Long Bright River (2025)

A long bright river of departed souls

Long Bright River is an intriguing series that slowly but surely burrows under your skin. Based on the novel of the same name by Liz Moore, the eight-part series combines a dark crime mystery with an emotional family portrait. The atmosphere is raw and realistic, with austere but effective cinematography that fits well with the bleak backdrop of Philadelphia, hit by the opioid crisis.

The strength of Long Bright River lies in its character development. Lead actress Mickey (Amanda Seyfried - The Dropout, The Crowded Room), a cop searching for her missing sister, is impressively portrayed. Her struggles with loyalty, guilt and unresolved grief feel genuine. The series takes its time exploring her personal journey, which sometimes comes at the expense of the story's pace, but ultimately provides more depth. Some episodes feel drawn out, and not all plot twists manage to maintain the tension consistently.

Long Bright River is not a sensational thriller, but rather a thoughtful, well-acted series that does not shy away from social issues and treats its characters with respect. It may not be for everyone, but those who enjoy character-driven dramas with a dark edge will appreciate this series.

Translated from Dutch · View original

It took me a while, an episode or two, before I was truly captivated by the story. But then it's truly exciting. Perhaps one too many plot twists, if I think back—not the last one or anything, just the number of rabbits that pop out of the hat could have been a bit fewer, in my opinion. On the other hand, the acting is excellent. Especially by Seyfried, which is to be expected, but still. And the rest of the cast is very good.

Special mention to the priest. I think he only has two scenes, but he does them so well both times that I found myself thinking, "If I knew a priest like that, I'd spontaneously become Catholic." That's quite something, if you're a confirmed atheist.

Translated from Dutch · View original