A Nearly Normal Family (2023) User Reviews

A Nearly Normal Family

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 29 November 2023]

This six part Swedish series opens four years ago. Fifteen year old Stella is away from home at a camp; she is attracted to one of the adult staff and goes with him to a cabin hoping for a kiss and a cuddle... unfortunately he wants more and doesn't take no for an answer. She tells her parents but her mother, a lawyer, argues that there is no way they could successfully prosecute the man so they don't go to the police. Now, on her nineteenth birthday, Stella meets and gets involved with Chris, a man in his early thirties. A few weeks later she returns home late with what appears to be blood on her clothes; the next day she is arrested for Chris's murder. Her parents are determined to help her; this involves doing somethings that aren't strictly legal.

I thought this series was pretty solid. Given the nature of the story it is a little uncomfortable at times but that is understandable. We are led to suggest that Stella is probably guilty but it is far from certain. While her parents' actions are clearly wrong one can understand them wanting to protect their daughter; especially given what happened four years ago. The cast is solid and makes the characters seem real. The trial scenes do seem rather superficial with little time spent on hard evidence and more of character witnesses... it does serve the drama though even if it doesn't feel too realistic. Overall a solid series that I'd recommend to fans of Euro-drama.

These comments are based on watching the series in Swedish with English subtitles.

Major Plot Hole

[adamcaryng · 7/10 · 4 December 2023]

SPOILER ALERT So at the end of the movie, the police have searched the dead raping perpetrators home to find all manner of drugs, kept in a cupboard drawer, used for raping people. In what world would any defense attorney not bring this evidence to light? It screams self defense and I can hardly beleive, in light of such evidence, that any self-respecting prosecutor would pursue a guilty conviction instead of a plea. This was my only major hang up with the show. If you can get past that, this is a pretty decent watch.

Filler text: Guy drives a Porsche in this show, so that's a bonus. Especially if you played with hot wheels as a kid and thought the Porsche 911 was the coolest car ever.

Another quality Swedish series!

[Guanche48 · 8/10 · 27 November 2023]

Very psychological and strong. A lot of tension and suspense! In a few minutes many things happen, so some episodes are unnecessarily prolonged, but didn't bother me.

The series is more from the family's point of view in my opinion, because the parts of judicial system here are not realistic. I have seen many Scandinavian series and in this one some forms and the rights of the suspect seemed totally unimaginable to me, like not letting Stella talk to her parents, and without sufficient evidence having her in isolation like that. There is another thing that does not seem well done to me and that is the rol of Stella, she looks the same after 4 years, from 15 to 19 years old there is a considerable change, she hasn't grown, physically or mentally. If this had been more realistic I would have given it a 9!

Well, that's my criticism, although the truth is that I loved the series, very exciting.

The actors are all very good, the story is quite realistic, tense and terrifying. What a family! This story is not at all common, very original and well edited. The impulsive daughter, too much in my opinion, was already damaged in a dysfunctional family from the beginning of the story. What happens after 4 years only makes the situation worse.

The mother is pathetic, lies and more lies just to protect her daughter, and nothing is proven at the beginning!.

A very distant family, keeping up appearances. Here is a very clear message and it will surely leave its mark on many families, see it and judge for yourself. I really like that they give good attention to this issue, be careful who you interact with and who you trust, and don't leave your drink unattended, it's real life.

I liked the last episode because of how unexpected it seemed to me, until the very end you don't know how, when and where, very nicely done! We have to defend ourselves from animals! By the way a trial doesn't work like that, but you may have already realized.

The series should be watched in the original version with subtitles, and I also really like to listen to Swedish.

I recommend it! An exciting story, modern and with an important and realistic theme and message.

Great till episode 6

[keller-20652 · 7/10 · 25 November 2023]

First of all congratulations to the outstanding unknown actress Alexandra Karlsson, this is her first film. I watched the series on Binge until the sixth episode, which in 49 minutes tries to overload the viewer with too much information, and as if it was written by a writer from outer space. I don't know the Swedish legal system, but if that's how they operate there In the reality of police investigations, but especially murder trials, the result is that it is actually easier to be a criminal in Sweden. The courtroom looks like a hall in the Palace of Versailles. A criminal trial and a legal decision that ends in less than an hour after witness testimony and summaries? How can you search for the truth like this? I know it's not a docu-film, but to know that's how they do it in court is ridiculous and outlandish. In the end, I was left with philosophical questions, what are the insights that the film is trying to convey to the viewer? What is the conclusion from the movie? Does it pay to lie and cheat? I won't write, but everyone will probably find the answer at the end of the movie.

