Okay, granted, this is far from the most awe-inspiring thriller ever, but it hooked me just the same. Crystal Fox's performance alone would have carried it. Yes, I thought Jasmine's character was silly at best -- What law-school graduate, or even a non-grad who's watched Perry Mason, would stoop to behaving as she did? I was irritated by her boss dismissing her so easily at the beginning, but almost sympathized when she utterly blew her closing argument. And the wrap-up was just a bit too fairy-tale. Before Silence of the Lambs, this storyline might have gone further, but in 2021, it's solidly been-there, seen-that.
HOWEVER...I finished watching the last episode of "The Sinner" and wasn't quite tired yet, so I thumbed through my Netflix list and thought Oh, what the heck? Crystal Fox looks up from the table she's shackled to, opens her mouth, and Bam! There's no way I would have turned this off before the final credits rolled. It was obvious, it was cliched, but it did exactly what a script of this kind is supposed to. It makes you suspend disbelief -- I wasn't even interested in trying to guess who the true villain was. I let Grace figure it out before me - another reason to cheer for her. Then shortly thereafter I enjoyed, for a few minutes, Cicely Tyson's final role. Ms. Tyson could have played the part of a mop in the corner of the kitchen and it still would have been worth it. I would have liked a bit more time spent on the other victims who are revealed at the end. I wasn't happy to see one villain get clean away; wondering what purpose this serves? Yes, there's plenty wrong with this entire picture, but it did what a movie is supposed to do: it entertained. I didn't mind staying up till nearly 3 a.m. With this one. "Trailer Park Boys" and "Little Evil" would not have been worth it.
HOWEVER...I finished watching the last episode of "The Sinner" and wasn't quite tired yet, so I thumbed through my Netflix list and thought Oh, what the heck? Crystal Fox looks up from the table she's shackled to, opens her mouth, and Bam! There's no way I would have turned this off before the final credits rolled. It was obvious, it was cliched, but it did exactly what a script of this kind is supposed to. It makes you suspend disbelief -- I wasn't even interested in trying to guess who the true villain was. I let Grace figure it out before me - another reason to cheer for her. Then shortly thereafter I enjoyed, for a few minutes, Cicely Tyson's final role. Ms. Tyson could have played the part of a mop in the corner of the kitchen and it still would have been worth it. I would have liked a bit more time spent on the other victims who are revealed at the end. I wasn't happy to see one villain get clean away; wondering what purpose this serves? Yes, there's plenty wrong with this entire picture, but it did what a movie is supposed to do: it entertained. I didn't mind staying up till nearly 3 a.m. With this one. "Trailer Park Boys" and "Little Evil" would not have been worth it.