Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
“Crowded Room” is one of those series that my adult kids actually wanted to watch with me. They typically vote for twisted stories, and I usually have to turn my head when I watch anything with them. Well, I flipped roles when I started Apple TV’s “Crowded Room,” starring Tom Holland and Amanda Seyfried. My daughter was a little surprised when I told her how much I liked it. Because it is a little twisted.
Basically the viewer rides along for Danny Sullivan’s (Holland) journey through madness, while Rya Goodwin (Seyfried) is his prison psychologist. He’s been charged with a shooting in Rockefeller Center, and she has to delve deep into his past, a place Danny doesn’t want to go. The story unfolds through a series of flashbacks, where we see Danny in high school with a few of his friends (because he has only a few friends); we see his wicked stepfather, and his uninterested mother. You start to think, No wonder this guy is charged for the crime, he might very well be a serial killer for all we know.
Most of the story takes place in Manhattan, 1979, which makes for a good romp through fashion, complete with white-trimmed basketball shorts, crocheted vests, and chunky heels.
Holland’s character is easy to empathize with because his young life has been so screwed up in so many ways. He moves out of the house while he’s still in high school, and takes up with a cast of characters that lean toward the unsavory. I can’t completely describe the 10-episode series without giving it away, but I have to say the acting is superb, and it will keep you guessing. And it is based on a true story. There are some unpleasant scenes, so don’t say I didn’t warn you.