So basic yet pretty good

[bored_bingewatcher · 7/10 · 25 November 2023]

Nothing about this series seems memorable or original. And it's predictable. Of course Stella didn't just kill him like logically assumed. Of course the mother has an affair. Of course Amina has something to do with it, but not in the way implied.

Yet I very much enjoyed every episode. It's got intrigue, tension and a decently believable, relatable and recognizable story. And while every twist is coming from miles ahead, they don't really try to hide it and act like a big surprise.

The casting is on point, Chris looks like exactly the kind of guy that he's portraying and Stella looks like she could be a 19-year-old, and not a mid-20s woman playing an adolescent teen. The parents are kind of run of the mill Netflix mom and dad, but they're decent characters that you can sympathize with trying to protect their child. None of the characters are too emotional/irrational, they seem grounded though the father of course does go a bit over the line trying to protect his kid.

The pacing is also interesting. Only the last episode is set in cour, and the standard flashback reveal where you see how he really died is basically during the very last scene, in a post-court epilogue showing 'what are the characters up to now'. This is great because it was finally when I got the relevance of the prologue the show begins with. Throughout the entire series, I feel the prologue wasn't essential to tell the story, but right then and there, it finally gave a narrative payoff.

To spoil it, in the prologue the mother asked repeatedly if Stella resisted the guy and because she froze instead, there was no proof to sue him. Stella internalized a regret over 'not resisting', even a sense of guilt, so ultimately with Chris she decided to 'fight back'. It's such a neat way to end a series by coming full circle, and it also gives the session in jail a purpose.

And I shouldn't forget that this show actually has a happy ending for the characters that I actually didn't find cheesy or meaningless. We see husband and wife rebuilding their marriage instead of sticking with the 'perfect family is actually dysfunctional' trope.

Slow.

[Vancouver77 · 6/10 · 25 November 2023]

Good story, excellent acting, quality production overall. At its heart, it's a mystery series- it seems like the accused is guilty, OR IS SHE??? But my main complaint is that the series is slow. Sloooow. The film could have benefited from better editing. There are lots of meaningless clips which could easily have been cut out to make the show move a bit quicker- just for example, in one scene, it shows the mom getting into an elevator, and the mom is filmed going down several floors and then exiting the elevator. You feel like something is going to happen while she is riding the elevator since all this focus is on her, but nope, it's just a shot of someone riding an elevator. So not interesting. In fact, I found the whole show rather dull until episode 5, then it picks up. Is it worth a watch? For sure. I just recommend having your phone handy to give you something interesting to do during those long boring elevator scenes. 6/10.

Superb

[stairways · 9/10 · 25 December 2023]

In a world of near identical whodunnits and psychological crime shows, this one stands out above so many. A stunningly good performance from the young female lead (Alexandra Karlsson Tyrefors, a star on the rise) whose life is broken then somehow patched together again after a rape in her teenage years makes for a truly compelling perspective on hurt and resilience. The supporting actors (particularly her father, but also her mother and her boyfriend) are terrific too - nuanced, subtle performances that add up to much more than the plot on its own conveys.

Fantastic cinematography, editing, and, most important, script add up to one of the best miniseries in the genre in recent years.

Keeps you watching, but error at the end

[brenv_mg · 7/10 · 4 December 2023]

Keeps you entertained and watching. Good story for a Sunday of nothing to do, but it contains an error in the last episode that diminishes the score of the series.

At the end, Stella's hoodie it's not stained with blood, nor her hands, as they showed in the first episode. When she is showering her hands are apparently covered with blood, and she is trying to wash it heavily. Also the hoodie, we can see that in a later episode, Stella's mom finds the plastic bag under her bed with clothes, and it shows a huge stain of blood.

I'm wondering if editors look at those details before launching it....

Really surprisingly good in every way

[JordanGairean64 · 9/10 · 25 January 2024]

When I started watching this my hopes weren't that high. A friend of mine had mentioned watching it, and though he didn't actually say anything about what he thought of it, the way he mentioned it implied that it was kind of average; watchable but nothing special. But hey, everyone seemed to have watched it, so I put it on. My attention span is fried and I'll probably be bored in about 20 minutes. I'll turn it off and go to sleep.

