Netflix's 'East of Eden' Adaptation Lacks Depth, Critic Says
A review criticizes the new series for wooden acting and a slow, melodramatic pace.
Netflix's new adaptation of John Steinbeck's novel "East of Eden" has been met with a critical review that describes the series as "wooden" and "highly flammable."
The TV critic for the Daily Mail, Christopher Stevens, awarded the series two out of five stars, stating that the actors tackling the classic American literature are prone to a rigid, monotone delivery that robs the dialogue of rhythm and melody. Stevens suggests this approach is often mistaken by American audiences for depth.
The series is the work of Zoe Kazan, granddaughter of director Elia Kazan, who helmed the famed 1955 Hollywood adaptation. The novel, which spans from the aftermath of the US Civil War to the beginning of World War I, is noted for its length and complexity.
According to the review, the James Dean-led film adaptation skipped much of the early narrative to focus on the story's melodramatic conclusion. The new Netflix series, however, requires viewers to "slog through" its initial episodes. The opening sequence is described as the drama "groaning and creaking" before any dialogue is spoken.
The character of Cathy, played by Florence Pugh, is introduced arriving "like a wooden wedge" to drive apart her brothers, Charles and Adam. The review notes Pugh's effort in portraying the malevolent Cathy, but suggests she disappears from the narrative for a significant period.
Stevens concludes that the series relies on a "sententious and self-consciously literary" style, complete with a symphonic soundtrack, likening the acting to that of a carpenter.
