{"id":2308609,"date":"2024-07-25T22:41:01","date_gmt":"2024-07-26T02:41:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/natalie-portmans-latest-project-is-a-crime-psychodrama-combining-cringe-and-cliche-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-07-25T22:47:57","modified_gmt":"2024-07-26T02:47:57","slug":"natalie-portmans-latest-project-is-a-crime-psychodrama-filled-with-cringe-and-cliches-according-to-the-washington-examiner-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/natalie-portmans-latest-project-is-a-crime-psychodrama-filled-with-cringe-and-cliches-according-to-the-washington-examiner-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Natalie Portman&#8217;s latest project is a crime psychodrama filled with cringe and clich\u00e9s, according to the Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">36<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fnatalie-portmans-latest-project-is-a-crime-psychodrama-filled-with-cringe-and-cliches-according-to-the-washington-examiner-2%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2308609&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses Natalie Portman&#8217;s \u2064latest project, &#8220;Lady \u200din the Lake,&#8221; a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/shogun-is-over-and-its-an-incredible-show-will-there-and-should-there-be-a-season-2\/\" title=\"The Hit Show &#039;Sh\u014dgun&#039;: Season 2 Coming Soon?\">limited\u200c series<\/a> \u2064on Apple TV+ \u2064based\u200c on Laura Lippman&#8217;s novel. It explores the story of Maddie Schwartz, a Jewish homemaker and former reporter, who embarks on an\u200c investigation into the murder\u200d of a Black woman in 1960s Baltimore after experiencing a personal crisis. The series \u2063attempts to\u200b tackle themes of &#8220;white female privilege&#8221;\u2063 and self-actualization but has been criticized \u200bfor its poor execution\u200b and chaotic storytelling. \u200dThe review suggests that while the\u200c series was anticipated due to its\u200c source material, \u200bit ultimately fails to meet expectations and highlights issues\u200b within Portman&#8217;s performance. The narrative intertwines Maddie&#8217;s story with that of\u2063 an African American activist, Cleo Johnson, emphasizing the \u200dstruggles both women \u2062face in their respective quests for liberation in a \u2063racially and socially fraught\u2063 environment. &#8220;Lady in the Lake&#8221;\u2063 is\u2064 portrayed as an attempt at \u2063a thought-provoking narrative but\u200d falls short of delivering\u2062 a coherent and engaging experience.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-sacff-txt\">Magazine &#8211; Life &amp; Arts <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Natalie Portman&rsquo;s latest project is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/natalie-portmans-latest-project-is-a-crime-psychodrama-filled-with-cringe-and-cliches-according-to-the-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Natalie Portman&#039;s latest project is a crime psychodrama filled with cringe and clich\u00e9s, according to the Washington Examiner\">crime psychodrama combining cringe<\/a> and clich&eacute;<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>The road is as familiar as it is well traveled. An ing&eacute;nue enchants us all with her puckish charm. Half a decade later, she strikes it rich with a Marvel\/<em>Star Wars<\/em> project or three. Perhaps the occasional award bait falls into her lap, but, time being what it is, every offer soon begins to look enticing. One minute she&rsquo;s accepting an Oscar for headlining a Darren Aronofsky masterpiece. The next she&rsquo;s married to Murray from <em>Stranger Things<\/em> in a tedious <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/racism\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>racism-of-the-week<\/a> miniseries.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Such is the career arc of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/opinion\/186651\/rose-mcgowan-calls-out-natalie-portmans-feminist-hypocrisy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Natalie Portman<\/a>, the early-aughts &ldquo;it&rdquo; girl turned edutainment antihero. In her most recent serious project, 2023&rsquo;s <em>May December<\/em>, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/israel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Israeli American<\/a> played an actress sucking the metaphorical blood of a Mary Kay Letourneau type she hoped to portray on film. Portman&rsquo;s latest role is as a housewife-<em>cum<\/em>-journalist investigating the murder of a black woman in midcentury <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/baltimore\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Baltimore<\/a>. In both instances, the former starlet&rsquo;s character exists to critique &ldquo;white female privilege,&rdquo; a leftist bugbear that transforms anthropological interest into &ldquo;harm.&rdquo; Is it surprising to find a performer of Portman&rsquo;s fame in such parts? It shouldn&rsquo;t be. Had the <em>Black Swan<\/em> star passed, Alicia Vikander or Elizabeth Olsen would surely have come aboard.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mikey Madison and Natalie Portman in Lady in the Lake. (Courtesy of Apple TV+)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Of course, even a vaguely sad career choice can lead to passable entertainment. Apple TV+&rsquo;s <em>Lady in the Lake<\/em> certainly tries hard. Based on Laura Lippman&rsquo;s novel of the same name, the limited series belongs to a flourishing genre of gal-meets-noun productions (<em>The Girl on the Train<\/em>, <em>The Woman in the Window<\/em>) that, while never quite good, are at least evocatively staged. One might expect, given its well-received source material, that Apple&rsquo;s <em>Lady<\/em> would rise to that middling standard. Alas, no. A baffling and chaotic affair, the show is as poorly made as any <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/tv\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>television drama<\/a> we&rsquo;re likely to see this year. Moreover, it exposes afresh its lead actress&rsquo;s long-standing stiltedness on-screen. If Portman wants a future beyond Dior ads, she had better pray that casting directors forget this outing soon.