sharp.
All Her Fault is now streaming on Peacock.
First Featured Image Credit: ©Peacock