Series Normal People, posted in Canada at the start of the pandemic, dazzled us with its accuracy in telling the long and tortuous story of love and friendship between two young Irish people from very different backgrounds. After this adaptation of Sally Rooney’s second novel, it was not so surprising that her first opus, Conversations with Friends, another story of loves and friendships of young people in search of themselves, is entitled to a transposition to the small screen. And the result is not very surprising either… although quite successful.
Conversations with Friends,a another learning story about two young people in search of recognition and their own identity, relies on much the same creative team as Normal Peopleincluding Alice Birch and Sally Rooney on the screenplay, and Lenny Abrahamson directing several episodes.
This tale of the battered friendship of college girls in their prime after they meet an older artist couple benefits from the same kind of patient, realistic treatment of complex, sometimes hidden, interpersonal relationships, and the same delicacy in the way to approach the interior tumult of the characters and to stage the sexuality of the protagonists.
The series also benefits from a cast to match its ambitions, especially newcomer Alison Oliver and Sasha Lane (American Honey) in the main roles, strongly supported by Jemima Kirke (Girls) and Joe Alwyn as spoilsport husband. In such circumstances, we can very well deprive ourselves of surprises. And savor.
To see in video