A Review by Judy Garrison

I wasn’t expecting to be drawn in to the extent that I was, which was a state of being held spellbound. I attribute that to the slow-building tension leading to the pivotal horrific acts and because it is a beautifully executed drama. Alias Grace (2017) is a critically acclaimed, 6-part Netflix miniseries based on Margaret Atwood’s novel. A psychological thriller, heavy in the aura of the times, it evokes the true 1843 conviction of Irish immigrant and domestic servant, 16-year-old Grace Marks, along with stable hand James McDermott for the double murder of her employer Thomas Kinnear and his pregnant housekeeper, Nancy Montgomery in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada. The public was long divided over whether she was a willing mastermind or a coerced innocent accessory. I was unaware of these details while watching (Does my account here constitute a spoiler even though the story is based on recorded history? Not sure).

Grace was exonerated after about 36 years behind bars. Just as the public held disparate views at the time, the viewer is meant to have questions as to the extent of guilt in these grisly murders borne by the very young woman we have grown to feel compassion for. We especially hate how severely she is mistreated by the housekeeper and unofficial lady of the house. We wonder which hovering male, if any, will gain her affections, and fear for her potential sexual abuse.

The critics praise Sarah Gadon’s “mesmerizing” performance, the beautifully rendered historical detail and the feminist focus on class and gender. I concur in that praise.

I see that Margaret Atwood served as executive consultant and co-producer. The screenplay was written by Sarah Polley, and Atwood claims to have had “influence but no power” over the final results. I’m not aware of Atwood’s influence over director Mary Harron. However, knowing that producer Polley had consulted with Atwood on plot and production details for over two decades and that they had a pivotal 6-hour meeting to discuss the adaptation’s tone and ambiguity, I think we can credit Atwood with some power and much of the show’s success. I like that Atwood praised Gadon’s ability to portray Grace’s “sinister” and “innocent” sides. She spent hours on the set with the production designer to ensure that the historical details were authentic. Having recently read Atwood’s lengthy and juicy memoir, I can knowingly say, “Of course she did [have power]!”

I thought I spied a shot of Atwood herself, and yes, it was her in a cameo appearance as a “difficult woman” in church wearing a period-accurate bonnet.

Unless you require heavy action and super-fast pace in your thrillers, I heartily recommend this series. With a caveat: You may want to shield your eyes, as I did, during the plot-capping scenes of brutal mayhem.~