Series Review: Defending Jacob. Director: Morten Tyldum.

Hello, everyone! I hope you are doing well. Today I shall be reviewing the American crime miniseries 'Defending Jacob' an adaptation of the novel 'Defending Jacob' written by William Landay and directed by Morten Tyldum streaming on 'Apple TV plus'. 

There is an old adage which says, "within a murderer live the men he murdered". 'Defending Jacob' aims to touch upon this point. The miniseries revolves around the Barbers, Andrew Barber, Laurie Barber and Jacob Barber. Everything is happy and quotidian until Jacob's classmate, the fourteen year old Ben Rifkin is found dead near the school ground and Jacob is the prime suspect. 

The delicacy, yet savagery of the heinous offence of murder, the notions of family, domesticity, friendship, professional rivalry, enmity and all things that shape life are very effectively portrayed in the miniseries. 

Apart from finding out who the killer is and why he did what he did, the series also depicts a courtroom drama, witness examination, the niceties of the law, the working of the American Courts and Justice machinations precisely. 

When one person in a family is accused of murder, the entire family is accused of it by the society, and especially by the victim's parents. The vicissitude of the Barbers with pertinence to their relationship dynamics with the society and within themselves as a family, inter se is cogently handled and subtly portrayed. The design of characterizing the difference between an accusation and a declaration of guilt beyond reasonable doubt is the highlight of the miniseries. 

The relatability quotient for the audience is spot on, because the audience can dually empathize and dually understand the predicaments of the Barbers as well as the society. 

Chris Evans, who portrays Andrew Barber , a lawyer by profession is very convincing and delivers a stellar performance, proving how open he is to diverse roles of diverse profiles. Michelle Dockery, who portrays Laurie Barber, a loving wife, a great mother and an independent working woman dazzles her role by making the audience empathize with her. This role is an extreme opposite of her role as 'Lady Mary Crawley' in the classy Fellowes show 'Downton Abbey'. 

Jaeden Martell, who plays Jacob Barber is a persuasive artist and looks the part. The age,the vulnerability, the addiction to technology coupled with a chaotic mind is quite aptly played by him. The Barbers have done an excellent job. 

The direction of the miniseries is edgy and piques curiosity in the audience by the sharp twists. The focus on the story and the loyalty towards it is quite astounding. The background music is subtle and relevant to the circumstances. The difference between murder as perceived by the Court and murder as perceived by the society is well depicted. The miniseries comprises of eight episodes, each ranging from 30-45 minutes, making it binge -worthy. The series is also an easy family watch. 

Overall, the miniseries is not just a 'whodunit' murder mystery, it also aims to explore the dynamics of crime, the criminal, the society and family. 

Author: Ms. Radhika Sunil Vaidya. 

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