Elle Fanning stars in Margo’s Acquired Cash Troubles.
Apple TV
cover caption
toggle caption
Apple TV
Margo’s Acquired Cash Troubles, based mostly on the 2024 novel by Rufi Thorpe, is now an eight-part sequence on Apple TV starring Elle Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer, Nick Offerman and Nicole Kidman.
The sequence was created by David E. Kelley, who wrote or co-wrote a number of of the eight episodes. Kelley’s spectacular TV profession goes all the way in which again to L.A. Regulation, Ally McBeal, Picket Fences and Boston Authorized — however extra lately, he is made a specialty of adapting different writers’ novels for TV. These embrace Margo’s Acquired Cash Troubles, but in addition variations of the novels Massive Little Lies and 9 Excellent Strangers.
Within the title function, Fanning performs Margo Millet, a promising first-year pupil at a California group faculty whose literature professor praises her writing, has an affair along with her, will get her pregnant, then ghosts her — all throughout the present’s opening episode.
Margo decides she desires to have the infant, which upsets her mom Shyanne, a flamboyant girl performed by Pfeiffer. Margo’s father performed, by Offerman, finally reveals up on Margo’s doorstep, confessing that he is come straight from rehab, after years of drug abuse.
Offerman’s character is a former professional wrestler named Jinx, and his exploits contained in the ring would possibly sound like comedian aid, or a broad caricature. However like Margo’s mom, and Margo herself, these characters have depth, and darkness, and could be severe in addition to amusing.
The “cash troubles” within the title mount up for Margo after her child is born. Her uncommon answer for paying the payments is to open an OnlyFans account. Among the choices and interactions on that website could be fairly sexual — and fairly profitable.
As a result of Margo’s Acquired Cash Troubles is as life like as it’s fanciful, the ramifications of her actions are actual, and typically painful. She experiences shaming, remorse, even authorized troubles — which I point out solely as a result of, in a single courtroom scene enjoying an eccentric decide, actor Paul McCrane nearly steals the present from all these different highly effective gamers. As a decide in a Kelley drama, he is as a lot enjoyable as Ray Walston was in Picket Fences.
Even the characters you count on to be peripheral, or one-dimensional, find yourself shocking you on this miniseries, and the dynamics of family and friends are equally sophisticated. Margo and Shyanne yell at one another lots, however additionally they show a pleasant mother-daughter bond.
Margo’s Acquired Cash Troubles consists of situations of informal nudity, however they by no means appear gratuitous. Fanning throws herself into this function in a method that is each weak and empowering, and it is an enthralling efficiency to witness. Kidman does not present up till midway by means of, however wow, is she definitely worth the wait. And when she and Pfeiffer lastly get to share the display, Margo’s Acquired Cash Troubles is pure gold.
There are such a lot of robust performances right here, and so many wealthy characters, that it is riveting from begin to end. And in between these two factors is one wild, and brazen, emotional experience.
