Common Sense Media Review
By Joyce Slaton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Lovely, emotionally gripping series has sex, cursing.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Tiny Beautiful Things
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Based on the book of the same name by Cheryl Strayed, TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS stars Kathryn Hahn as Clare, a woman who's reached her 50s with plenty of regrets. Her relationship with husband Danny (Quentin Plair) and daughter Rae (Tanzyn Crawford) is strained to the point where she's not living at home. She's screwing up at work, and she regrets not properly appreciating her vibrant mother Frankie (Merritt Wever) while she was alive.
Is It Any Good?
Sometimes funny, sometimes tragic, this series based on the life of "Dear Sugar" columnist Cheryl Strayed is vivid, sincere, and emotionally resonant. Hahn, always a powerful actor with both comic timing and emotional depth, makes a stunning stand-in for Cheryl as Clare. Her mop of disheveled hair is all we need to see to know the dire straits Clare's life is in as Tiny Beautiful Things begins: She's a woman who feels too old to be this clueless about her own life. The narrative seesaws back and forth through time as we see current Clare dissatisfied with the results of her choices, and young Clare, who made the mistakes that Clare now regrets.
But there's room for hope as well as remorse in this series, and when the hopeful moments come, they're well-earned. Clare's teenage daughter Rae is contemptuous of her mom's messy life, but also loves her deeply, and the two work hard to find common emotional ground. Clare's grief for her mother, who passed away decades ago, threatens to overwhelm her in the present, yet she's able to find a measure of peace in giving heartfelt advice to those who write to her. This is a narrative built around a central truth: People are the sum of what's happened to them over their lives, but one's past doesn't necessarily dictate the future. People can change, they can grow, they can be better. Watching Clare discover and then live that process is a beautiful and rare treat indeed.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Tiny Beautiful Things' take on parenthood and raising kids -- specifically daughters -- in the modern world. What's particularly hard about being a mom, and how does motherhood affect Clare? How does the loss of Clare's mother affect how she parents Rae?
How does Tiny Beautiful Things communicate how Danny and Clare feel about their marriage? What information does the show give you besides what the characters say to each other? How is the inner life of characters revealed without it being said aloud? How is marriage usually presented in TV shows, and how is this portrayal similar or different?
If you're a "Dear Sugar" reader and/or fan of Cheryl Strayed, how does that background affect how you view this drama? Do you recognize bits of Strayed's prose? Does the fictional portrayal of Strayed match the one in your head?
TV Details
- Premiere date : April 7, 2023
- Cast : Kathryn Hahn , Merritt Wever , Michaela Watkins
- Network : Hulu
- Genre : Drama
- TV rating :
- Last updated : April 7, 2023
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