In what may appear as a run-of-the-mill murder mystery on the surface, Defending Jacob is actually a refreshingly eerie take on the genre. With a dark story filled with twists and turns, beautiful direction and outstanding cast performances at its core, the AppleTV miniseries sets itself apart by being one of the best series of 2020.
Defending Jacob follows prosecutor Andy Barber (Chris Evans) as he investigates the death of a 14-year-old boy. However, during the investigating, his son, Jacob Barber (Jaeden Martell) becomes the prime suspect in the murder. Andy and his wife, Laurie (Michelle Dockery), must now navigate their increasingly stressful new status in the community and try to prove their son’s innocence.
The question at the crux of this series is quite simple: Did he or didn’t he? While that may not sound like much, it’s more than enough to keep one completely immersed in this eight-episode miniseries. The answer to that question will likely flip between yes and no everything single episode, and occasionally more than once an episode. That’s largely in part due to the well-crafted story, written by creator and Mark Bomback and based on the novel of the same name by William Landay. The episodes flow so smoothly into one another, with each begging the viewer to continue bingeing it all at once.
The show’s production is immaculate. The greyscale atmosphere developed through set design and in post-production work to create an ominous, eerie environment that blankets the series in a sense of dread for the Barber family. All eight episodes are all directed by Morten Tyldum, and this consistency works in the show’s favor, helping carry the atmosphere and excellently directed performances from episode to episode. Defending Jacob easily could have served as a film release, but the decision to instead make a miniseries allowed for the story to develop more naturally and significantly more character development.
The series is told primarily from Andy’s perspective, which requires a lot of Evans, who gives an incredible performance worthy of an Emmy nomination. He has to carry a majority of the show on his shoulders (albeit, there’s perfectly capable shoulders), and he does so in one of the best performances of his career. Dockery is also given a lot of emotional weight to carry, but in a much more subdued way than Evan’s character. Particularly toward the latter half of the miniseries and especially in the finale, she is asked to do a lot more physical acting in her character’s mannerisms and reactions, which she does to perfection.
But a surprising revelation here is Martell as the titular Jacob, who despite his previous appearances in 2017’s It and last year’s Knives Out, has not been given a real meaty role. But here, Martell is absolutely phenomenal. He gives a nuanced and quiet performance that draws equal parts empathy and terror from the viewer.
If there’s one complaint about Defending Jacob, it’s the lack of finalty. This works somewhat as a double-edged sword because it both helps and harms the overall effect, depending on the viewer’s expectation. The last episode in particular is filled with so many twists and turns, it can feel a little jarring. It asks a lot from its audience in terms of finding closure, but it’s also a refreshing way of subverting expectations in a story like this.
Defending Jacob is a gut-wrenching, twist-and-turns crime drama that both plays into the genre and subverts it in an excellent and intriguing way. The chemistry between the Barber family, direction and storytelling on display here makes this miniseries worth a watch.
Grade: 4.5 / 5 Woo’s
Created: Mark Bomback
Starring: Chris Evans, Michelle Dockery & Jaeden Martell
Release Date: April 24, 2020 – May 29, 2020
Check the Rotten Tomatoes Score
Woosley's Movies 