HBO's Limited Series "Sharp Objects"

[Soda Popinski]

1 minute ago, Fadingpain said:

It could go that way, but she's kind of a stupid person.  I don't think she could have done 1 or both murders and gotten away with it for this long.  Then again, the quality of the police work in town is not that great.

 

 

agreed.   The police chief is too busy grabassing with the mother to be bothered with the town's issues.    

[Max Fischer]

I read the book when first published though I can’t recall the ending. The story seems a bit different than what I remember but I think it’s a nice, slow burn that’s as much about the town, memory, trust and a host of other themes than simple murder mystery. I agree it could be a little anti-climatic but I’ve enjoyed the ride. 

 

Also add that Gone Girl is one of my favorite books and hope Gillian Flynn soon returns to novels. Dark Places was good read as well. 

Edited August 22, 2018 by Max Fischer

[Fadingpain]

2 hours ago, Max Fischer said:

I read the book when first published though I can’t recall the ending. The story seems a bit different than what I remember but I think it’s a nice, slow burn that’s as much about the town, memory, trust and a host of other themes than simple murder mystery. I agree it could be a little anti-climatic but I’ve enjoyed the ride. 

 

Also add that Gone Girl is one of my favorite books and hope Gillian Flynn soon returns to novels. Dark Places was good read as well. 

Agreed.  My complaint is that the writing (of the miniseries at least; didn't read the book) hasn't been good enough to support this type of thematic exploration.  Too dull and slowly paced.

 

It's also grim as hell.

 

 

[Jauronimo]

On ‎8‎/‎22‎/‎2018 at 7:04 AM, Soda Popinski said:

If Ashley planted blood there to frame her boyfriend it makes sense she killed one of the girls, and her motives are pretty plain, she just wants to be on TV.   

If she planted the blood why would she have proceeded to clean it up?

[Soda Popinski]

1 minute ago, Jauronimo said:

If she planted the blood why would she have proceeded to clean it up?

no idea.   Maybe some of it was hers from when the guys sister bit her ear?  

[Soda Popinski]

Ok who saw the final episode last night?  I did.  But don't want to spoil it if anyone else has not.  

[Greybeard]

4 hours ago, Soda Popinski said:

Ok who saw the final episode last night?  I did.  But don't want to spoil it if anyone else has not.  

       I have only seen the second to last and the last episode.  When posters started saying it was not worth the time investment, I decided to not start watching but happened to see the second to last one so was committed to the final.  After others have voiced their opinions maybe someone can explain the last scene.

[Jauronimo]

6 hours ago, Soda Popinski said:

Ok who saw the final episode last night?  I did.  But don't want to spoil it if anyone else has not.  

I am current.  Crazy ending. 

[Soda Popinski]

Just now, Jauronimo said:

I am current.  Crazy ending. 

yeah when I saw the dollhouse I could not figure out why she would have wanted to bring it with her to St Louis.   

 

Still they left some things hanging that I would have liked to see sewn up. 

[Jauronimo]

2 minutes ago, Soda Popinski said:

yeah when I saw the dollhouse I could not figure out why she would have wanted to bring it with her to St Louis.   

 

Still they left some things hanging that I would have liked to see sewn up. 

Slight Spoilers

 

Yeah, I'm not a fan of the abrupt ending in general.  I wish more was resolved but HBO loves their sudden endings which are open to interpretation. 

[Soda Popinski]

Just now, Jauronimo said:

Slight Spoilers

 

Yeah, I'm not a fan of the abrupt ending in general.  I wish more was resolved but HBO loves their sudden endings which are open to interpretation. 

I had a lot more fun watching the season finale of Preacher on AMC than I did this show.  It was anti climatic.   It would have been better had she died overdosing on mom's "medicine" and that had been what had saved her sister.   That would have been a better ending.  I don't see how sweater dad just gets away with being a half assed accomplice and doesn't go to jail.  

