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Looking back on the past can profoundly affect who you are now; the friends you make throughout your life will change you forever. The story of Firefly Lane is about the love, loss, and friendships that you encounter as life unfolds. Firefly Lane is based on the novel by the same name (Kristin Hannah). If you have ever had a friend for several years, over five years, then you understand the relationship you have with another human being that is platonic.
The most treasured aspect of friendship is that it is magical but can also be the worst part of your life and be astonishingly heartbreaking, more so than a relationship. The two lead actresses in Firefly Lane both stand out and steal the show (past and present versions). The old and new themes combine strongly… and it might just make you cry. Being on the team that hadn’t read the book, this is a whole new narrative for me. I’ve never even heard of the book, but I saw the show trailer and was so fascinated. Having said that, since I don’t know the book, I won’t compare the plot. I’ll just review it as a TV show and how much it is enjoyable as a series for acting, directing, mise-en-scene, and the like.
Firefly Lane (2021; Netflix)
- Starring — Katherine Heigl, Sarah Chalke, Ben Lawson, Yael Yurman
- Based on — Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah
- Directed by — Peter O’Fallon (101-102); Anne Wheeler (103 – 104); Vanessa Parise (105-106); Fred Gerber (107-108); Lee Rose (109-110)
- Written by — Maggie Friedman (101 -102); Ilene Rosenzweig (103); Savannah Dooley (104); Maggie Friedman and Barbara Johns (105); John Sacret Young (106); Marissa Lee (107); Savannah Dooley and James Ford Jr. (108); Ilene Rosenzweig (109); Maggie Friedman (110)
- Cinematography by — Vincent De Paula
- Developed by — Maggie Friedman
Synopsis
The greatest love story of all can be between friends.
When unlikely duo Tully (Katherine Heigl) and Kate (Sarah Chalke)
meet at age fourteen; they couldn’t be more different. Tully is the brash and
bold girl that you can’t ignore, while Kate is the mousy shy girl you never notice.
But when a tragedy brings them together, they are bonded for life — forever inseparable best friends. Together they experience thirty years of ups and downs — triumphs and disappointments, heartbreak and joy, and a love triangle that strains their friendship. One goes on to fabulous wealth and fame, the other chooses marriage and motherhood — but through the decades, their bond remains — until it faces the ultimate test. The series is based on the novel of the same name by New York Times bestselling author Kristin Hannah, who serves as co-executive producer.
½ Of The Firefly Lane Girls: Tully Hart
The series is about Kate and Tully in 1974 and the early 2000s, which is so nostalgic. It is about their friendship through changes in life as well as breakups, make-ups, and everything in between. The Firefly Lane girls experience the trials and tribulations of being broken, lonely, and learning to live with the choices they made. Tully, Tallulah, Hart is the outgoing, confident one.
She was raised in a home where her mother, Cloud, was an alcoholic who usually smoked pot when she was a kid and later left her to live with her grandma. Tully doesn’t know where her father is, and she was abused at a young age. Since childhood, she has lacked direction, not knowing what to do or what to feel next. She shut down because of that, made choices that might not have been in her best interest, and was on cocaine for a short time.
½ Of The Firefly Lane Girls: Kate Mularkey
Kate Mularkey was Tully’s exact opposite. She was the shy, quiet one of the pair, so her life was completely different. She was raised in a decent enough home, although occasionally harassed, her family life was good. Her brother was a good brother, but she didn’t know he was gay. Her mom cheated on her dad but previously had a decent enough marriage. It was a calm house, even taking Tully in now and then after her grandmother passed away. Kate is an outcast, but she’s fine with it. Even though she doesn’t like it, it works for her.
Once Kate gets to college, she expands her wings and starts thinking about marriage and starting a family. Tully wants a career and somebody to sleep with. Tully also wants love but never lets anyone in. Each makes decisions throughout life that alter the course of the friendship forever, including Johnny Ryan, with whom Kate is married.
Acting & Set Design In Firefly Lane
The two stars of the series, Katherine Heigl, Tully, and Sarah Chalke, Kate, are both excellently cast and are a joyous duo together. Throughout the series, you tend to believe that they are the best of friends. The dynamic of the series and the conceit make you believe that it is a genuine bond between the two.
