Our take
Pitting two powerhouse performers against one another guarantees a gripping watch. Who wouldn’t want to see Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington (fresh off their respective stints in Big Little Lies and Scandal) go head to head? But Little Fires Everywhere is more than just a fiery soap opera. It’s packed with themes like race, motherhood, and womanhood. They’re brought to life by the two tremendous actresses, but the young actors are just as compelling, able to match their parents’ passion and theatrics. As in most soaps, the plot lines and details of the series can border on ridiculousness, and there are way too many time jumps than necessary, but its message is too important, and acting too heated, to look away from.
What it won
SAG Awards
1 nom
DGA
1 nom
WGA
1 nom
The story
The intertwined fates of the picture-perfect Richardson family and an enigmatic mother and daughter who upend their lives. Explore the weight of secrets, the nature of art and identity, the ferocious pull of motherhood – and the danger in believing that following the rules can avert disaster.
Elsewhere
"Little Fires Everywhere is an effective, well-acted drama with some moments of real depth. Those moments of real depth just made me wish it achieved such moments more consistently."
— Jen Chaney
Adapted from the novel of the same name by Celeste Ng, Little Fires Everywhere follows two women from opposite sides of the class spectrum as they uncover family secrets and learn what it means to be a mother.
You can bet Reese Witherspoon will act her socks off as a Karen.
It’s somewhere in between a soap opera and a prestige limited series—it can be over-the-top with the dramatics, but finely tuned performances and tasteful period settings elevate it.
The details
Streaming arrival
Who picked it
Renee Cuisia is the lead curator at A Good Movie to Watch. In her spare time, she likes to watch K-dramas and analyze them to death. She's also seen You've Got Mail one too many times but is still convinced it's one of the greatest films out there.
