By now every Harlan Coben fan knows exactly what they’re getting from a Coben thriller – a deeply intricate twist-filled ride, packed with so many red herrings that it’s almost impossible to suss who the villain is. Even if it was the butler all along.
There’s something deeply satisfying about the journey of going down his twisty rabbit holes, giving in to the subterfuge that talks you out of your solid convictions until you arrive at the truth.
It’s so satisfying, in fact, that viewers can be compelled to forgive the more absurd plot points, because somehow they make the outlandish story even more enjoyable. But not this time.
Coben has finally over-extended the power of the twist. I Will Find You – the new thriller, streaming now, which has been adapted for the screen with creator Robert Hull – delivers a flat watch that, we’d argue, is more skippable than bingeable.
The premise is hooky enough, with the synopsis explaining: “An innocent father (Sam Worthington’s David Burroughs) serving life for the murder of his own son receives evidence that his child may still be alive. [Now David] must break out of prison to uncover the truth…”
Yet, even this intriguing premise cannot paper over the cracks. The series begins with some clunky exposition. The opening monologue gives a taste of the show’s ‘low-lift’ approach to the story, as David explains his predicament over an uninspired montage.
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This complacency bleeds into the story itself, with characters later finding themselves in tense, impossible situations that are all of a sudden made possible with an easy solution.
One can’t help but roll their eyes when the unfixable is fixed by something so simple, undercutting the tension just as it has begun building. As a result, the intensity and anticipation is less effective from scene to scene.
Worthington’s David is pulsating with equal amounts of desperation and despair, however the chemistry he shares with Severance star Britt Lower, who plays Rachel Mills, is lacking. Sadly this means most of their scenes (and there are a lot) feel awkward and inauthentic.
Gilmore Girls icon Milo Ventimiglia delivers a tense and yearning performance independently, but something about that magic is lost when the cast come together.
The only exceptions to this are Logan Browning and Chi McBride, who play FBI Special Agent partners Sarah Greer and Max Williams. There is a warmth and fragility between the pair that is rightly earned.
I Will Find You is chockfull of clichés. From the prison environment and the typical cop one-liners to the bad guys, who definitely studied the ‘how to be a villain’ playbook well, borrowing tropes galore.
Still, if there’s one thing Coben’s popular shows know how to do well it is to land that twist. And if you’re able to stick with this new series long enough, you will likely still enjoy how the whodunnit plays out.
Sadly even the brilliance of the reveal is spoiled by the final moments, which bring I Will Find You full circle. Instead of a punchy finish, the series drags its ending, delivering yet another jarring monologue that wraps things up a little too neatly to feel enjoyable.
I Will Find You had the bones of a dark and compelling watch, with its twisted narrative teasing something that could have been more evocative.
Unfortunately, the Netflix series lacks finesse, and will leave you craving a thriller worthy of binge-watching to satiate the unmet need for a good twist that is also baked into a rich and compelling narrative.
