Netflix’s recent limited series The Lying Life of Adults, also known as La Vita Bugiarda Degli Adulti, is one of Elena Ferrante’s famous novels. Directed by Edoardo De Angelis, the Italian series revolves around 12-year-old Giovanna and her adolescent struggles. Witnessing her parents’ divorce, infidelity, and other sorts of adulthood truth, Giovanna bonds with her aunt Vittoria and goes in pursuit of who she really is.
Starring Valeria Golino as Vittoria and Giordana Marengo as Giovanna, the love and bond they both share were extremely evident. Unlike other wild party aunties who usually change the lives of their nieces, Vittoria is a spiritual woman who is judged by her cover. The flavour of the book was seen in the series; however, just like in the book, things were messed up.
– The Lying Life of Adults Review Contains No Spoilers –
The series starts with Giovanna swimming in a river to find a bracelet, which she picks up only to throw it back. Till the end of the series, this one bracelet is the real connection between all the cast members, which is a unique and intriguing idea. In the first episode, we get to see how Giovanna fails in class, loves the boys learning breakdance and such. This seems like a typical teen trying to grow.
However, soon we hear Giovanna’s father, André, making a remark on Giovanna, stating that she is becoming a “spitting image” of her aunt Vittoria, who is a “monster.” Hearing this, Giovanna, who has no clue what Vittoria looks like, asks her parents to show her so she can confirm whether she is similar to Vittoria. This is when the series’ plot starts. Giovanna bonds with Vittoria, learns about adulthood’s dirty secrets and falls in despair.
While the series seems to be presenting many themes like broken families, marital infidelity, female body experience, the pain of adolescent sexuality, and 1990s Neapolitan Italy, the series has nothing new to tell the world. While the cast did amazing work, the point we take back home seems complicated.
There are so many series that explore the sad realities of teenagers who encounter divorce and the need to feel loved. In The Lying Life of Adults, the theme emphasises the difficulties of young teenagers but fails to convey what they are intending. We get to see how Giovanna also crumbles by accidentally messing up others’ lives, similar to adults’ mistakes, meaning children grow up in the shadow of adults. While all these themes were eye-openers, the ending made me feel so disappointed.
Also read: Evil Dead Rise Teaser Breakdown: Things Don’t Look So Good For Mom
The Lying Life of Adults: Cinematography, Soundtrack, Editing, Dialogue
Italian films do not fail me, and thankfully this series pleased my eyes and ears. The soundtrack blew my mind because of the situations it was played in. In the first episode, we get to hear a rock band sing, “Saint Anthony, the enemy of the devil.” I loved how the setting of that band’s concert and the love it received from the teenagers set the aura of the series. Then there are other scenarios where music is the key to Giovanna finding out who she is and about the people around her.
The cinematography was well done. I loved the mix of Italian and Neapolitan experiences that the director showed through the different places. Compared to the rich areas of Giovanna’s dad and aunt Vittoria’s neighbourhood, we could see the difference between the material world and the humble life of certain people.
Final Thoughts: Stream It or Skip It?
Stream it. The series can be watched once because there isn’t anything satisfying to rewatch. The series portrayed the book and conveyed the hardships of adulthood and adolescence. Apart from that, Italian culture from the 1990s was also shown, so it’s a feast for the eyes. Apart from that, the series didn’t give me any chills.
If you wish to watch The Lying Life of the Adults, it is streaming on Netflix.
Also read: How I Became a Gangster Review: Guns, Bad Guys and the Usual Shtick