With the series focusing on young and old, it is not to say that the younger versions didn’t perform well. In addition to Heigl and Chalke, we had Ali Skovbye and Roan Curtis. The actors as young adolescents do an excellent job as well, and I believe the narrative in the past attracted me so much in part because of that. It established an attachment to Tully from a narrative point of view since the series alternates between the past, present, and future narratives. The characters of each actor must work together for the show to be effective, and the cinematography and directing are great in this regard.
Past + Present Narrative In Firefly Lane
The transition between past and present narrative is so smooth that it hardly registers. At times it felt so natural and logical. Tully and Kate’s college versions are also great, they are made up of versions of Heigl and Chalke, but it works. The make-up team did an outstanding job when it came to the makeup and set design for the clothes, making them look completely different from their older counterparts. You get the feeling of reliving the 70s, the 80s, 1990s, and early 2000s. The palm pilot was a nice addition and made me feel very old.
However, the acting held up throughout the series. I never felt any part was forced or poorly performed. Everyone did an outstanding job, even though the topics were challenging to discuss.
Directing & Cinematography In Firefly Lane
The sheer number of extraordinary shots in this ‘American drama’ television show is truly astonishing. Typically TV series are not known for using overzealous shots or extravagant sequences because they work within a limited schedule. Most episodes run between 23 and 30 minutes. Firefly Lane uses almost 40 minutes for each episode, so directing and cinematography have a lot of time to shine. Though the episodes may seem tedious, as they focus on the psychological traumas experienced by each character, the directing is consistently engaging.
Season 1, Episode 2 contains an astonishing sequence that is around ten minutes into the episode; be careful as it may be triggering. It is a compelling and emotional story that illustrates the parallel between Tully’s trauma from her childhood and her present adversity. It enriches the mise-en-scene by juxtaposing the traumas in ways that are both moving and beyond description. After watching the episode, I was taken by the emotional power it provoked in me, especially in its relationship to Tully’s experiences with trauma. Take note of the continuity of the two scenes following Kate and Tully. After the aforementioned adversity, Kate comes to Tully’s ‘rescue‘ in many ways.
Although she recounts and confronts her experiences by herself, it is important to note that she found comfort in Kate that night, she felt less alone which was something she has never truly felt before. I believe that this moment made both Tully and Kate lifetime friends. It was the moment Tully realized that Kate was special because if not for the fact that she was reading outside, she would not have had anyone to talk to… possibly ever?
One of the most beautiful sequences occurs when teen Kate and Tully are high together, which is a delightful scene. In another memorable sequence — with the exact episode is lost to me — there is a wonderful contrast between the extreme close up, point-of-view shots of Kate and her brother’s “friend.” She’s starting a puzzle, and she’s telling her brother’s best friend/lover about it. The extreme point-of-view shots are stunning in combination with the color palette.
It reminds me of a nostalgic moment I probably never had — the sequence is one of my favorites, but there are many fantastic shots in Firefly Lane. In Season 1, Episode 7, there is a wonderful set around 26 minutes that is incredible. It is mixed with tracking shots, extreme close ups alongside an extreme wide shot that is exhilarating. Since the color scheme of each girl varies from year to year, it indicates the phase of life in which they are, which is a clever piece of cinematography and mise-en-scene to develop for each “decade.” There is a visible element that shows you how they are changing and not just in the dialogue or set design, down to the cinematography.
Is Firefly Saying That We Are A Product Of Our Decisions?
Without giving too much away about the plot, various decisions, and the various aspects of the characters themselves, I would like to say Firefly Lane is just so unforgettable yet wonderful in so many moments. I found I had to watch it in pairs as the season consists of 8 episodes with over 40-minutes. Because the episodes are so long, they tackle a variety of topics within their length. In my opinion, the show is excellent for mature audiences. At this point in my life, I have friends I have known for about a decade, which resonates with me personally. I think younger people would find it less appealing because it deals with divorce, children, and issues of middle age.
It consists of issues that you won’t truly understand until a certain point in your life. Even for myself, being 27, it was hard to relate to divorce and children, but the trauma is what is relatable; the struggles and the tribulations that Kate and Tully had to get to this point. Firefly Lane is about friendship, but much more than that at the very same time. It is a heartwarming show but not one for the faint of heart. It is raw, real, and terrifying. It reminds you how much your decisions matter to those around you. You cannot imagine that your relationship or friendship could be changed by one selfish decision.
It is truly a thought piece that allows you to see clearer about your life and the decisions you have made. Everybody should look back and think about what they have done, and this piece makes you think about that more profoundly.