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The actress plays Maddie Schwartz, a Jewish homemaker and former high school reporter wed to the dull but upstanding Milton (Brett Gelman). When, on the morning of Charm City&rsquo;s 1966 Christmas parade, an 11-year-old goes missing, Maddie experiences an emotional crisis that sends her fleeing her marriage. Because the young girl in question is not the titular slain &ldquo;lady,&rdquo; a secondary plot must run alongside the first. In this storyline, an African American activist named Cleo Johnson (Moses Ingram) works for the betterment of the black community, even as she hurtles toward the events that will lead, a month later, to her death.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The practical tethering of these narratives is simple enough: Shattered by the missing child&rsquo;s death, Maddie begins digging into Cleo&rsquo;s. Their thematic connection, however, is what really counts. Both of our heroines are reckless strivers, increasingly desperate to break the shackles of sex and circumstance. In Maddie&rsquo;s case, this means putting aside traditional values in the name of self-actualization. (In addition to leaving her husband, Portman&rsquo;s character abandons a son and commences an affair.) Cleo, meanwhile, runs up against a different set of rules. To <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/under-trump-americans-have-seen-their-best-wage-growth-in-40-years\/\" title=\"Under Trump, Americans Have Seen Their Best Wage Growth In 40 Years\">make ends meet<\/a>, she must work for unrepentant gangster Shell Gordon (<em>The Wire&rsquo;s<\/em> Wood Harris). Yet doing so disqualifies her for a place in an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/exclusive-convicted-eco-saboteur-disputes-biden-land-management-nominees-characterization-of-their-relationship\/\" title=\"EXCLUSIVE: Convicted Eco-Saboteur Disputes Biden Land Management Nominee\u2019s Characterization Of Their Relationship\">activist community<\/a> that must, given the era, maintain appearances.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Had <em>Lady in the Lake<\/em> been filmed 15 years ago, it might have been a straightforward liberation parable in the style of <em>The Hours<\/em> (2002), Stephen Daldry&rsquo;s feminist fantasia in multiple keys. Since this is 2024, a darker ideology gets its say. Peppering the show&rsquo;s action is an ill-designed voiceover track in which a dead Cleo scolds Maddie for caring about her murder. (&ldquo;You came at the end of my story and turned it into your beginning.&rdquo;) Six weeks ago in these pages, I reviewed Netflix&rsquo;s <em>Eric<\/em>, which condemns white people for <em>failing<\/em> to notice a black man&rsquo;s death. <em>Lady in the Lake<\/em> takes the opposite tack without batting an eye. If one didn&rsquo;t know better, one might suppose that the point is to bring white viewers under political discipline, not to impose a coherent &ldquo;antiracist&rdquo; standard.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Unlikable characters, ideological complaint: Is there anything Apple&rsquo;s latest doesn&rsquo;t offer? One possible answer is a clear sense of what is literally happening on-screen. Another is pacing decisions that make a lick of sense. Among the tricks in creator Alma Har&rsquo;el&rsquo;s (<em>Bombay Beach<\/em>) tool bag are dream sequences and symbols that bleed messily into her characters&rsquo; real lives. Frequently presented as montages, these moments are insufficiently distinguishable from what is actually taking place. Perhaps such self-conscious &ldquo;artfulness&rdquo; would work if the series weren&rsquo;t already overstuffed and overlong. It is though. So caught up is Har&rsquo;el in minor subplots and digressions that the main thrust feels at times like an afterthought.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Given recent resurgences of the oldest hatred, we should be relieved that an Israeli showrunner can still cast an Israeli actress in a role that emphasizes her Jewishness. It would be a great shame if such productions were tacitly outlawed in Hollywood. As things stand, however, the ignominy belongs to Har&rsquo;el, Portman, Apple, and everyone else involved in <em>Lady in the Lake&rsquo;s<\/em> creation. They got to make the show they wanted, thank God. But it is terrible.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>Graham Hillard is editor at the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal and a&nbsp;<\/em>Washington Examiner<em>&nbsp;magazine contributing writer.<\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>**Magazine &#8211; Life &amp; Arts**<br \/>\nNatalie Portman\u2019s newest endeavor is a crime psychodrama that blends awkwardness with clich\u00e9s. The journey is both recognizable and well-trodden. A young star captivates audiences with her playful charisma, and five years later, she finds success in a Marvel or Star Wars franchise or two. Occasionally, she may land a role that seems like award bait, but as time passes, every opportunity starts to appear appealing. One moment she\u2019s accepting an Oscar for her role in a Darren Aronofsky film, and the next, she\u2019s starring alongside Murray from Stranger Things in a tedious miniseries tackling racism. This reflects the trajectory of Natalie Portman, the early 2000s \u201cit\u201d girl turned educational entertainment antihero. In her latest serious role, 2023\u2019s *May December*, the Israeli-American actress portrays an actress who metaphorically drains the life from a character inspired by Mary Kay Letourneau. In her most recent role, she plays a housewife-turned-journalist investigating the murder of a Black woman in mid-20th century Baltimore. In both cases, Portman\u2019s character serves to critique \u201cwhite female privilege,\u201d a leftist concern that shifts anthropological curiosity into \u201charm.