Rotten Tomatoes
Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay – My Brilliant Friend

Play trailer 1:52 Poster for Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay – My Brilliant Friend Feb 2022 Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
100% Tomatometer 13 Reviews 91% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings
Pseudonymous author Elena Ferrante has written four mega-popular Neapolitan novels that explore the complicated intensity of female friendship. "My Brilliant Friend" is the first in the series, and also the first to be adapted for television. Filmed in Italian, the eight-episode drama centers on elderly author Elena Greco, who learns that the most important friend in her life, Lila Cerullo, has disappeared without a trace. It causes Elena to reflect on the early days of their friendship in dangerous but fascinating Naples, Italy, in the 1950s, when Elena and Lila are two very different girls at the top of their class. The story goes on to cover more than 60 years of their lives as Elena tries to describe the mystery of Lila.
Watch on Fandango at Home Stream Now

Where to Watch

My Brilliant Friend — Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay

Critics Reviews

View More
Matthew Gilbert Boston Globe 03/24/2022
My Brilliant Friend continues to transport with its gorgeous cinematography and set design, and to challenge with its realism and honesty. Go to Full Review
Carol Midgley The Times (UK) 03/15/2022
4/5
I hand it to series three of the TV adaptation with knobs on. Go to Full Review
Chris Bennion Daily Telegraph (UK) 03/11/2022
5/5
Sublime television. Go to Full Review
Akhil Arora Gadgets360 02/18/2023
Through its gorgeous production, incisive direction, and literary backing, My Brilliant Friend remains the most essential and empowering depiction of female friendship and agency on TV. Go to Full Review
Katherine Hill The Nation 06/03/2022
The new season launches Lila and Lenù into adulthood, navigating the conditions of work, marriage, and family in a society undergoing radical change. Go to Full Review
Joanna Langfield The Movie Minute 04/15/2022
There have been some excellent series lately. And then theres been My Brilliant Friend. Based on the Elena Ferrante Neopolitan novels, this is a glorious piece of profound, searing beauty. Go to Full Review
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Josh B @joshbbergs 09/04/2022 Across decades the story of the protagonists is set against major shifts in culture and society. So the brilliantly told story of a fraught relationship interacts with compelling vision of that era's history. See more Robert G 07/06/2022 A remarkable production! The two leads are superb and the rest of the cast as well. I was big fan of Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan Novels and couldn't image how they could ever adapt it for television. So, when I heard HBO was going to do it I was skeptical. In the end, I was very pleasantly surprised and impressed at how faithful the show has been to the source material. We await the final season with great impatience! See more 05/23/2022 Can't help but thinking of Beauvoir's quotes from The Second Sex. The great fortune for men lies in the fact that no matter during adulthood or childhood, they must take on an extremely arduous road, whereas this is also the most reliable path; While the misfortune of women comes from the fact that they are always surrounded by irresistible temptations. Women are not being asked to strike upwards, only to be encouraged to slide down to reach euphoria. It's often too late for them to finally realize she's been fooled by the mirage, and her strengths have been exhausted away during endless failed adventures. See more 04/19/2022 This is an awkward review for Season 3. MBF has become a challenging show to watch. The acting is top notch, the filming and editing are great, the story is interesting. Everything is absolutely believable and feels real. Technically it is a fantastic production. The issue is that MBF has become a grotesque story that revolves around two of the most self-centered characters I've ever encountered on a TV show. Unfortunately, most of the other supporting characters are not much better. Its a show about despicable people in despicable situations. Does it reflect the reality of the time and place? Probably. Are some people like this in real life? Almost absolutely. But do most viewers really want to watch a fictional show with a nearly full cast of unlikable characters? It becomes a chore. Perhaps misery does love company. I wonder if those that love this show (and season in particular) are deeply miserable themselves. Maybe there is a redemption arc to come. I'm not sure I want to trod further through the cesspool to see it. See more 04/15/2022 A brilliant show not to be missed; a fine wine to be appreciated slowly. One of my favorites in the last decade! See more 03/16/2022 One of the best TV shows I have ever seen! The storytelling is magnificent. The actresses are absolutely brilliant; they own their character. Every topic is perfectly developed during the movie. This TV shows revealed the history of many women of the 50's and the patriarchal's system within the society that still has impact in our daily life. The film's director took care of every detail to give life to every character. A brilliant film! 🎥 See more Read all reviews
My Brilliant Friend — Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Feb 6, 2022 Indecencies At the Milanese presentation of her book, Elena unexpectedly meets Nino, who defends her from a particularly aggressive journalist; Elena's future mother-in-law, Adele, is very impressed by Nino and invites him to have dinner with them. Details Episode 2 Aired Feb 6, 2022 The Fever Pietro is in Naples to meet his future in-laws; Elena is very nervous, but her betrothed and the Greco family get along well; mother complains and tries to get Elena to change her mind about the civil ceremony; Lila sends for Elena. Details Episode 3 Aired Feb 13, 2022 The Treatment Elena writes an article exposing the conditions at the Soccavo plant; Lila is determined to move back to the neighborhood. Details Episode 4 Aired Feb 13, 2022 Cold War On their wedding day, Adele surprises Elena and Pietro; Elena struggles to write after the birth of her daughter. Details Episode 5 Aired Feb 20, 2022 Terror Elena embraces the feminist struggle and argues with Pietro about it; Pasquale and Nadia show up at Elena's house; their chaotic behavior upsets Pietro. Details Episode 6 Aired Feb 20, 2022 Becoming After receiving shocking news from Lila about Elisa, Elena cuts the family holiday short to return to Naples. Details Episode 7 Aired Feb 27, 2022 Try Again With her marriage on the edge, Elena is further destabilized when Pietro brings Nino home for an unexpected visit. Details Episode 8 Aired Feb 27, 2022 Margherita Mazzucco Elena meets Nino's family; he shows great interest in her new book, while Pietro seems increasingly distant. Details
The Time Traveler's Wife 37% 84% The Time Traveler's Wife Watchlist TRAILER for The Time Traveler's Wife Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City 82% 62% Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City Watchlist TRAILER for Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City Sally4Ever 97% 67% Sally4Ever Watchlist The Collection 42% 93% The Collection Watchlist Soundtrack 44% 90% Soundtrack Watchlist TRAILER for Soundtrack Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Season Info

Executive Producer
Lorenzo Mieli, Domenico Procacci, Jennifer Schuur, Paolo Sorrentino
Network
HBO
Rating
TV-MA
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Italian
Release Date
Feb 6, 2022