Streaming on: Netflix
Episodes viewed: 8 of 8
One Hundred Years Of Solitude, the magnum opus by Nobel Prize-winning author Gabriel García Márquez, simply should not work on screen. Even with the blessing of the writer's family, recapturing the essence of his landmark achievement seems even more impossible than the mystical occurrences that unfold in the book's fictional town of Macondo. Yet capture it they have — and remarkably better than anyone could have hoped for.
Shot in the Spanish language, using a Colombian cast, Netflix's highly anticipated adaptation is one of the largest productions in Latin American history, befitting the multi-generational story beating at the heart of the book's prose. The lavish production, shot on a town-sized set specifically constructed for this show, smartly evolves over time as we travel through history with the Buendía family. Historical realism and mythic surprises ebb and flow as the family's saga rises and falls, encompassing cyclical themes of obsession and idealism juxtaposed with that titular solitude. Yet these sweeping brushstrokes don't forego the emotion of the source material.
Across several generations, a dynamic cast effortlessly navigates the story's unusual tone with a much-needed naturalism. Claudio Cataño is especially haunting as the adult Aureliano while Nicole Montenegro and Akima both harness the wild, near-feral energy Rebeca brings as a child and conceals in adolescence. Surreal vignettes — where an insomnia plague hits the town or a trickle of blood traverses the streets — fit right in because we as viewers are happy to believe anything the show throws our way. Yes, even the bag of bones that jostles around the house like a lost pet.
Such scenes are given the same weight as emotional reveals and events of a more epic nature, which speaks to occasional pacing issues. In that regard, this adaptation verges on too faithful at points. Still, these are small quibbles when it comes to adapting a book so widely (and wrongly) deemed unfilmable.