One woman’s attempt to rebuild herself after a suicide attempt and her struggle to remember – and understand – everything that drives her to jump…
Surface, a series created by Veronica West with Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Stephen James and Ari Graynor. Available on Apple TV+
Lost memories, head trauma and suspicious circumstances… this is often the plot of psychological thrillers. And Surface, the latest in the Apple Original series, has fun using all three. Created by Veronica West (High Fidelity) and directed by Sam Miller (I May Destroy You), this glossy miniseries focuses on Sophie (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), the bankrupt wife of wealthy philanthropist James (Oliver Jackson-Cohen). Most of his memories are during a failed suicide attempt.
As the story progresses, he begins to wonder if he really jumped that day or if he was jumped instead. He then discovers a murky world of deceit and depravity as Gugu Mbatha-Rau tells us:
It is an intense psychological thriller and challenges you to find a way out. It’s really a plot around my character, Sophie, who has lost her memory under strange circumstances. I love that the story is set in the ultra-rich world of San Francisco, where everything seems so perfect, but in truth there is nothing… below the “surface”.
The actress seen in Black Mirror or Loki plays Sophie, a person determined to piece together her past while continuing her own investigation into what happened the day she decided to end her life by jumping off the ferry deck. Her husband, James, does his best to support her through this ordeal, but she’s clearly hiding something with her suspicious behavior and controlling attitude. He tells Sophie what to wear and even takes over her finances. Something terrible is happening and Sophie will stop at nothing to find out the truth.
“It is the search for truth, the fact of going beyond appearances, that attracted me to this series. It’s different to build a show with one reveal per episode. Little by little, the veil of the mystery of Sophie’s true identity is revealed and the truth is finally revealed.Olivier Jackson-Cohen confides.
As mysteries unravel, Sophie confronts her trauma with her diminutive Hannah (Mariana Jean-Baptiste) in hopes of unlocking hidden memories, while the officer in charge of her case, Baden (Stephan James), may have compelling evidence to support her suspicions.
Her best friend Caroline (Ari Graynor) plays the part, with secrets of her own that are sure to disrupt Sophie’s life. Sophie doesn’t really have anyone she can trust, not even herself. The series takes trauma and healing seriously, avoiding using these points as mere gimmicks.
“The title, like everything in this series, has a double meaning“, continues Gugu Mbatha-Rau.It also reflects the duality of Sophie’s personality as she tries to figure out who she really is. There is a parallel between the surface of the water and coming to the surface with this journey of memory trying to find the light. He comes back from deep within himself, physically and mentally. He rises to the surface to face the reality of his true existence.
Of course, this is also the concept of going beyond the superficial, finding the true nature of these things. Don’t trust a book by its cover, as they say. Sometimes everyone has a smooth, clean surface, but behind the mask is often a different individual.“
Source: allocine
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
