The series recounts the biography of Phyllis Schlafly, the woman who leads an unexpected fight against the Equal Rights Amendment movement during the 1970s. That was one of the culture wars that left its' impact on the society.
Schlafly is ostensibly the subject here, and Blanchett's performance is masterful, but Mrs. America is an ensemble piece in which its central figure functions as an event.
To its credit, Mrs. America circumvents the seductively easy narrative about powerful women at each other's throats for a more nuanced one that pits their ideas and organizing strategies against each other, with illuminating results.
Through socially conscious storytelling and masterful performances by Blanchett and the entire cast of women, Mrs. America will hopefully reignite the memory of the ERA (which remains unratified).
For as electrifying as Blanchett's performance is as Schlafly... the show finds electric purpose in depicting the work of legislators, organizers, and activists whose work has been terribly overlooked in mainstream culture.
Only Cate Blanchett could sell the little faces Phyllis makes when no one's looking-what she won't say and can't say. Her performance isn't exactly eliciting sympathy; it's just a masterwork in letting you read her mind without missing a beat.
'Mrs. America' is a remarkable series but one that, perhaps due to its theme and ambition, aspired to be better than it is. And it is good. [Full Review in Spanish]
Something seems amiss, separate from the filmmaking, separate from the artistry. Maybe it's just that it can be hard to separate Mrs. America's utter bleakness from its quality.
