This show shouldn't be buried by this name. If I hadn't read the novel, I might not have clicked into it at all. After watching 3 episodes, I felt that it was stable, and I could recommend a wave. Let's talk about the main creative team first. This limited series is adapted from Wu Yishi's novel of the same name " Little Fires " (the novel was published in 2017, the original name of the book is " Little Fires Everywhere ").
Who is Wu Qishi?
Wu Yishi 's first novel " Silent Confession " published in 2014 became famous.
As a Chinese-American , growing up in an environment like the United States, more or less encounters the invisible "discrimination" described in the book. So in the book you always feel that there are shadows of Wu Yishi's past in various characters .
Even if you are a native American, because of your skin color, you will still have a sense of distinction and will not be accepted by everyone .
The fragile sense of trust between people, when the window paper is pierced, the final attribution will always return to the issue of race.
But when you pull the last fig leaf on the trivial matters of life, it doesn't really matter what your race is, the problem is just focused on every family, no matter who you are, the result is the same.
Therefore, in Wu Yishi's novels, you can see various family conflicts staged.
- Should the adoptive family return the child to the mother who abandoned the child ?
- Should a white adoptive family return the child to the yellow mother who abandoned the child ?
- If white adoptive families have better parenting conditions, should yellow mothers give up custody and create better living conditions for their children ?
- If the yellow race do not have superior living conditions, do they still have the right to have children ?
Does adding a qualifier to a question make people think differently, are we discussing human rights, or are we discussing skin color? This time, the story is further escalated in the limited series. After the two opposite "mothers" meet, how will they control the situation?
Who is the protagonist of the story?
The protagonist of the story is this adopted child, and the protagonists of the series are the two big heroines "Mom". Elena, a white mother , is the square-faced actress Reese Witherspoon. In the past two years, she has performed high-scoring American dramas such as "Big Little Lies " and " Morning News " one after another, and she has gained a lot from moving to the small screen. Compared with passively accepting the script in the past, as one of the producers of the series, Reese has more room to play in the script and performance.
The black mother Mia is played by Kelly Washington. Everyone is more familiar with her work, which may be " Scandal ". Considering the issues of sex and conflict, the screenwriter changed the original Chinese to African American. interpretation of this role. Back to the topic, look at the whole story.
The beginning is the end.
A beautiful villa was burning, and the neighbors were watching. The police confirmed that someone set the fire on purpose, and the youngest daughter Izzy was missing. Someone set the fire knowing that Elena was home .
Four months back in time, a pair of African-American mother and daughter came to the town, wandering around the town looking for a suitable place to live, the first indirect encounter between the two heroines. Seeing an unfamiliar vehicle, Elena immediately called the police. She was not sure who was in the unfamiliar vehicle, but she must not let any uncertainties in the town affect the sweet life of our town.
Let's take a look at Elena's family members:
- Husband Bill has a high-paying and stable job that brings a comfortable life to his family;
- The eldest son Trip is a man of the school, handsome and humorous;
- The second daughter Lexie is enthusiastic and cheerful, and because her boyfriend is African-American , she strongly promotes affirmative action;
- The third son, Moody, is kind and enthusiastic, but not as handsome as the elder brother;
- Fourth daughter Izzy is an eccentric child, full of personality, out of tune with the whole family.
As for Elena, she is proud to have such a happy life, she is willing to help others, and always wants to let those around her live what she considers a "happy" life . Things are not always perfect, not everyone can unconditionally satisfy Elena's desire for control, such as Izzy.
The drama emphasizes Elena's terrifying desire for control through two aspects. There is a clear timetable for her sex life, and it will not work for more than 1 minute. When drinking, a measuring cup is required, and all the excess is thrown back. A little bit beyond her plan can drive her crazy. Until Mia appeared, constantly refreshing and challenging her bottom line.
What kind of person is Mia?
Mia must have a certain story on her back. She often wakes up in a dream, lives in no fixed place, and takes her daughter as her family. Mia doesn't like rules and always emphasizes the way things are.
It is understandable that Mia is completely on the opposite side of Elena, and the two have nothing in common . But seeing that her daughter Pearl began to meet new friends and integrate into the new environment, Mia decided to make some small changes, such as accepting Elena's seemingly alms offer and being a housekeeper in Elena's house. time with my daughter .
This also planted the seeds of conflict. The free Mia met Izzy , who yearned for freedom, and Pearl, who was looking forward to stability, met the stability madman Elena , and a fire was lit. The fire is on Elena, you dare to so shamelessly instigate my daughter to rebel against me, then don't blame me for it. Elena's self-proclaimed journalistic nature prompted her to get to the bottom of what Mia was hiding behind her back.
The portrayal of Mia in the novel is more emotional , and it is always difficult to understand. No matter whether she is angry or not, it is always flat. She gave her daughter Pearl enough love and tolerance, so no matter what happened, Pearl was willing to share with Mia. A little change was made in the TV series, and Mia became an angry mother . In sensitive times, being black in an area where white people congregate, the extra attention doesn't make people feel friendly. In order to survive, Mia gave Pearl harsh love.
The contradiction between mothers, the contradiction between mothers on child rearing, the contradiction between children, the contradiction between mothers' ways of dealing with children's contradictions, your position is different, your perspective is different , and your standing is different. No one can judge right or wrong. So now, all we know is that the house burned down and Izzy is gone , so how did all this happen? You can continue to explore from the episode.
If there is a shortage of dramas recently, and friends who are interested in family conflicts, you can watch it. As for the book, you might as well finish the drama and then brush it to avoid spoilers. You can also compare it from your point of view. Do you think the modification of the characters in the play is good or bad. If you have time, you can expand and think about it. Being a parent is never easy. What is the limit of giving love ?
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