The Girlfriend dramatic series that released on Prime video September 10 th , 2023. Its complex story arc and complex, interesting characters hooked viewers from Detroit to Denver and beyond. Adapted from the novel by Michelle Frances, this thriller explores the tumultuous relationship between a mother and her son, exploring themes of protection and deception.
In “The Girlfriend,” Robin Wright takes on the dual role of director and lead actress, portraying Laura, an imperious and possessive mother. Her character, Queen Elizabeth I, is fiercely protective of her son Daniel, played by Laurie Davidson. Laura’s instincts are on high alert. She feels that Cherry, portrayed by Olivia Cooke, is concealing important truths that could disrupt their family’s world order. The tension escalates when Cherry joins Daniel’s extended family on a holiday in Spain, which includes Laura’s best friend and her daughter Brigitte.
Using the Rashomon effect, the series tells this intimate, complicated story back and forth, illuminating each character’s experience by switching between Laura’s and Cherry’s perspectives. Each shift is clearly organized with an attention-grabbing title card in bold red. This beautiful design allows audiences to more readily explore the characters’ sometimes turbulent emotional journeys. Grounded in reality, this narrative technique gets to the heart of the storytelling. It allows viewers to empathize with the individual character’s specific motivations and truths.
Naomi Sheldon, one of the pioneering performers and playwrights, is widely recognized as the co-host of “The Pleasure Podcast.” Now she’s collaborating with Gabbie Asher to adapt Frances’s novel for the screen. Their screenplay digs deep into the headspace of familial tension, and that complicated beautiful place between love and possessiveness.
As the eight-episode series develops, audiences see Laura become increasingly suspicious of Cherry. Her maternal instincts lead her to dig deep as she tries to figure out what Cherry is keeping from the family. This psychological thriller makes us question trust and loyalty and how far a parent is willing to go to save their child’s life.