GOOD AMERICAN FAMILY

This eight-part drama is inspired by the story of Ukrainian orphan Natalia Grace (Imogen Faith Reid), who was born with dwarfism and adopted by American couple Michael and Kristine Barnett (Mark Duplass and Ellen Pompeo) at the age of seven. The Barnetts falsely believed that Natalia was an adult and alleged that she was a sociopathic who had significant emotional issues. When she was eight, they persuaded a judge to amend her birth certificate to state that she was twenty-two years old, before abandoning her in an apartment to fend for herself. The wife of a pastor, Cynthia Mans (Christina Hendricks) crossed Natalia’s path and took her in, leading to the revelation of the horrific abuse she suffered at the hands of the Barnetts. The scenes depicting Natalia’s struggle for survival in her apartment are harrowing, and to see her spoken to aggressively as if she was an adult is heartbreaking. This series initially felt a bit like a ‘Hallmark’ production, due to the portrayal of the Barnetts as shiny happy people, but their complex personalities unfold as the story progresses and everything moves into darker territory. Presenting the episodes from different perspectives adds to the intrigue of who is telling the truth. The performances of the three lead actors are outstanding, with Reid skillfully navigating the fine line between childlike and sinister. It’s shocking to learn that this tale of neglect and mistreatment is based on actual events but the facts are still blurry. Powerful and unsettling.