As you can tell, that's not what happened. This was great. Really great. The acting is superb, especially from Alexandra Karlsson Tylefors who plays Stella, but just about everyone does a great job portraying realistic and complex characters. The story really captured my fried attention span and actually made me engage in it. It's also beautifully filmed, which contrasts the often dark and depressing events of the story.

Strong characterization, dialogue and script. In a sense, I think this series does well what a lot of Swedish crime drama shows typically do wrong. Instead of rejecting characterization for the sake of an uninteresting criminal investigation the audience really couldn't care less about, this show is smart enough to give you an actual reason for caring to follow the characters involved in the case, which then also makes you actually want to follow the story concerning the criminal investigation.

I was, atleast, at the edge of my seat watching it. It's probably the first time in one or two years that I've prioritized watching a tv show before sleeping. This is the Swedish Netflix production I've liked the most so far, even though most other users on here seem to disagree. Swedish streaming services; take notes.

Underrated TV series

[funnycommentor · 8/10 · 7 December 2023]

First of all, when I first watched the official teaser of the TV show I really liked it and I had high expectations about it. Eventually, it was as good as I had imagined and it definitely deserves more attention. The plot of the TV show was very interesting, mysterious and kinda innovative. The storyline was very well written, well-explained and kinda shocking. The characters were very interesting, well-developed and really likeable (except, Christian). Also, the casting was nice and their acting was incredible. I have to admit, it was a very intense TV show and there were too many shocking moments. In my opinion, the ending was kinda unpredictable and it was very emotionally intense (episode 6 was probably the best part of the show). Overall, "A Nearly Normal Family" was an enjoyable TV series, very mysterious and I would definitely recommend it to anyone!

Spoiler BIG CONTINUITY MISTAKE

[vriens-87032 · 7/10 · 11 December 2023]

When Stella kills Chris there's no drop of blood on her clothes! When she comes home... her clothes are soaked in blood. Big... BIG mistake!

Ruins the whole plot for me. Sure, she 'did it' and ai even thought: good for you. But this stupid error ruins all thoughts! Pity.

It was a weird story. Both captivating and boring. Both truthful and unreal. The characters were not very likable, which makes it hard to process. And you know that it was going to end well for the suspect... so that's again not a good thing. But still I kept watching, cos something was okay with it.

Bit torn to both sides! Still, a 7!

Rules were broken with NO Recourse

[luvendc · 5/10 · 1 December 2023]

First I have to say the actors were incredible! However, the story left me feeling unease. The enticement of an older gentleman, the half truth Stella told her mother, the mother turning her husband into a cuckold, the mother (law professor) destroys evidence and breaks into the prosecutor's office to read the case file. I'm sorry it was a tad bit over board. A lot of rules we're broken with little to not recourse. In the end Stella seems ok with murdering someone that should have gone to jail instead.

Was it me or did it seem like Stella's father was always late to the party? It seem as though he was lost the entire series. For one quick moment I thought he was going to divorce his wife. What the heck happen?? He stayed with the woman who cheated on him?? What's the message in that?

Intriguing, watchable but full of holes

[rickhuckstep · 7/10 · 31 December 2023]

This is a great series from Netflix and tells a very compelling story about sexual assault, the aftermath and consequences, and the impact on the women and their families. However, the story is full of holes, which become clear in the final episode. However, that does not detract from the engaging storyline and very fine acting from "Stella" and her parents. The series also shows the quality of Netflix production. The native language for the show is Danish but the English dubbing and sub titles were first class, making it entirely watchable and enjoyable for me as someone who does not speak Danish.

Stella's Bad Fella

[Lejink · 7/10 · 11 February 2024]

This Swedish crime drama probably doesn't quite qualify as Scandi-noir but as a good, almost old-fashioned murder mystery, it played out well over six intriguing and entertaining episodes.

The plot centres on troubled 19 year old only-child Stella, daughter to her priest father and lawyer mother. We first see her years before, being raped at the age of only fifteen by her much older sports coach, but being talked out of prosecuting the man principally by her mother because of her "frozen fright" at what was happening to her.

Cut to the present day and to her parents' disappointment, Stella has dropped out of university to work in a cafe, which career choice we see contrasted rather unfavourably with her best friend Amina, who's applying herself at university. In the background too, it's clear there's now a communication problem with her mother who herself is distracted by having an affair with a legal colleague. Unsurprisingly, dad's caught somewhere in the middle, hence the title of the programme, I guess.

