The Five Star Weekend: is the series with Jennifer Garner worth it?

A comfort series? At first glance it seems The Five Star Weekend that. With that beautiful beach house, long dinners with a perfectly set table, and old friends supporting each other, it all resembles a feel-good series that you want to watch with a blanket on the couch. With all those housewives reminiscing and almost crying in each other's arms, I can understand that. But that nice and safe feeling? That will quickly disappear. Because there is someone at that Pinterest-like table who carries a terrible secret that turns the whole weekend upside down.

Here goes The Five Star Weekend about

Hollis Shaw (Jennifer Garner) has a life that many dream of: she has a big house in a great location, a wardrobe that Andie would be The Devil Wears Prada jealous of, and cooking skills that could rival Jamie Oliver. As a successful food influencer, she has everything together until her husband Matthew passes away. Her ‘perfect life’ turns into a mess in an instant. She is a wreck, and to get out of this valley, she needs her friends. That’s why she organizes a girls' weekend with friends from her life: childhood friend Tatum, college friend Dru-Ann, mom friend Brooke, and newcomer Gigi (Gemma Chan). Gigi is not a soulmate she has known since she was three, but someone she met online. And this weekend will be the first time they meet in person.

Although all the women come to Nantucket to help Hollis, they all bring their own baggage. And it’s not big enough for their clothes, shoes, and problems. The plan to relax together looks fantastic on paper, but in practice, it doesn’t go smoothly with people who barely know each other. And I haven’t even mentioned a secret that will completely ruin the nice weekend.

The series seems almost too tame

Although I have a weakness for films with perfectly styled decor, not too much action, and a lot of drama between the characters, many people find it The Five Star Weekend just a bit too tame. And I somewhat agree with them. Every scene looks like I want to book a vacation to Nantucket immediately, the women are nice and... unfortunately, the pace is so slow that you could book this trip during the series and still keep up with what’s happening. A story about grief and complicated friendships that can’t really come together should have some friction. You don’t want someone to say something with an understanding look; you want a good conversation. Otherwise, it remains too cozy for characters with so much emotional baggage. The series is tame, but that also makes the plot twist at the end hit even harder. While Hollis thinks she has created a circle of safety around herself, there is someone among her friends who knows the worst secret of Hollis’ marriage. The moment you feel comfortable, the idea of supporting each other suddenly has an uncomfortable aftertaste.

Het is misschien een slow burn, maar zodra het geheim uitkomt is het echt goed

The Five Star Weekend is not a series where a soap opera secret is revealed in every episode and fights break out. The beauty of this series is that you think everything is hunky-dory while everything is happening in the background. The plot twist doesn’t just come out of nowhere. It’s more like a puzzle laid out for you that shocks you when it’s complete. Behind all those ‘friendly conversations’ hangs a constant atmosphere that could blow up the whole friendship, and that makes you want to keep watching a new episode. And at the moment the bomb goes off after a lot of buildup, you want to know how it ends.

Who stars in The Five Star Weekend

Jennifer Garner plays Hollis Shaw and Gemma Chan takes on the role of Gigi Ling. Chloë Sevigny appears as Tatum, Regina Hall plays Dru-Ann, and D’Arcy Carden portrays Brooke. Additionally, Harlow Jane plays Hollis’ daughter Caroline and Timothy Olyphant appears as Jack. Just for that company, it’s tempting to join in. Although I would first ask if everyone has something to confess before this girls' weekend. It saves a lot of hassle with the seating arrangement later.

But well. Would I The Five Star Weekend aanraden? Zeker wel. Het is niet altijd nodig dat je een serie kijkt waarin om elk klein dingetje een vuurwerk aan drama ontstaat. Soms is het fijn om eens op de bank te ploffen en als een detective te onderzoeken wat er nou eigenlijk tussen de regels gebeurt. Dus pak je notities erbij en zet een kop koffie; want bij deze serie wil je scherp blijven. Je kunt ‘m van A tot Z uitpluizen bij SkyShowtime or Amazon Prime.

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