 

I think anyone clicking into this thread needs to have seen the latest episode.  Last week I hadn't so i didn't click in here until I had seen it.   

[Fadingpain]

I watched the last episode live.  

 

There are spoilers in this so if you are still going to watch the last episode, don't keep reading!  

 

After seeing that last episode, I honestly don't think "sweater dad" (LOL) fully understands what his wife was doing to the kids.  I think they portrayed him as being totally oblivious, other than just loosely being aware that his wife likes to make little potions to "help" her kids when they are sick.

 

Someone mentioned loose ends not tied up.  The one that I am thinking of is the blood under the bed.  That was never really explained one way or the other.  

 

Before the very end, the show was portraying mom as the killer of the other 2 girls in town.  I found that to be totally unbelievable and not very satisfying.  At least the show didn't ultimately go down that route, to its credit. 

 

Remember that flashback sequence they showed after the end credits were rolling?  I believe they were trying to show that the pack of 3 girls who always roller skated around together were all in on the killings.  It was a group thing.  That is more believable than a single small girl doing that stuff.

 

I also did not like the very last line from Amma, when she said to her big sister "Don't tell momma."  As if to suggest mom knew nothing of it.  I think I would have enjoyed it more if Mom HAD known that her child was in on it, but chose to protect her anyway, while still trying to slowly kill her with her potions.  How F-ed up would that all be?!

 

I have to say, I did say the killer would be a woman, I had Amma at the top of my suspect list, and I said right off that mom was either the killer or was protecting the killer, knowing who the killer was.  I sort of got 2 out of 3.

 

Overall, the entire miniseries could have been much better, much more suspenseful, and more mysterious.   I think it made a few fatal flaws that any good fiction doesn't do.

 

Almost all of the main characters were not likable.  I did not feel like I cared what happened to any of them.  The pacing of the show was way too slow.  More stuff needed to be happening all the time, with more twists and turns.  It also needed to work more of the traditional murder mystery plot into the show.  It could have been much more balanced between the character/relationship development stuff between Camille and her mom and the actual investigation.

 

Richard, the out of town investigator, didn't really do much investigating!  He did hang out drinking at the bar quite a lot though.

 

Lastly, the show couldn't decide if it was telling the story of Camille, dead sister Marian,  and the psycho Munchausen Mom, or a murder mystery about the girls being killed in town.  It should have picked 1 or the other and deleted 1, or done a much better job at integrating the 2 into a single plot.

 

I give it 6.5 out of 10.

 

 

 

 

[Soda Popinski]

I thought part of the credit scene was the girl killing her new friend as well as the other girls. 

 

I only assume she planted the blood in the guys room when she went there.  

[bbb]

I read episode recaps to see what happened after I quit the series after two episodes.  I just have one question - was the mother poisoning Amy Adams as a kid, too?  If not, why wouldn't she have? 

[Max Fischer]

48 minutes ago, bbb said:

I read episode recaps to see what happened after I quit the series after two episodes.  I just have one question - was the mother poisoning Amy Adams as a kid, too?  If not, why wouldn't she have? 

 

The mother tried to give Camille the "medicine" but she was a "willful" child who didn't "cooperate," which would explain the Mother's animosity.  

On 8/27/2018 at 4:33 PM, Fadingpain said:

I watched the last episode live.  

 

There are spoilers in this so if you are still going to watch the last episode, don't keep reading!  

 

After seeing that last episode, I honestly don't think "sweater dad" (LOL) fully understands what his wife was doing to the kids.  I think they portrayed him as being totally oblivious, other than just loosely being aware that his wife likes to make little potions to "help" her kids when they are sick.

 

Someone mentioned loose ends not tied up.  The one that I am thinking of is the blood under the bed.  That was never really explained one way or the other.  

 

Before the very end, the show was portraying mom as the killer of the other 2 girls in town.  I found that to be totally unbelievable and not very satisfying.  At least the show didn't ultimately go down that route, to its credit. 