Stella's outlook changes when she falls for a handsome, older guy but even when warned by one of his ex-girl-friends of his controlling tendencies and even of a suspicion that he drugs and sexually assaults his unsuspecting partners, Stella defiantly continues the affair, despite moments when she seems to see through her lover's smooth-talking facade. Then, on a planned night-out with Amina, Stella returns home late in the early morning, goes straight into a shower and brusquely fobs off her dad's concerned enquiries at her disturbed demeanour, the poor man's state of mind exacerbated further by his absent wife clandestinely meeting her lover on the very same night. The next morning, the fireworks begin as the police arrive to arrest Stella for the murder the previous night of her boyfriend. So, who did the deed and why?

The show does a good job of displaying the family tensions at play between father, mother and daughter, which certainly contribute to Stella's restless, rebellious nature. It also examines the motivations of her parents who we see now facing up in different ways to the shared guilt they now feel over not supporting Stella when she was raped previously. The mother, as well as extricating herself from her affair, now actively uses her privileged position to investigate the case herself while the father reacts more irrationally, appearing to lose his faith and actually accosting the prosecuting counsel and then hunting down and beating up his daughter's rapist.

The unraveling of the murder is told using overlapping time-lines, as we see Stella in prison gradually remembering the events of the night of the murder up to the prrsent, which culminates in the final big reveal in the concluding episode when she's put on trial for murder.

Over six episodes, there was inevitably some padding out of the story and one or two improbable plot points, none more so than when the lawyer appointed to Stella's defence turns out to be her mum's lover. Nevertheless, crisply directed, well acted and with a satisfying final outcome, this was an above average murder-mystery certainly worth seeking out.

Great except for some major gaps!

[JPEI64 · 7/10 · 14 March 2024]

Crisp editing, great production values, superb acting all around and very well made. Keeps you interested till the end.

Except!! Some glaring gaps! Stella was arrested based on purely circumstantial evidence. No Murder weapon, no DNA (except for the shoe but a strong defense lawyer can throw that out the window), no clear motive (whatever the prosecution had was speculation) and just one witness who only heard the screaming but not seen the act. Her mobile was missing and so were her clothes (obviously taken care of by her Mom, who interestingly is also a lawyer).

Secondly no one even delves into the background of the guy. Had they done so, they would have found the drugs and even perhaps some photos.

The court case was totally one sided. The defence hardly spoke. The whole court case scenes were the weakest part.

The side story of the parents' relationship and the mothers affair were distracting.

Despite all these, it's a good watch. Recommended.

Very good 6-episode series

[julieshotmail · 9/10 · 3 December 2023]

Who is Alexandra Karlsson Tyrefors? The actress with no IMDb profile pic and no other credits to her name as of this writing. She is mesmerizing in "A Nearly Normal Family," the lead star who carries the series from beginning to end. Bravo! She should receive some acting awards for this nuanced performance. This series gets you hooked, mostly because the flow is seamless. All the episodes blend together as if it is one long, compelling movie. Time jumps are part of the storytelling, however they are handled with subtlety and finesse, keeping you curious, concerned, and entertained at the same time. As a bonus, this is also an opportunity to take a peek at Swedish happenings and those very aesthetically pleasing interior designs.

Watchable.

[kenbo-87360 · 6/10 · 15 February 2024]

Watchable. It just did enough for me to be mildly entertained, nothing more. I was never in the position where I just had to watch the next episode.

The dubbing was really good. From a personal perspective though I'd like to see fluent (in English) Swedish actors do the dubbing. It would feel much more natural having their own accent. It's hard to tell how well the actors actually performed with some strong regional British accents dubbed over the top.

Anyway, this was nothing groundbreaking, the ending wasn't really any big reveal to make it feel like it was all worth your time. Stick it on if you've nothing else to watch. If you can find something else then go with that first.

Keeps you watching

[cherylshead · 8/10 · 26 November 2023]

I enjoyed this. It wasn't too drawn out and it wasn't a super complex storyline. There are random side stories that are fairly unnecessary and whilst a lot of them are the effects on the family, it never really explored them in any depth and so there is a "what is the point?" feel.

The acting is superb and the dubbing on the English version is done so well that it doesn't distract from the series at all.

I also felt (like another user) that episode 6 was rushed, but ultimately, we wanted to know what had happened and wrap it up by then. I also felt that this was meant to be the pre-trial to see if it went to court, but this wasn't explained and wasn't clear. But surely this isn't how trials are done in Sweden.

Overall, an easy and enjoyable watch.

