As Hollywood rushes to produce stories that show women can do anything, the excellent crime novels of Gillian Flynn show that women can do truly anything, including some really dark and twisted stuff. As smart and perceptive as her most significant hit “Gone Girl” was, in terms of sheer terror, her debut novel “Sharp Objects” takes the cake. It’s now coming to HBO this summer as an eight-episode series developed by Marti Noxon (UnREAL) and directed by Jean-Marc Vallée (“Big Little Lies,” “Dallas Buyers Club”). Amy Adams (“Arrival”) stars as Camille, a self-harming crime reporter who returns to her unloved hometown of Wind Gap, MO and the orbit of her spider-like socialite mother Adora (Patricia Clarkson), and must confront her own demons while unraveling the murders of several young girls.
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This is the third of Flynn’s three novels to be adapted, and so far they’ve run the gamut, from David Fincher’s highly celebrated film version of “Gone Girl,” to the little-seen and poorly reviewed Charlize Theron-starring “Dark Places.” While “Sharp Objects” is her shortest work, it’s dripping with southern gothic atmosphere and menace, which the slower pace of series should be better able to explore.
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Clarkson is excellently cast as the alternately sweet and venomous Adora, and while Adams is primarily known for warmer roles, if she can channel some of the brittle rage she showed in “The Master,” then her performance might be one to remember.
“Sharp Objects” also co-stars Chris Messina, Eliza Scanlen, Elizabeth Perkins and Matt Craven and the anticipated drama is coming to HBO this July, though no specified date as of yet.