海角大神

HBO is adapting the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel 鈥淥live Kitteridge鈥� by Elizabeth Strout as a miniseries, and the work has received mainly positive reviews so far after it premiered at this year鈥檚 Venice Film Festival.

Strout鈥檚 2008 book follows Olive and various other people living in her town of Crosby, Maine. 鈥淢oonrise Kingdom鈥� actress Frances McDormand stars as Olive, while Bill Murray, Richard Jenkins of 鈥淲hite House Down,鈥� John Gallagher Jr. of 鈥淭he Newsroom,鈥� and 鈥淲hat If鈥� actress Zoe Kazan, among others, co-star. The series is directed by Lisa Cholodenko, who also helmed the 2010 movie 鈥淭he Kids Are All Right."聽

The miniseries is made up of four episodes and will air on Nov. 2 and Nov. 3, according to Time.

Reviews of the adaptation have so far been positive, with Variety critic Peter Debruge writing that McDormand delivers a 鈥渞emarkably complex portrayal鈥� [it鈥檚] finely crafted, wonderfully cast鈥� With minimal fuss and maximum heart, Richard Jenkins makes the most of聽[his]聽substantive role.鈥�

IndieWire writer Jessica Kiang agreed, calling the miniseries 鈥渟ubtle [and] sublime.鈥�

鈥淸It鈥檚] the best film at the聽Venice Film Festival聽in terms of providing a great central female role,鈥� she wrote. 鈥淭he performance in question come from聽Frances McDormand, who achieves such a perfect, uncompromised synthesis with the title character that it鈥檚 difficult to imagine anyone else ever answering to the name. Quite apart from the show itself, which is sensitively directed by Cholodenko, cleverly written by聽Jane Anderson, beautifully shot by DP聽Frederick Elmes聽and immaculately performed across its large ensemble, especially the incredible Richard Jenkins, the meta narrative of seeing one of our greatest working actresses unite with such an unusual and worthwhile role is immensely satisfying all by itself.鈥�

And David Rooney of the Hollywood Reporter found 鈥淥live鈥� to be 鈥渆motionally satisfying [and] funny-sad.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 directed with an impeccable balance of sensitivity and humor by Lisa Cholodenko and expertly adapted by Jane Anderson,鈥� he wrote. 鈥淭he title character provides [McDormand] with a wonderful role that stands among the most complex and memorable of her career... Jenkins鈥� lovely performance gives her the perfect foil... Unhurried but amply rewarding, Olive Kitteridge is an all-around class act and a credit to everyone concerned.鈥