Apple TV+'s latest war drama The New Look is the compelling story of how renowned fashion designers Christian Dior, Coco Chanel (and a few iconic others) shaped modern fashion out of the heartbreaking horror of war.
Yet, despite the real-life premise of the story being full of grit and damning awe, the 'compelling' aspect of it doesn't quite punch through on screen.
From the very beginning there is a sense that you've been dropped into the middle of a story that saps the tension required from that build up.
There's not enough contrast between the life they had before and the life they are forced to either accept or embrace, owing to the chilling metamorphosis of war.
The slow pacing of the show feeds this lack of tension, amplifying it further. Therefore, while the stakes of war remain inherently high, their own personal stakes struggle to feel intense.
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The New Look continues on with this middling intensity, occasionally revving things up before returning to a comfortable resting state which involves a lot of talking and not enough action driving the story forward.
It is in those peak moments that the performances of Maisie Williams, Ben Mendelsohn and Juliette Binoche can be fully appreciated.
Williams' emotionally evocative portrayal of Catherine Dior outshines her below-average Parisian accent.
The Game of Thrones alum, who made a name for herself as Arya Stark, brought some of the best aspects of her GoT character to the role of Miss Dior.
The bold spirit, the fierceness but also the vulnerability: Williams plays with fear in a way that's alluring, presenting fright in a subdued way that instead alludes to a deeper pain the character is unwilling to let break through to the surface.
WATCH THE NEW LOOK NOW ON APPLE TV+
It is a pleasure to watch Binoche's portrayal of the composed Chanel unravel event by event as she begins to scramble for some semblance of control.
Binoche does the push and pull of despair and will to survive justice as she presents a narrative of the (controversial) Chanel as an opportunist, doing what she needs to ensure both physical survival and the survival of her career. (Other views on Chanel's wartime activities are available…)
In contrast, Mendelsohn presents Christian Dior as a passionate, undeniably talented soul who does not seek but merely stumbles into success.
The upward trajectory of his career hits a note of anxiety within Mendelsohn's take on Dior as he attempts to deal with the desperate unknowing that war has thrust upon him.
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It is a weighted performance full of anguish and tentative hope, one that's almost afraid to breathe. One that creates a pleasurably nervous viewing experience.
The casting, overall, is very strong with John Malkovich's calming, assured Lucien Lelong, Claes Bang's suave yet shifty Spatz and Emily Mortimer's charismatic, quirky, if not flighty Elsa Lombardi adding to its exquisite quality.
When the narrative begins to lag it is these performances that bolster the show, yet sadly they absorb you into the world of The New Look only so far, leaving the rest up to a story which sadly falls flat.
The first three episodes of The New Look are available to watch on Apple TV+ now, with new episodes airing every Wednesday.
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TV writer, Digital Spy Janet completed her Masters degree in Magazine Journalism in 2013 and has continued to grow professionally within the industry ever since. For six years she honed her analytical reviewing skills at the Good Housekeeping institute eventually becoming Acting Head of Food testing. She also freelanced in the field of film and TV journalism from 2013-2020, when she interviewed A-List stars such as Samuel L Jackson, Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson. In 2021 she joined Digital Spy as TV writer where she gets to delve into more of what she loves, watching copious amounts of telly all in the name of work. Since taking on the role she has conducted red carpet interviews with the cast of Bridgerton, covered the BAFTAs and been interviewed by BBC Radio and London Live. In her spare time she also moonlights as a published author, the book Gothic Angel.