 

Remember that flashback sequence they showed after the end credits were rolling?  I believe they were trying to show that the pack of 3 girls who always roller skated around together were all in on the killings.  It was a group thing.  That is more believable than a single small girl doing that stuff.

 

I also did not like the very last line from Amma, when she said to her big sister "Don't tell momma."  As if to suggest mom knew nothing of it.  I think I would have enjoyed it more if Mom HAD known that her child was in on it, but chose to protect her anyway, while still trying to slowly kill her with her potions.  How F-ed up would that all be?!

 

I have to say, I did say the killer would be a woman, I had Amma at the top of my suspect list, and I said right off that mom was either the killer or was protecting the killer, knowing who the killer was.  I sort of got 2 out of 3.

 

Overall, the entire miniseries could have been much better, much more suspenseful, and more mysterious.   I think it made a few fatal flaws that any good fiction doesn't do.

 

Almost all of the main characters were not likable.  I did not feel like I cared what happened to any of them.  The pacing of the show was way too slow.  More stuff needed to be happening all the time, with more twists and turns.  It also needed to work more of the traditional murder mystery plot into the show.  It could have been much more balanced between the character/relationship development stuff between Camille and her mom and the actual investigation.

 

Richard, the out of town investigator, didn't really do much investigating!  He did hang out drinking at the bar quite a lot though.

 

Lastly, the show couldn't decide if it was telling the story of Camille, dead sister Marian,  and the psycho Munchausen Mom, or a murder mystery about the girls being killed in town.  It should have picked 1 or the other and deleted 1, or done a much better job at integrating the 2 into a single plot.

 

I give it 6.5 out of 10.

 

 

 

 

 

SPOILERS -

 

A case could be made for one fewer episode but I personally liked the slow burn, delving into the characters and peeling back the history of each person.  I think the "Woman in White" was the clue that a woman had at least participated and they dropped enough clues that Adora could be the killer of the other girls. If anything, they needed at least one more credible suspect.  

 

Agree that Sweater Dad is just clueless and/or too weak-willed to make a fuss. Either way, he's ruined.  

 

I think mid-credit sequence suggests that one of the girls was killed in the bungalow, leaving the blood stain under the bed. One the skater girls lived in the house.  Though I wonder how they got the body downtown. 

 

Personal preference, but thought "Don't tell Mom" was perfect ending.

 

I don't believe Adora (mom) knew anything, I think she made herself believe Amma was a perfect child.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bbb]

12 minutes ago, Max Fischer said:

The mother tried to give Camille the "medicine" but she was a "willful" child who didn't "cooperate," which would explain the Mother's animosity.  

 

Thanks!

[Fadingpain]

58 minutes ago, Max Fischer said:

 

The mother tried to give Camille the "medicine" but she was a "willful" child who didn't "cooperate," which would explain the Mother's animosity.  

 

SPOILERS -

 

A case could be made for one fewer episode but I personally liked the slow burn, delving into the characters and peeling back the history of each person.  I think the "Woman in White" was the clue that a woman had at least participated and they dropped enough clues that Adora could be the killer of the other girls. If anything, they needed at least one more credible suspect.  

 

Agree that Sweater Dad is just clueless and/or too weak-willed to make a fuss. Either way, he's ruined.  

 

I think mid-credit sequence suggests that one of the girls was killed in the bungalow, leaving the blood stain under the bed. One the skater girls lived in the house.  Though I wonder how they got the body downtown. 

 

Personal preference, but thought "Don't tell Mom" was perfect ending.

 

I don't believe Adora (mom) knew anything, I think she made herself believe Amma was a perfect child.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

I totally agree that Adora did not know; that's ultimately the importance of that last line about not telling her.  

 

What if the last line had been "Shhh!  This is momma's and my secret.  Please don't tell anyone."

 

I.E., do the opposite; tell the audience Mom does know and is taking the fall for her child in jail.  That would add so much more complexity to her character and make a F-ed up situation only moreso.

