REVIEW: ‘Sara: Woman In The Shadows’ Succeeds Through Its Plot

Sara Woman in the Shadows is an Italian mystery mini-series directed by Carmine Elia, written by Mario Cristiana, Donatella Diamanti, and Giovanni Galassi (Curon), and is based on the novel by Marurizio De Giovanni. Sara (Teresa Saponangelo) was once a government agent who prevented terrorist attacks and other violent crimes. But she has since fallen off the radar, disappearing into the shadows until a car accident kills her estranged son and draws her once more into the world of conspiracy, intrigue, and murder.

Over its six episodes, Sara Woman in the Shadows explores a complex web of well-thought-out twists and turns that keep the viewer guessing about where the narrative will ultimately land. The threat of the unknown is always present, as the protagonists dive deeper into the web of killings and kickbacks, they find themselves in.

The series’s choice of social focus further enhances the threat’s impact. The villains utilize concepts like fear, xenophobia, and intolerance to further their agendas. This isn’t anything new, but it still hits well, especially when implemented with care.

These tactics can grow and produce a legitimate threat thanks largely to how the show handles its lead. Sara is a veteran investigator with a set of useful skills that allow her to stand apart from those around her. However, her deductive skills never create the feeling of omniscience that many sleuths have. By reigning in her deductive logic, the series can force a more gradual exploration of its plot. One that feels both real and dangerous.

Sara Woman in the Shadows keeps us guessing every step of the way.

Allowing Sara to have limits also gives Sara Woman in the Shadows‘ larger cast more room to shine. Since the lead never feels like she’s already solved the case, she’s just waiting for everyone else to catch up, each member feels more valuable and important. They come together to form a cohesive unit, despite some personality shortcomings.

It’s good that the series’ plot is strong, because its cast leaves little lasting impression emotionally. Despite some attempts at personal exploration, none of the characters ever manages to resonate beyond their functions within the plot and their ability to create friction, leading to some back-and-forth clashes. Whether it’s down-on-his-luck investigator Pardo (Flavio Furno, Emily in Paris) or Sara’s former partner Teresa (Claudia Gerini), none of them manage to leave more than a fleeting impression, one that evaporates from the mind before the final credits are done rolling.

This inability to create any meaningful connection with the cast is most notable where Sara is concerned. The series devotes a solid amount of time to flashbacks of her when she worked for the government. While these feel like they are intended to largely flesh out her personality, they don’t add much to her character. They do bring a little bit of added plot exploration, but even this function doesn’t justify how much time is spent in the past.

The other problem with the cast is how unfavorable many of their personalities are. This is especially true when characters from Sara’s old squad deal with Pardo. The guy gets metaphorically shoved around throughout the series, and everyone has the gall to act surprised when he snaps at someone. As if he should just be thankful they’re letting him endanger his own life to aid them.

Chances to flesh out characters run hollow.

The presentation side of Sara Woman in the Shadows is strong. Location choices always complement each scene well. They skillfully balance creating a familiar core set of sites with new destinations, allowing the series to have an established visual presence while never growing stale.

Strong lighting complements the series’ locations and tension. Much of Sara Woman in the Shadows occurs at night or in other dark settings. The lighting allows the darkness to be present, but never overwhelms the actors visually.

Further strengthening the presentation of the story is what the camera opts to omit from certain moments. How something is left out of a narrative, just to be revealed later, has to be handled delicately. Deny too much information, and it will cheapen later revelations. Happily, this failure is one the show manages to dodge.

This series is light on action, but when punches are thrown or guns fire, the moment has importance. Violence has consequences whenever it appears here, with no one surviving any attack they shouldn’t. This further aids in maintaining the danger of the narrative.

Sara Woman in the Shadows delivers a solid mystery outing that fans of the genre will enjoy. Despite having a largely forgettable cast, the narrative strengths and solid presentation can make up for it to a point, providing a compelling story for those who are interested.

Sara Woman in the Shadows is streaming now on Netflix.