A Nearly Normal Family is a thriller-drama series revolving around the Sandell family after 19-year-old Stella is accused of murder and her parents do everything they can to protect her. The series is streaming on Netflix.
Story
Stella was raped when she was 15 years old and her parents decided not to file a police report to protect her from more scrutiny. However, their decision impacts their relationship with their daughter and each other.
When Stella gets involved with an older man soon after she turns 19, she realizes that she’s gotten into something dangerous and she is forced to act drastically.
Her parents are shocked to hear that she has been accused of murder, and as the investigation goes on, they realize how much they do not know about their daughter and how much they have been ignoring the issues in their lives.
Performances
Alexandra Karlsson Tyrefors is fantastic as Stella Sandell. Her performance is profound and heartbreaking and Tyrefors shines with truly tough material.
Björn Bengtsson and Lo Kauppi play Adam and Ulrika respectively, and they are equally convincing as the protective parents who are overcome with emotions. Bengtsson and Kauppi showcase different approaches to their characters and work together well.
Christian Fandango Sundgren is quite haunting as Chris Olsen, pulling off the nice guy act before showing his true colors. The flip of the switch is subtle and all the more menacing.
Positives
The series doesn’t shy away from the hard truth about sexual assault accusations and the dismal statistics when it comes to cases being reported. It is a key point in the narrative and everything else is built around it.
There are no particular pacing issues across the six episodes and the story is kept ticking to keep the audience invested throughout. The different character paths are charted out well and there are no knotted ends.
A quick shout out to the depiction of a Swedish prison where the guard is always kind to Stella and she receives the assistance for her mental health that she needs. It’s far from the usual depictions of the prisons one sees in regular media.
Negatives
The way Adam and Ulrika cover up for Stella shows significant incompetence on the side of the authorities and there needs to be a suspension of disbelief when taking the situation into account.
Verdict
A Nearly Normal Family is a good series with sturdy performances and a strong narrative. It covers an important social issue and adds dramatic turns to create an engaging thriller.
A Nearly Normal Family
Director: Per Hanefjord
Date Created: 2023-11-24 13:30
3.5
Also Read: A Nearly Normal Family summary and ending explained