 

Don't get me wrong: I love slow, methodically developing plots.  I always loved the original "Day of the Jackal" for that reason.   It moves so slowly, logically, and methodically it's just fun to follow along with the assassin and see how he is working out his plan.

 

And I hate modern movies that shove 8 hours of plot into 2!

 

But the slow burn was a bit too slow in this one.  Needed more to maintain my interest, much of the time.

Again though, that is just my subjective take.

 

I notice HBO is capitalizing on the success of "Big Little Lies" and making a 2nd season miniseries out of the first miniseries.  I doubt they will do that with "Sharp Objects".  Leave this one where it left off.

 

 

Edited August 29, 2018 by Fadingpain

[Soda Popinski]

I didn't care for all the eluded to backstories that were never expounded upon.   They kept flashing back to cheerleader days, or flashing back to running to this little cabin in the woods, and what was the significance of that?  Nothing apparently.   Flash to looking at the ceiling in that room, was there significance to that? nope.   Why did she take off her shoes to go into that one tiled bedroom?   

 

Why was she pretty much busted broke when momma was loaded?   As the story went along she drank less and less, did she get over her alcoholism?  They never touched on it at the end there which I'm supposing was a 6 month montage.    Did sweater dad go to jail?  Did crying boy get completely exonerated?  What about his girlfriend?  With the bitten off ear?   

 

Seems like nothing really mattered in the end.  

[Fadingpain]

1 hour ago, Soda Popinski said:

I didn't care for all the eluded to backstories that were never expounded upon.   They kept flashing back to cheerleader days, or flashing back to running to this little cabin in the woods, and what was the significance of that?  Nothing apparently.   Flash to looking at the ceiling in that room, was there significance to that? nope.   Why did she take off her shoes to go into that one tiled bedroom?   

 

Why was she pretty much busted broke when momma was loaded?   As the story went along she drank less and less, did she get over her alcoholism?  They never touched on it at the end there which I'm supposing was a 6 month montage.    Did sweater dad go to jail?  Did crying boy get completely exonerated?  What about his girlfriend?  With the bitten off ear?   

 

Seems like nothing really mattered in the end.  

Well, the show made it pretty clear that Munchhausen Mom was taking the fall for all of the murders.  I suspect the father did not go to jail, crying boy was exonerated, and the girlfriend, who was never under investigation anyway, was free as well.

 

All that stuff proved to be camouflage to take the pressure off the real perp, Amma.

 

Good question about Camille's alcoholism.  Overall, I think the events depicted in the show had a therapeutic effect on Camille and presumably she will heal as a result of understanding her mother better.  She seemed on the road to recovery but then in the last scene she finds the teeth in the doll house coupled with her little sister's confession, so who knows! 

 

Maybe she went straight back to the bottle!

 

 

[Jauronimo]

5 hours ago, Max Fischer said:

 

The mother tried to give Camille the "medicine" but she was a "willful" child who didn't "cooperate," which would explain the Mother's animosity.  

 

SPOILERS -

 

A case could be made for one fewer episode but I personally liked the slow burn, delving into the characters and peeling back the history of each person.  I think the "Woman in White" was the clue that a woman had at least participated and they dropped enough clues that Adora could be the killer of the other girls. If anything, they needed at least one more credible suspect.  

 

Agree that Sweater Dad is just clueless and/or too weak-willed to make a fuss. Either way, he's ruined.  

 

I think mid-credit sequence suggests that one of the girls was killed in the bungalow, leaving the blood stain under the bed. One the skater girls lived in the house.  Though I wonder how they got the body downtown. 

 

Personal preference, but thought "Don't tell Mom" was perfect ending.

 

I don't believe Adora (mom) knew anything, I think she made herself believe Amma was a perfect child.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes.  It was half a second but the girl's head was under the bed after being struck or tackled by Amma and her friends.  Presumably that's how the blood got there. It was maybe a half second clip.