Mare of Easttown

13 December 2023: I saw Dream Scenario last week and really didn't like it (though I am glad I saw it). What I did like--loved, even--about it was Julianne Nicholson's performance. That was enough to solidify my desire to rewatch Mare of Easttown, remembering how superb she and Kate Winslet were in it. So, I've been rewatching it this week. (Currently on episode 6 of 7 as I write this.) It's as good as I remember, but like with any rewatch, different elements register either for the first time or in new ways.

Sitting here tonight, I am so wrenched by its straightforward and unblinking look at mental illness and addiction--and the slow, sometimes quiet agony of those left behind after a suicide. I feel like I can't put in writing my thoughts about a particular scene that has just hit me like a punch in the gut. It's so obvious that it's almost dumb to write it, but here it is: this ache never really goes away. 

Grateful for works of art that honor the memories of those we've lost and those who have endured, and that make us feel less alone.