Alfonso Cuarón is one of the few auteur directors who has conquered the worlds of both prestige and blockbuster filmmaking. His latest project, the Apple TV+ miniseries Disclaimer, falls firmly into the former category, suffering from inaccessible storytelling, but is made worth watching by the committed efforts of its excellent cast and stunning production values.
Disclaimer Review
Based on the novel by Renee Knight, Disclaimer tells the story of a journalist whose life is thrown into disarray when she discovers that a character in a popular new book may be based on her own life. As one would expect, there’s more to the story than it seems on the surface, and the result is a melodrama exploring themes of perspective and memory.
Unfortunately, despite a compelling premise, Disclaimer is dragged down by the fact that it feels incredibly unwieldy. There is a very strong two-hour film to be found in this material, but at seven episodes — even if they’re relatively short at around 45 minutes each — it feels like it is padded with unnecessary length. Jumping between past and present, along with fiction and truth, becomes frustrating and overwhelming. It takes several episodes for the story to find its rhythm, and while there are affecting moments throughout, the payoff doesn’t justify the slow burn.
The main reason to watch Disclaimer is its cast, the entirety of which gives committed performances. Cate Blanchett brings a lot of vulnerability to her role, particularly in the explosive finale that stacks up among the best work of her illustrious career. The best moments in the show are those in which Blanchett is allowed to run the show on her own, delivering gripping monologues. It may not be the most substantial leading role when it comes to screen time, but Blanchett eats up every scene she is in.
Kevin Kline’s performance is also very impressive, balancing anger and sadness in a way the actor hasn’t shown in years. Sacha Baron Cohen is another actor in the cast who is in top form, flexing the same type of dramatic chops that previously got an Oscar nomination for The Trial of the Chicago 7. Lesley Manville and Kodi Smit-McPhee have minor supporting roles, but they each have a few scenes where they make a genuine impression.
Yet, while much of the buzz for Disclaimer has surrounded its A-list cast, the true stars of the show are its younger cast members. Although the senior cast members make the most of their comparatively lesser screen time, the younger cast does a tremendous job commanding the screen. Leila George and Louis Partridge have incredible chemistry, but also the range to pull off some of the more serious scenes.
The show also looks and sounds incredible, but that should be no surprise, considering that it’s directed by Cuarón, an auteur known for his impressive command of visual grammar. In terms of below-the-line crew, Disclaimer is virtually unparalleled in its pedigree. It has not just one but two esteemed cinematographers in Emmanuel Lubezki (reuniting with Cuarón after his Oscar-winning work on Gravity) and Bruno Delbonnel (The Tragedy of Macbeth). The music for the series is composed by Oscar-winner Finneas O’Connell, too. This crew is truly a who’s who in the film industry.
Is Disclaimer worth watching?
Yet, despite the talent in front of and behind the camera, Disclaimer ends up being somewhat underwhelming. It looks as great as one could hope, and the performances are excellent, but the pacing is far too uneven for the show to leave a lasting impact. The result is a cinephiles-only affair, although cinephiles will be impressed by the level of craft and performance on display.
Disclaimer streams on Apple TV+ beginning October 11 with two episodes, with new episodes streaming on subsequent Fridays. All seven episodes reviewed.
6/10
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