\u201d Is it surprising to see a performer of Portman\u2019s stature in such roles? It shouldn\u2019t be. If she had declined, Alicia Vikander or Elizabeth Olsen would likely have stepped in.<\/p>\n<p>*Lady in the Lake*, available on Apple TV+, certainly makes an effort. Based on Laura Lippman\u2019s novel, this limited series fits into a growing genre of female-centric narratives (like *The Girl on the Train* and *The Woman in the Window*) that, while never truly exceptional, are at least visually engaging. One might expect that, given its well-received source material, *Lady in the Lake* would meet that average standard. Unfortunately, it does not. The show is a confusing and chaotic experience, poorly executed compared to other television dramas this year. Additionally, it highlights Portman\u2019s long-standing awkwardness on screen. If she hopes for a future beyond Dior advertisements, she should hope casting directors forget this performance quickly.<\/p>\n<p>Portman plays Maddie Schwartz, a Jewish homemaker and former high school journalist married to the unremarkable but decent Milton (Brett Gelman). When an 11-year-old girl goes missing during Baltimore\u2019s 1966 Christmas parade, Maddie faces an emotional crisis that drives her to leave her marriage. Since the missing girl is not the titular murdered \u201clady,\u201d a secondary plot unfolds alongside the main one. This subplot follows Cleo Johnson (Moses Ingram), an African American activist striving to improve her community, even as she approaches the events leading to her death a month later. The connection between these narratives is straightforward: devastated by the missing child\u2019s fate, Maddie begins to investigate Cleo\u2019s story. Thematically, both women are reckless seekers, increasingly desperate to escape the constraints of their circumstances. For Maddie, this means rejecting traditional values in pursuit of self-fulfillment, which includes leaving her husband, abandoning her son, and starting an affair. Cleo, on the other hand, faces a different set of challenges. To survive, she must work for the unrepentant gangster Shell Gordon (Wood Harris from *The Wire*), which alienates her from the activist community that must maintain a certain image during that era.<\/p>\n<p>Had *Lady in the Lake* been produced 15 years ago, it might have been a straightforward tale of liberation akin to *The Hours* (2002), Stephen Daldry\u2019s feminist narrative. However, in 2024, a darker ideology prevails. The show features a poorly conceived voiceover where a deceased Cleo chastises Maddie for her interest in her murder: \u201cYou came at the end of my story and turned it into your beginning.\u201d Just weeks ago, I reviewed Netflix\u2019s *Eric*, which criticized white people for ignoring a Black man\u2019s death. *Lady in the Lake* takes a different approach without hesitation. One might think the goal is to politically discipline white viewers rather than establish a coherent \u201cantiracist\u201d standard.<\/p>\n<p>With unlikable characters and ideological grievances, one might wonder what else Apple\u2019s latest offering lacks. Perhaps clarity regarding the on-screen events or coherent pacing. Creator Alma Har\u2019el (known for *Bombay Beach*) employs dream sequences and symbols that awkwardly blend into the characters\u2019 realities. Often presented as montages, these moments are not clearly distinguishable from the actual plot. Such self-aware \u201cartfulness\u201d might work if the series weren\u2019t already cluttered and overly lengthy. It is. Har\u2019el becomes so entangled in minor subplots and digressions that the main narrative occasionally feels like an afterthought.<\/p>\n<p>Given the recent resurgence of age-old prejudices, it\u2019s reassuring that an Israeli showrunner can cast an Israeli actress in a role that highlights her Jewish identity. It would be unfortunate if such productions were implicitly banned in Hollywood. However, the shame lies with Har\u2019el, Portman, Apple, and everyone involved in the creation of *Lady in the Lake*. They were able to produce the show they envisioned, but unfortunately, it is quite poor. <\/p>\n<p>Graham Hillard is the editor at the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal and a contributing writer for *Washington Examiner* magazine<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":956,"featured_media":2308610,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/LA.TV_.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[4871,36240,34310,36239,32076],"class_list":["post-2308609","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-cliches","tag-crime-psychodrama","tag-movie-review","tag-natalie-portman","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/LA.TV_.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2308609","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/956"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2308609"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2308609\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2308610"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2308609"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2308609"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2308609"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}