Love Me is an absolutely exquisite exploration of love through the ages, and it’s something the world needs right now.
Review: Love Me – Binge’s first homegrown original production – is an absolutely exquisite exploration of love through the ages.
The romantic six-part drama series follows three different family members as they experience love at distinct times of their lives.
The somewhat dysfunctional Mathiesons, Clara in her 30s, Glen (60s) and Aaron (20s), are at an emotional crossroads following an unexpected event that forever changes their lives.
Bojana Novakovic – I, Tonya, Birds of Prey, Instinct, – is Clara who uses her sharp wit and self-deprecation to hide from the reality that she is now approaching 40, and beginning to fear that her successful career might have come at the expense of her own family.
Her first date in the opening episode is hilarious in its “excruciating-ness”.
“Polyamory – wow, I barely have time for amory,” she quips to the man, sipping on a massive milkshake as he propositions her at 8.30am in the morning.
“I’m done,” Clara vents to her best friend Sascha (Celia Pacquola of Rosehaven, The Beautiful Lie). “I just want one. One grown up man.” Don’t we all Clara.
Novakovic is a knockout as the anaesthetist searching for her perfect love.
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Her doting father, Glen (a masterful Hugo Weaving as always), seesaws between hope and despair, as he steadfastedly cares for his wife Christine (Sarah Peirse Stateless, The Letdown). Weaving is heartwarmingly – and heartbreakingly – brilliant.
And then there’s little brother Aaron (relative newcomer William Lodder) who’s having a crisis of identity as he navigates love in his early twenties. The law student appears to be somewhat stuck between his best friend and girlfriend – addicted to all the dopamine that comes with the heady days of young first love.
The Mathieson’s dysfunction is brought to the fore at the anniversary dinner. Competition between the, friction between mum and dad, Awkward silences, punctuated by conversational barbs.
“You’re so picky Clara,” Christine says to her daughter. “You’re too old to be mucking around like this. Just find someone reasonable.”
All the applause to Australian director Emma Freeman and writers Alison Bell, Leon Ford, Adele Vuko, Blake Ayshford. There was danger Love Me could have veered into schmaltzy fare, but it never strays from its deft exploration of love and grief, peppered with clever humour.
It’s another ensemble drama the likes of which Australia seems to excel – think Offspring or Love My Way – and accompanying the magnificent mains, are Bob Morley (The 100) as Peter, Heather Mitchell (The Unusual Suspects, Palm Beach, Upright) as Anita, Shalom Brune-Franklin (Line of Duty) as Ella, and Mitzi Ruhlmann (The Code) as Jesse.
It truly is magnificent – the script, the casting, the direction. You’ll relate, laugh and shed a tear or two. Love Me is the perfect antidote for what is happening in the world right now. May there be many more seasons.
LOVE ME, the first Australian made, original series commissioned for BINGE premieres Boxing Day with all six episodes dropping at once.
Originally published as Binge’s Love Me is the perfect antidote for what is happening in the world right now
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