Must watch thriller

[tytahybrid · 10/10 · 17 January 2024]

This was an extremely well acted series, in particular Stella and her mom. Once again, great quality from Europe. The screenwriters do a great job using time shifts to keep filling in backstory and open questions. The emotions from the characters are universal and relatable. What is the truth about Stella? Can we believe her parents when they are revealed to have their own shortcomings and secrets? The dubbing is not bad either. If you have a weekend, give it a try and you will be hooked by the end of episode 1. So all in all, riveting entertaining and kudos as well to Adam the dad and the supporting cast!

Just a Lifetime Movie

[lildivaprincess · 3/10 · 1 February 2024]

This was recommended by Netflix as a twisty thriller- it is not. It is an overrated, overly long and boring Lifetime movie. Maybe if they had made her boyfriend her rapist and she set him up just to kill him, or the boyfriend raped her friend years ago and they plot to kill him. Instead she, a rape victim, killed her boyfriend who was a raping her best friend. Maybe something got lost in the translation. But I finished it hoping it would get better or would have an unexpected twist; it did not. I guess we were supposed to see the effect and trauma of rape and what can happen when it is not reported. That is a powerful statement that the movie attempted to make. But there were no twists, turns, or thrills. Just a boring drama that included a murder.

Amazing

[fvmehra · 10/10 · 26 November 2023]

Absolute great series. I really like the character development and the play. It's so smooth and natural. Finally after quite a while, a series where I can go along with every single character.

The girly behaviour as girls are often like in this age, the interaction between the parents but also how they get along with theil feelings for them selves. Nothing is in your face. Everything is evolving naturally. The results of some traumatic experience and how it is handled legally.

The actors play very authentic every one of them without stereotyping. And even when it comes to hurtful memories, the main actress performes absolutely amazing.

Outstanding acting, intriguing story

[grdonat · 10/10 · 29 November 2023]

It's a source of constant confusion to me that outstanding foreign language series regularly get much lower ratings than English series of similar quality, and this one is no exception. The story kept me fascinated and the acting from the entire cast is flawless. Yes it has a lot of flashbacks and non-linear storytelling but I was able to follow without a problem and it kept the tension high. The lead actress was sensational and the story raises painful points about justice versus law. Without relying on cheap 180 degree surprise twists, the writers keep you guessing. The events keep being just that bit different from what you expected. Personally I always use subtitles instead of dubbing so I can't speak for the quality of the dubbing. Highly recommended.

Kept me hooked until the very end.

[jenlaben · 9/10 · 2 December 2023]

I enjoyed this very much. It's a murder mystery but with a lot more to it. It's dark, dingy and depressing but very satisfying to watch and see who dunnit. I can't believe it has such a low score on here. Hopefully you'll give it a chance.

The actors did an incredible job as they showed a family falling apart and the desperate measures people will go to for those they love.

I'd recommend checking the parents guide for specific content as some of the subject matter may be triggering.

I'd give it a 9 out of 10. It kept me hooked until the very end and consider the 6 episodes to be just the right length.

except this one- too much drama

[crazyfreeman · 5/10 · 7 December 2023]

Having watched a lot of European murder mysteries They make a welcome change from over the top American rubbish with excessive action and violence.

Except this one , it was rape and family drama with a crime story wrapped around it . Slow , mostly just drama , unlikeable walking dead characters.

Not a fan of movies that go back in time to make a boring story more enjoyable . Thou sometimes a little but is ok and cant be helped is accepted . But movies that rely only on hiding the back story like this then letting it out thru the whole movie so youre watching half movie in real time and half before the movie even started do nothing for me , in fact they suck more. Often its because your trying figure out what timeline you are in the story thou this one was easy cause in the real timeline the defendant was in lockup .

The trial was a short non event snooze fest.

Quality crime mystery TV show with a fast pace

[nikospolyd · 10/10 · 25 November 2023]

Fast paced quality TV show that serves realness into the crime/mystery genre.

All actors' performances are top-notch whilst director's capability of managing this wonderful script and keeping the mystery till the very end is unrivalled.

I highly recommend this one to anyone who can appreciate European TV at its finest.

Sci-fi fans will be disappointed, as the objective here from the producers is to serve us with a story that can happen to anyone. It is one of those stories that could have been easily characterized as "true".

This piece of good television will probably remain timeless because the social/societal, family and personal issues that are raised are of paramount importance for almost all modern societies and communities at large.