Pieces of Her

Let’s start with the good news: there’s an intriguing mystery buried within Pieces of Her. The flashbacks to the 1980s are compelling (albeit sluggish at times) and bring a unique twist to the story. The bad news? The series would rather have us follow Andy, the artistic but directionless daughter, than Toni Collette’s infinitely more interesting Laura. And here lies the core problem: for a show steeped in danger, intrigue, and emotional complexity, Pieces of Her too often feels like a long road trip with a frustrating passenger.
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Pieces of Her teases viewers with a slow-burn mystery as it unravels the enigmatic past of Laura (Toni Collette), a woman with more secrets than a spy novel. Through flashbacks to the 1980s—a time not often revisited in modern thrillers—the story explores themes of manipulation, abuse, and survival, with the requisite sprinkle of shadowy villains and violent conspiracies. However, instead of following Laura herself, the series centers on her adult daughter Andy (Bella Heathcote), whose amateur sleuthing turns into an action-packed, if slightly implausible, game of cat and mouse.

Bella Heathcote’s Andy is supposed to be a relatable, everywoman figure—someone out of their depth who grows stronger as the plot thickens. Instead, she comes across as an inexplicably rude 30-year-old who flits between helpless and Jason Bourne levels of competence with dizzying inconsistency. One moment she’s panicking in a diner, the next she’s outmaneuvering professional security agents. While her sudden transformation might be intended as character growth, it mostly feels like the writers pressed "fast-forward" on her skillset without bothering with a montage.
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And then there’s the casting issue. The younger version of Toni Collette’s Laura, played by Jessica Barden, is supposed to give us insight into the character’s formative years. Instead, she offers a portrayal so quiet and mousy, it’s hard to believe she’s destined to grow into Collette’s firecracker persona. The physical disparity between the two actresses doesn’t help matters, but the real disconnect lies in their performances. Young Jane comes off as flat and lifeless, which makes it hard to reconcile her with the fierce and calculating Laura we’re supposed to be rooting for.

Toni Collette, as always, does her best to anchor the show. Her nuanced performance gives Laura a layer of emotional complexity that elevates an otherwise shaky script. Unfortunately, even Collette’s considerable talent can’t save Pieces of Her from its pacing issues, bland dialogue, and a narrative that feels more like a Lifetime movie with a bigger budget. The supporting cast is serviceable, though no one really stands out, and the flashbacks, while conceptually interesting, drag on just a little too long.
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The story itself has potential, with its themes of manipulation and survival resonating in today’s cultural landscape. But the execution often undermines the tension, with some twists feeling telegraphed and others arriving with a thud rather than a bang. The pacing is uneven, and while the flashbacks offer glimpses into Laura’s complicated past, they lack the urgency needed to keep viewers fully engaged.