It looks as if Billy Crystal’s dark and dramatic turn hasn’t been a big hit with critics thus far, as Apple TV+’s new series Before has been slapped with a disastrous Rotten Tomatoes score upon its premiere today. Crystal stars in the psychological thriller as Eli Adler, a child psychologist with a troubled history who takes on a new client (Jacobi Jupe) who has a disturbing connection to his past. The series’ first two episodes dropped today, and will continue with one episode each week until its conclusion on December 20.
Per Rotten Tomatoes, Before currently sits at just a 20% rating from critics, though admittedly only five have managed to chime in this far on the website, so there is the possibility that it could rise. It should be noted that it has yet to receive an audience score, so we’ll have to wait a little longer to find out what the public thinks.
Primarily known for his more comedic movies like City Slickers, When Harry Met Sally, and The Princess Bride, Before is an obvious departure for Crystal, who helped develop the show with creator Sarah Thorp and executive producer Eric Roth. He wasn’t initially attached to star in the series, but as things got moving, he told MovieWeb’s own Matt Mahler last week that it was a role he came to love because of how much depth there was to the character of Eli.
“It was such a full plate of his own trauma. There was guilt, there was regret, there was integrity. There was this pursuit of the truth and this detective quality in him that says ‘I’ll break every truth I have to as long as I can get this kid whole.’ I loved that about it.”
What Are Critics Saying About Before?
Unfortunately, Crystal’s love for the project and his character have not been enough to put it in the good graces of critics, who have overwhelmingly reacted negatively to the new Apple TV+ thriller, as is evident by its Rotten Tomatoes score. Daniel Feinberg of The Hollywood Reporter calls it “basically a flimsy direct-to-video movie from the late ’90s stretched to 10 stultifying half-hour episodes.” Ouch!
Saloni Gajjar over at the A.V. Club echoes those sentiments, calling Before “a meandering mess from start to finish” that “nudges at the horrifying possibilities of its sweeping narrative without realizing any of its potential.” Alison Herman from Variety further adds to the despair, saying:
“Even with half-hour episodes, several coming in under the 25-minute mark, this drama still manages to drag, endlessly repeating the same setups and visual themes to buy time until an unsatisfying conclusion.”
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It’s not all bad news, however, as even though most have been critical of the series itself, Crystal’s performance has been garnering praise from the likes of Lucy Magan over at The Guardian, who says “he never takes refuge in his comedy persona, and he utterly convinces as a man struggling with experiences he never imagined he would have to go through.” Still, is it enough to make Before a hit with viewers? You can tune in for yourself to Apple TV+ to find out, and keep your eye on Rotten Tomatoes to see what becomes of its Popcornmeter.
A grieving child psychiatrist, Eli Adler, finds his life taking a supernatural turn when he encounters a young boy, Noah, with a mysterious connection to his own past. As Eli tries to help the boy, their bond deepens, unveiling dark memories and unsettling secrets that challenge reality and push psychological boundaries.
- Release Date
- October 24, 2024
- Seasons
- 1