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Jennifer Garner stars as a woman whose husband has mysteriously vanished in the Apple TV+ thriller “The Last Thing He Told Me.”
Premiering April 14, the miniseries (executive-produced by Garner and Reese Witherspoon) is based on a bestselling novel by Laura Dave (and is co-written by Dave and her husband, Oscar-winning “Spotlight” screenwriter Josh Singer).
The storyline follows Hannah (Garner), an artist and a newlywed who, for just over a year, has had what appears to be a great relationship with a widower, Owen (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, “Game of Thrones”) — even though his churlish teenage daughter, Bailey (Angourie Rice), hasn’t warmed up to her new stepmother.
When Owen mysteriously vanishes after a fraud investigation at his tech startup — “It’s like what they did at Enron,” Hannah’s friend Jules (Aisha Tyler) helpfully contextualizes — Hannah’s life gets turned upside down. She’s blindsided, since Owen never seemed like the white-collar criminal type.
She’s also left attempting to care for Bailey after Owen’s last message to Hannah was a note entreating her to protect his daughter. Since Hannah hasn’t officially adopted Bailey, and if Owen doesn’t return, it’s not guaranteed that the teen could stay with her stepmom.
At the same time, Hannah tries to uncover the puzzle of Owen’s disappearance and why he really vanished. Her anxiety rises when Owen’s colleagues are splashed all over the news — with reports that they’re being investigated and indicted.
Before long, what initially seemed like an issue with Owen’s workplace becomes a broader story of how Hannah might never have really known her husband, despite his geniality (seen in flashbacks). To make matters even more complicated, various figures emerge from the woodwork, and it’s unclear who she should trust — including a man claiming to be a US Marshal (Augusto Aguilera) who says he wants to protect Owen and advises Hannah to lay low and to get a lawyer.
“The Last Thing He Told Me” tries to tell two stories at once: the mystery of what’s going on with Owen, and a fraught relationship drama between a stepmother and stepdaughter who previously weren’t close, but now must rely on each other.
For the most part, it succeeds — although the stepmother /daughter part of the plot is often stronger. The thriller element has the right amount of tension, but it’s a little ho-hum, often with underwhelming reveals as the various mysteries unfold.
The visuals are scenic; Hannah lives in a floating home in Sausalito, Calif., so for any “Big Little Lies” fans clamoring for another mystery/domestic drama set in expensive homes on the water, this show satisfies that appetite.
Harkening back to her “Alias” days, Garner is a pro at playing a competent woman who finds herself in hot water. This is her first leading series role in several years (since the 2018 HBO series “Camping”), but many of her recent movie roles have been of the “compassionate mom” type (“Love, Simon,” “The Adam Project”). “The Last Thing He told Me” is an intriguing spin on that familiar role as Hannah flails at being a stepmom who is out of her depth but trying to connect to her surly teen stepdaughter.
An actor of Coster-Waldau’s caliber is nearly wasted, here — since he doesn’t get much screen time — but he delivers an effortless charm that makes you wonder if something darker is lurking beneath the surface … without laying it on too thick.
“The Last Thing He Told Me” isn’t as distinctive and edgy a thriller as “Yellowjackets,” or as soapy fun as “You.” But, like “The Night Agent,” it’s a fine enough character-driven thriller anchored by a strong cast.
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