A review for Episode 10 of the FOX TV crime drama Gracepoint follows. Please be aware that the article contains spoilers and the identity of Danny Solano's killer.
The gripping murder mystery Gracepoint built to its climax last night. With the clock ticking,
Detective Emmett Carver (David Tennant) had only a few hours left to wrap up
the case and track down the killer of twelve-year old Danny Solano (Nikolas
Filipovic). But he still needed to absolve himself of the failures of Rosemont
by doing the right thing for Danny. Over the last nine weeks, a parade of
suspects came under Carver and colleague Ellie Miller’s (Anna Gunn) focus: from
the town priest, to the English hotelier, to the venerable old nature group
leader to members of the victim’s family themselves. But nothing could prepare
the small town of Gracepoint for the horrible shock that would shake them all
to the core.
It’s difficult to talk about Gracepoint without referring to the original series Broadchurch. Criticisms about Gracepoint have been that it was too
close to the original for too long, the plot variations were too few and fairly
pointless and that the performances were somewhat lacking in chemistry or
emotional responses, or even too obvious, and no mention of David Tennant was
complete without reference to his accent. On the other hand, the remake did
allow for more character development and background and more suspects. But it
was the final twists that concluded episode 10 that set it apart from Gracepoint’s predecessor. At last it
felt like something original.
The apparent reveal came quite early in the episode. Having
retrieved the files from Tom Miller’s (Jack Irvine) smashed laptop, Carver
confronts the boy about his relationship with Danny in the presence of Tom’s
father Joe (Josh Hamilton). Carver clearly has his suspicions already at that
point and uses the interview to draw out his real target. Even as he meets
Ellie on the beach, even as he receives notification that the missing
smartphone is switched on, even as he starts the trace, he must know then where
that trail is going to lead him. He can’t share his suspicions with Ellie, but
she barely picks up on his uncharacteristic praise of her as he sends her back
to interrogate Vince while he continues alone to conclude his case.
The significance of Ellie’s disbelief that Susan did not
know what was going on within her own family becomes clear as Carver finally
stands face to face with the man holding the smartphone. Joe Miller is ready to
confess all. It’s an uncomfortable tale, as Joe’s inappropriate infatuation
with his son’s best friend led to a tragic accident. Joe wants to be caught and
wants to bring things to an end. He is duly charged with Danny’s murder and
Carver has the agonising task of breaking the news to Ellie. It’s a
heartbreaking scene as the crusty, unemotional Carver reveals that he is
capable of deep empathy and Miller, who has weathered everything from career
disappointment to bereavement, to the possible abduction of her son, finally collapses.
David Tennant underplays just to the right extent to allow the growing tide of
horror and revulsion to grow in Ellie, as it will soon do across the town
itself. Ellie cries, vomits with the trauma, she rages and eventually attacks Joe himself.
But she has a bigger shock in store.
Later, in the hotel room in which Ellie and the boys are
installed to keep them out of danger, there comes the darker, more terrible twist.
Joe didn’t kill Danny at all. It was Tom. An accident it may have been but
Ellie has some deep soul-searching to do as she realises the implications for
her family, her friends and for her town. This is Ellie, who was so convinced
that nobody in Gracepoint could have done such a thing, and that every mom knew
just what their kid was up to. Ellie who was a friend to the Solanos, and
trusted by Beth. Their boys grew up together. It was bad enough that Danny had his
secrets. But surely not Tom too? So Ellie is forced to make a terrible
decision. In Ellie’s foreshadowing conversation with Susan Wright (Jacki Weaver),
she told her suspect, “I’m a mom too and I’m sure that whatever my child did
I’d want to protect him”. In turn, Susan professed to Ellie that she had acted
to keep her own son Vince safe from accusation. At the time Ellie was utterly
bemused by what she was hearing, but sitting on a hotel bathroom floor with the
terrified boy she suddenly understands. She could salvage some of her family.
She could give Tom a second chance, and at the same time make Joe pay for his
misdemeanours. She has already shown her willingness to fight for her son. Her
ferocity towards Lars Pierson startled even Emmett Carver.
For the Solanos, learning who the apparent killer is, it’s
like yet another body blow. The volatile Mark (Michael Peña) has to go and
confront Joe. Beth (Virginia Kull) has it out with Ellie with one single,
stinging phrase: “How could you not know”. However, they do find the closure
that they needed in Danny’s funeral and in the beacon lighting that follows. There’s
even a sign that Mark is softening in his attitude to Paul Coates (Kevin
Rankin). They’re not exactly best friends but Mark is at least grateful to him.
From Carver’s point of view, at first it’s all wrapped up
nicely. He’s even managed to squeeze in a reconciliation with his daughter. He
has, for now, lain to rest the ever present spirits of the Rosemont
investigation. Unfortunately, this by-the-book detective just cannot stop
detecting and it doesn’t take much musing over the evidence that he has to
reach the conclusion that something is amiss. As we say goodbye to Gracepoint, Carver
has a new target – but he’ll have to get past his former colleague to get to
him. And perhaps that is one let down of this series, that of all of the
characters who deserved closure, Carver is the one that has not achieved it. His
reason for being in the town has failed. The Gracepoint killer is still out
there.
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