‘The Perfect Couple’: A Luxurious Whirlwind of Mystery and Murder Revolving Around Ever Graceful Nicole Kidman
- With Ishaan Khatter as a bonus, the Netflix limited series keeps you captivated with dramatic twists.
“The Perfect Couple,” a TV adaptation of Elin Hilderbrand’s novel, is a captivating exploration of the opulent lives of the “uber-rich,” set against the idyllic backdrop of Nantucket Island. With a stellar cast led by Nicole Kidman, the series delves into the complicated lives of the wealthy Winbury family, exposing their dark secrets beneath their perfect façade.
The series grips the audience from the outset, with a lavish rehearsal dinner on the beach hosted by the senior Winburys to celebrate their blue-eyed boy Benji’s (Billy Howle) engagement to Amelia (Eve Hewson), the supposed “love of his life.” Everything seems picture-perfect, leaving viewers with a sense of envy, but underlying tensions soon disrupt this “almost too good to be legal” celebration, as the wedding plans unravel.
Set in the picturesque, cobblestone seaside town of Nantucket, with sweeping views of the Atlantic coastline, the series masterfully uses the shimmering light on the undulating waves to paint a dreamy yet deceptive landscape.
The visuals are so vivid you can almost smell the oil on the painting and taste the caviar on your tongue. The Winbury family, with its old money status, adds an extra layer of allure and mystery to their seemingly frothy family life.
At the heart of the series is the enigmatic relationship between Greer Garrison Winbury (Nicole Kidman) and her husband, Tad Winbury (Liev Schreiber). Tad, aging but still attractive, holds his wife in a loving embrace while keeping a roving eye on other women.
The “perfect couple” may look flawless in public, but behind closed doors, layers of secrets and complications emerge. Greer, a renowned novelist, and Tad, a wealthy figure with powerful connections, live in a world where influential attorneys are just a phone call away.
The Winbury family fortune, tied up in a complex trust, becomes a focal point of intrigue and tension, adding a legal dimension to the family’s personal dramas. As characters grapple with their desires, moral dilemmas, and the consequences of their actions, greed inevitably takes over.
The Winbury men are portrayed as high-stakes gamblers, addicted to both the thrill of risk and the seductive pull of excess. Their behavior, rife with drug addictions, options trading, and adulterous escapades, drives the narrative forward. These vices paint a picture of a family whose penchant for luxury and indulgence sows the seeds of their downfall.
The rehearsal dinner, where everyone seems to be having a good time, is the epitome of their extravagant lifestyle. With an over-the-top menu featuring a seven-tier cake, blackberry mojitos, mounds of fresh oysters, and an ocean breeze, the event reflects the family’s superficiality, concealing deeper, unresolved issues.
Benji Winbury’s fiancée, Amelia Sacks, is central to the mystery. Benji’s unusual attraction to Amelia, while she was working at the zoo feeding rats to snakes, hints at their complex and troubled psyches. Benji insists they are like “penguins” who mate for life, but Amelia feels unsure and out of place in his world, a sentiment she shares with her vivacious friend Merritt Monaco (Meghan Fahy), who tells her she is just having “cold feet”.
After the two friends dance into the night, Merritt is found dead, with a dose of pentobarbital in her bloodstream, setting off a chain of shocking events. Another house guest, Isabel Nallet (Isabelle Adjani) adds further complexity as a French lady of leisure and “family friend,” with entangled relationships involving both Tad and Benji. Her presence enhances the atmosphere of decadence and moral ambiguity.
Ishaan Khatter, sporting curly, windblown dark hair, portrays Benji’s best friend, who has secretly paid off a $300,000 hitman—perhaps the anonymous caller who keeps calling the Winbury household, asking to speak with Greer.
Meanwhile, Dakota Fanning plays Abby Winbury, Benji’s pregnant sister-in-law, who is pressuring her husband Thomas to borrow money from his father to buy a condominium while he is warming the bed of Isabel. The series kicks off with a shocking murder that sets the tone for the ensuing investigation.
The death of Amelia’s friend Merritt adds a layer of suspense, serving as a catalyst for unraveling a web of deceit, prior secrets, and hidden motives. Each episode peels back more layers of the story, keeping viewers guessing. Nicole Kidman’s portrayal of Greer Garrison Winbury is nothing short of mesmerizing.
With her beautiful figure, flawless complexion and russet blonde hair cascading in perfect curls, Kidman embodies the epitome of elegance and grace. Her performance adds depth and nuance to Greer, a character who navigates the treacherous waters of family, fame, and scandal.
Kidman’s ageless beauty and commanding presence elevate the series, making every scene she appears in a visual and emotional treat. She wants her life, family and friends to look “perfect” on the cover of People magazine for her book launch, despite the “drudgery” of murder!
“The Perfect Couple” may rely on familiar tropes that lack emotional depth, but its dramatic twists keep viewers on their toes, wondering who the real murderer is—because everyone in this story seems to be in dire need of money. Despite comparisons to shows like “The White Lotus,” “The Perfect Couple” stands out, not just for its attractive characters but for Donna Lynne Champlin’s portrayal of detective Nikki Henry, whose grounded realism is a refreshing counterpoint to the excess and deception of the Winbury family.
“The Perfect Couple” is streaming on Netflix. I binge-watched it while cloistered on Sea Island in the golden isles of Georgia.
With one foot in Huntsville, Alabama, the other in her birth home India, and a heart steeped in humanity, writing is a contemplative practice for Monita Soni. She has published hundreds of poems, movie reviews, book critiques, and essays and contributed to combined literary works. Her two books are My Light Reflections and Flow through My Heart. You can hear her commentaries on Sundial Writers Corner WLRH 89.3FM.