Maddie Schwartz (Natalie Portman) is an unhappy housewife craving more than just preparing brisket for her unappreciative husband Milton (Brett Gelman) and their son Seth (Noah Jupe). She stumbles upon an ideal opportunity to fulfill her teenage aspiration of becoming a prominent reporter when Tessie Durst (Bianca Belle) is found dead... and Maddie is the one who discovers the body.
Adapted for television by Alma Har’el from Laura Lippman's novel, Lady in the Lake on Apple TV+ explores the lives of two women in Baltimore, Maryland in 1966.
The titular "Lady in the Lake" is Cleo Johnson (Moses Ingram), a struggling mother and wife entangled in risky illegal bookkeeping. Cleo is found dead in the same lake where Maddie discovered Tessie's body. This detail is introduced early on through Cleo’s own narration. For most of the show's seven episodes, Maddie and Cleo’s stories unfold side by side, with Cleo’s voiceover linking their parallel narratives.
The show highlights a few superficial similarities between Maddie and Cleo: both are mothers of sons and wives with big ambitions. However, it also delves into a deeper commonality by examining their marginalized identities. Maddie is Jewish, and her community and faith are significant to her. In contrast, Cleo’s identity as a Black woman is an inescapable part of her experience, affecting every facet of her life, from her financial difficulties to her politics and even her death.
Cleo’s life is plagued by genuine struggles, including a sick child and ties to a crime lord. In contrast, Maddie immerses herself in a self-styled crime thriller, delving into a murder mystery she has no real stake in. Her story lacks the sympathy and gravity of Cleo’s challenges.
After watching the Thanksgiving Day Parade, Tessie goes missing, prompting the community to launch a search. Excluded from the search party and frustrated by her own inactivity, Maddie packs a suitcase, leaves her husband, Milton and teenage son Seth, and relocates to The Bottom, Baltimore’s Black neighborhood. Determined to prove her worth, Maddie joins the search and finds the girl's body in the lake. She then uses this to manipulate her way into a position at The Baltimore Star newspaper.
Lady in the Lake is not an easy watch. It takes time to establish its pace and tone, and the fantasy sequences introduced in the later episodes may draw criticism. These scenes could detract from the drama and suspense that viewers are accustomed to, but it’s hard not to appreciate Har’el and her team’s effort to present a woman-centered story through a distinctly feminine lens.
Portman portrays Maddie as a multifaceted anti-hero who leaves viewers with more questions than answers. In contrast, Ingram delivers a standout performance as Cleo. I hoped the various elements in Lady in the Lake would integrate more seamlessly. Despite this, I still found its ambitious goals, even if unevenly realized, to be commendable.
Lady in the Lake premieres on Friday, July 19, on Apple TV+.
