It has been a while since we got hold of a web series to immerse ourselves in, and the new romantic comedy on Amazon Prime does more than just impress. Based on eight personal essays that were published in a weekly column in the New York Times, the anthology series is studded with a cast that delivers right on point.
Whether it’s Anne Hathaway essaying the role of a bi-polar woman who struggles with letting people in on her illness, the charming Dev Patel who takes a shot at love only to be cheated on or Tina Fey portraying the struggles of a wife in a lived-out marriage, the characters come alive in their individual roles, bringing the story to life on screen.
The short, 30-minute or so episodes are packed with the reality of our times. It hits the right notes in areas such as the need for validation through social media, the lingering effects of the loss of a parental figure, the journey through an adoption process and the death of a lover.
Though the stories stand individually, they are laced with bitter-sweet love, something we’re all too familiar with. It will evoke in you feelings that were probably long buried or some you never thought you had. Those 30 minutes have a way of drawing you in, fitting you perfectly into the shoes of a character and making you feel as though you’re part of the story that’s being told.
Very rarely do series have a way of perfectly combining good screenplay and drawing the audience into the story, making them feel involved. And this one gets it right. It isn’t surprising that just a few days after the series premiered, Amazon renewed it for a second season. And we can’t wait!
We couldn’t help but binge through all the episodes at one go, but we highly recommend you keep a box of tissues by your side. This one will take you down a roller-coaster of emotion.
What we especially loved is that the stories opened our eyes to the lives of common folk, each with an ordinary story to tell, which was extraordinary in its own way. Stories of love, in its various forms, that leave us feeling grateful for what we have in our lives and what we aspire to have and to be.
The love of a friend who takes you as you are, come what may; love that is forgiving; young love at an old age; love that rediscovers its magic; the unexpected kind of love; love that is life; love that is vulnerable; love that takes chances and love that is freeing.
Soak into this one over the weekend and savour all the goodness it has to offer. Nothing will fill your heart up more. Not to mention, you’ll enjoy the heart-warming soundtracks laced through the series.
