The Perfect Mother review: How perfect is the new Netflix series?

Netflix's new four-episode series, The Perfect Mother, dropped on May 3, 2022, revolving around a classic whodunnit mystery with several new elements to keep viewers hooked. The French-language drama opened with a thrilling premise and never really dropped the pace over its small but fulfilling run lasting four episodes.

The story deals with a desperate mother, Helene (played by the brilliant Julie Gayet), in her attempt to save her daughter, Anya (Eden Ducourant) from a murder case, which she apparently did not commit. In the process, she enlisted the help of her former lover, Vincent (Tomer Sisley). Though it sounds relatively simple, the series managed to take viewers across winding twists, making this one an exceptional watch.

Read on for a detailed review of The Perfect Mother.

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The Perfect Mother review: Interesting revelations keep the boat afloat for the Frédéric Garson mini-series

The title, The Perfect Mother, is itself a subtle reference to the phrase, "The Perfect Murder." A case is called a perfect murder when the perpetrator gets away without any repercussions, and it seemingly happens in this episode. The murder is not, however, the most exciting part of this thrill ride, but it is the initial revelations that form the brilliant premise.

The Perfect Mother began with a disheveled-looking Anya walking back home. The story soon evolved into a full-blown drama when her parents found out that she was accused of murder. Helene's immediate maternal instinct was displayed in its full glory as she rushed to France and jumped in to defend her daughter.

This beautifully depicts how children are beyond logic and reasoning to parents. The first episode does enough to hook viewers as pieces of evidence slowly start creeping up, hinting at Anya as the perpetrator. Anya's stance is never in question, as the show made it pretty clear that she was lying from the very start.

However, her motives and the changing narratives were the real hooks in the episodes. Every version of her narration was more gripping than the previous, and it built up a certain tension that was hard to evade. Not a moment of the four episodes felt overbearing or slow. The constant pace, paired with the shaky camera and cleverly written dialogues, made it more appealing than most shows of this length.

Though the third episode did drop the pace in the first half, it made up for it in the final revelation in the end.

The whodunnit drama was good enough to hold viewers by itself, but the show did not stop there. It also introduced a layer of family drama, involving Helene's infidelity while working with her old lover and a buried secrets of Anya from her time back in Berlin.

By the final episode, the mystery of the murder is towering, with the introduction of new characters, secrets, and an intriguing plotline. The mystery seems to be resolved by the first half of the final episode, and that is where the final twist comes in: A whole new narrative of the night, and this time, it is not from Anya.

The show concludes with a mother's burden and a resolution that, though atypical, is a crucial part of the show's successful premise.

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Is The Perfect Mother worth a weekend binge?

In the short span of time, the show managed to build and resolve a compelling mystery, making it a great watch. With technical perfection, a great plot, and some brilliant performances from the lead cast, this is an ideal weekend binge. The only problem with this one may be that it will end before you fully taste its cinematic brilliance. But there's always a scope to rewatch.

All four episodes of The Perfect Mother are now streaming on Netflix.