Critic Reviews

The outright fantastical elements of “Lisey’s Story,” some being of the monster-in-the woods variety, feel at some point to be in conflict with the more palpable drama at hand. ... All the performances are first-rate. Mr. Owen is in rare form. ... Ms. Allen and Ms. Moore are extraordinary and, though she plays to type, Jennifer Jason Leigh is a treat as Darla, the third Debusher sister.

“Lisey’s Story” feels overstuffed at times and might have been even sharper and more terrifying if it had clocked in with five or six total episodes, but this is still an elegantly haunting journey with memorably raw and real performances from three of the best actresses in the world — Julianne Moore, Joan Allen and Jennifer Jason Leigh.

Even though it’s hard to understand Owen sometimes (I know that he’s a stand-in for a version of King himself, but just let the guy use his God-given beautiful British accent), there’s an earnestness that conveys his love for Lisey and her family.

Lisey’s Story is a great case study for the strengths and weaknesses of King’s writing — beautiful themes occasionally clashing against self-indulgence. Lucky for us, the good outweighs the bad, and like Lisey, we can find a glimmer of closure among the fog of confusion and despair.

Delivers on a technical level that keeps it compelling beyond its flaws.

As the show progresses and the logistics of her journey come into sharper relief, it’s natural to wonder if all of this is worth it. It’s never an easy “yes,” but when the obfuscation starts to melt away and the show isn’t bent on delivering the extremes of human behavior, the punishing ride leads to a destination with some unexpected rewards.

The ultimate, lingering frustration of “Lisey’s Story” is its opacity in place of precision, and its inability to reconcile its two halves of romance and horror into a cohesive, satisfyingly concluded whole.

There’s much here that works well: What is meant to be scary is scary, what is meant to touch the heart will. And Moore, always good at playing women trying to project calm, is in fine form. But viewers may wonder what it all adds up to, why this unblinking look at one woman’s hard time also had so much extra, often outlandish stuff that didn’t quite pay off.

Lisey’s Story is defined by a disconnect between the splendor of its aesthetics and the professionalism of its primary players, and the overstuffed and outlandish nature of its story.

King’s personal fascinations and Larraín’s abstractions mix badly in Lisey’s Story, a deeply confusing series that does eventually reward steadfast patience, but also does a lot to push a skeptical viewer away.