Love & Death

This marks the third adaptation of a true-crime story from a small Texas town. While Wylie has since grown to a city with 57,526 residents, at the time of the case, it had only 3,152 inhabitants. The period atmosphere of the series reflects this fact, portraying a small community where everyone knows each other within the confines of local gossip. The characters are united by their lives in the Methodist church, and their relationships reflect this setting. People don't have time for each other, as they're too busy fulfilling societal expectations – men earning money and women raising children – all living their lives under mutual scrutiny. This alone would suffice for a study of unpleasant relationships filled with manipulation and lies, but David E. Kelley's team managed to weave a beautifully crafted romance into the early episodes, which could have been brilliant material for a romantic comedy on its own. And it's this genre blending that makes Love & Death an absolute delight. At the beginning, there's a charming and witty affair between Elizabeth Olsen and Jesse Plemons, halfway through, Lily Rabe is brutally murdered with an axe, and the conclusion is a typical grand courtroom drama precisely in line with the genre in which David E. Kelley reigns supreme. I'm not sure if the real Candy Montgomery (*1949) deserves so much attention, but over time, I'll indulge in the previous adaptations, especially Candy, because something like this is a true filmmaking challenge. (03.06.2024)