It's been a while since Alfonso Cuarón has written and directed a project. The Oscar-winner returns after the success of Roma (2018), not to the big screen but to Apple TV+ with a seven-episode twisty thriller miniseries. Disclaimer*, based on the novel of the same name by author Renée Knight, features Cuarón's staples as a director—extended takes utilising intelligent blocking, different styles of camera movement—but sees his writing explore new levels of non-linearity for a filmmaker often operating in straightforward storytelling.
Catherine Ravenscroft (Cate Blanchett) is a celebrated documentary journalist, content with her adoring colleagues, fawning husband (Sacha Baron Cohen), distant twenty-something son (Kodi Smit-McPhee), and lavish London lifestyle. When a mysterious book arrives, a thriller titled ‘The Perfect Stranger,' Catherine reads it and quickly realises that the book is about her — and, more specifically, reveals a dark secret she has kept hidden for decades.
The structure of the show will no doubt disarm viewers at first, as we're introduced to three different sets of characters across two timelines. On top of that, there are two off-screen narrators, with a third quickly introduced. The initial shock creates intrigue, but thankfully the pieces satisfyingly come together halfway through the very first episode, and they become more emotionally impactful as the series progresses. There are a lot of spinning plates, but Cuarón masterfully lays out and presents the story in a truly thrilling style.
Disclaimer* highlights the power of constructing narratives; specifically, how dangerous they can be. Stephen Brigstocke (Kevin Kline) is the publisher of the damning novel, a retired professor with a grudge against Catherine being the only thing he has left worth living for. The opening of ‘The Perfect Stranger' lashes out at Catherine with “Any resemblance to persons living or dead is not a coincidence.” Flashbacks follow Jonathan (Louis Partridge), a young backpacker travelling across Italy, which slowly peel back the layers of the events that transpired years ago.
Constant twists and turns will keep you second-guessing the differing accounts, and the opinions of characters shift at a moment's notice. Disclaimer* often holds up a mirror to how we can be quick to trust, and quick to condemn, those with paper-thin accounts. Without strong performances, the show would collapse, but thankfully Cuarón assembles a stellar cast. Blanchett is unsurprisingly terrific, effortlessly flexing a whole range of emotional states as Catherine's world crumbles around her. But the MVP is Kline; devastating one minute, endearingly cheeky the next, and reveals flashes of something more sinister when you least expect it. Lesley Manville deserves praise too, in a heart-aching portrayal of Stephen's late wife Nancy, struggling with grief.
Unsurprising, this is a technically accomplished show too. Employing both Emmanuel Lubezki and Bruno Delbonnel as cinematographers, Disclaimer* is visually stunning. Orange and purple sunrises shimmer through condensation rolling down windows, and the soft-focused flashbacks in sunny Italy contrast with the dark secrets creeping out from the shadows. Cuarón's direction has never been better, crafting long takes that are never flashy but are used to propel the story forward thanks to clever, emotive scene blocking. One standout scene towards the end of the series sees two characters conversing by a lamp, which illuminates one character in light as they tell their truth, whilst the other is cast in darkness.
Once the credits roll on the final episode, you'll want to immediately watch Disclaimer* all over again. Similarly to Anatomy of a Fall (2023), for the most part you're left to make your own judgements on what happened and how you feel about the characters caught up in the spiralling mess. But the narrative does present a conclusive ending, which at first may feel disappointing, until you realise what the show is truly saying is no less powerful and evocative. This will surely be the series of 2024 that will get audiences feverishly talking — and perhaps reflecting on their own behaviours and judgements.
Disclaimer* starts streaming weekly on Apple TV+ with a two-episode premiere on October 11.
