‘Disclaimer*’ Review: A Fascinating Yet Flaccid Interplay of Narrative And Form

Despite the lack of characterization and depth in storytelling, Alfonso’s Disclaimer* has got quite a few charms, it’s fascinating but also flaccid. Read our Disclaimer* review below.

Based on the novel by Renée Knight, the show outlines the steps and forgets to invite the audience to do the dancing, instead, it opts to spoonfeed its spectators by filling every moment of silence with kitsch voice-over. The series is helmed by auteur Alfonso Cuarón and follows a documentarian who is forced to confront her past (Cate Blanchett), as destiny (or devil) knocks at her door. (Also starring in the series in supporting roles are comedic actor Sacha Baron Cohen and Lesley Manville.)

There’s no literary juice in the aforementioned voice-over narrating the obvious. For a show that aims to challenge the perspective of its spectators, it doesn’t risk letting loose the hands of the audience by constantly repeating and emphasizing its message till the end. The visual style of the show is impressive even if it simplifies rather than complicates the life of these characters. A 7-part series, the plot of which kickstarts when a mysterious novel “The Perfect Stranger” arrives at the doorstep of Catherine Ravenscroft, containing the kernels of her past about to pop and turn her life upside down.

The writer Stephen Brigstocke (Kevin Kline), is a widower looking for vengeance for his deceased son. Where Disclaimer* falters is with its construct of meta-fiction, there’s simply a lack of frontal lobe activity in the screenplay or precisely the source material to seamlessly surf the sea of narrative difficulties. The show revolves around narrative and form and obviates its narrative difficulties by putting a lid on any meaningful characterization, which is quite unfortunate in this case, since it literally takes its time—7 episodes—to tell the story. Despite that, Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline give their best in the show. Technically it’s a well-made show, even if it had some issues with the audio mix here and there. The show is lensed by two greats, Emmanuel Lubezki and Bruno Delbonnel, and their craft shines throughout the show. The score by Finneas is a pleasant surprise, it blends right in with the tone of the show.

Ultimately, this is a show that I can admire from a distance, the appeal is there but the depth in storytelling fails to live up to the breadth of its aesthetics.

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Disclaimer* is written and directed by Alfonso Cuarón and stars Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Sacha Baron Cohen, Lesley Manville, Louis Partridge, and Kodi Smit-McPhee. The series premiered at the Venice Film Festival, aired at the London Film Festival in special screenings, and is now streaming all seven of its episodes on Apple TV+.

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