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That perfection is a facade is one of the main concepts in Prime Video‘s newest YA psychological thriller, “We Were Liars.” Based on the award-winning novel by E. Lockhart and adapted for television by Julie Plec and Carina Adly McKenzie, the show centers on Cadence Sinclair Eastman (Emily Alyn Lind), who, following a traumatic brain injury, is trying to recall the events of the summer she turned 16, or Summer 16. Having no memory of who or what hurt her, and with her family refusing to discuss it, Cadence begins triggering her own memories, dead set on parsing out the truth. Intricate and beautifully woven, “We Were Liars” is a twisted and compelling series about family, entitlement and consequences. Though the final two episodes aren’t as powerful as they could have been, the show is still worth the ride.
“We Were Liars” opens as a barely clothed Cadence lies unconscious in the sand near the Sinclars’ vast estate on their private island, Beechwood, near Martha’s Vineyard. Reflecting on how she ended up there, Cadence, acting as the series’ narrator, introduces the audience to her family. There are her cousins, Johnny (Joseph Zada, soon to play young Haymitch Abernathy in “Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping”) and Mirren (Esther McGregor), as well as her best friend, Gat (Shubham Maheshwari). The foursome, who call themselves the “Liars,” have spent every summer together since Summer 8.
Joining the foursome on Beechwood, which is owned by Cadence’s grandparents Harris (David Morse) and Tipper (Wendy Crewson), are Cadence’s mother, Penny (Caitlin FitzGerald), her aunts, Carrie (Mamie Gummer) and Bess (Candice King) and Carrie’s partner, Ed (Rahul Kohli), who is also Gat’s uncle. Although Cadence is an only child, Johnny and Mirren have younger siblings known as the “Littles.” The series presses forward to Summer 17, as Cadence recalls the few days she remembers from Summer 16, the summer that changed everything. The tension among the sisters was increasingly high; Johnny and Mirren were both hiding secrets and Cadence and Gat were falling in love. Yet, as Cadence begins piecing things together, she realizes nothing is what it seems. What’s more, she may not even be the person she thought she was.
“We Were Liars” works well. From the annual Sinclair traditions like the Fourth of July party and the Lemon Hunt to the strained relationships among Penny, Carrie and Bess, born of a childhood tragedy, the Sinclairs are master manipulators. The series turns a lens on the profoundly wealthy, holding a mirror up and forcing them to face their inadequacies, prejudices, self-hatred and blind spots. Still, the show does have a few missteps. Cadence’s voiceovers are poetic and thoughtful; however, the jarring interludes of barely distinguishable images meant to represent her fractured mind are distracting. These segments added a weird horror element that’s ultimately unneeded in the narrative.
As Cadence’s memory slowly clicks into place, several revelations come to the surface, shocking not just her but the audience as well. While these truths are compelling and damning, the way they’re revealed in the series doesn’t quite measure up. With the family’s wealth, whiteness and lack of regard for others, many viewers might find themselves hard-pressed to sympathize, much less identify, with the Sinclars. The first portion of what happened during Summer 16 is revealed in the penultimate episode, “Everybody Knows That the Captain Lied,” further cementing the immense privilege and hypocrisy of the Sinclairs. Therefore, by the time Cadence and, in turn, the viewers are offered the complete picture in the finale, “My Friends Are Lying in the Sun,” audiences will likely walk away from the show holding even further contempt for these blonde-haired people on their picturesque island.
Still, the themes of “We Were Liars” are powerful. Children all deserve idyllic childhoods, but as we grow, it’s clear these fairytale-like days and summers often come at the immense sacrifice of others. Moreover, as perfectionism wanes and the teen years give way to adulthood, it’s essential to remember that righteousness and naivety can create a destructive blaze. After all, no matter what we think we may know about ourselves and the adults anchoring our worlds, nothing is clearer than time and experience.
All eight episodes of “We Were Liars” are streaming on Prime Video.
English (US) ·