The Lying Life of Adults (Italian: La vita bugiarda degli adulti) is an Italian and Neapolitan-language coming-of-age drama television series created by Edoardo De Angelis, based on the 2019 novel of the same name by Elena Ferrante. It was released internationally by Netflix on 4 January 2023.
Contents
Plot
Giovanna Trada is a 15-year-old girl born to a well-to-do family in Naples. As she makes the transition from childhood to adolescence, however, she struggles to find an identity among the bourgeoisie world of her parents, especially as she begins to bear a striking resemblance to her Aunt Vittoria, who has been ostracized from the family for years. Despite her parents' wishes, Giovanna convinces her father to let her visit Vittoria, who lives in a rough part of the city. Giovanna's relationship with Vittoria soon opens her eyes to unspeakable secrets about her family and their past.
Reception
Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 14 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.8/10. The website's consensus reads: "Adapted with the same patient rhythms as Elena Ferrante's novel, The Lying Life of Adults is a coming of age epic with genuine wisdom and sweep." According to Metacritic, which assigned a weighted average score of 79 out of 100 based on 7 critics, the series received "generally favorable" reviews. Rebecca Nicholson of The Guardian wrote, "When I read The Lying Life of Adults, I thought of it as a very internal and inward-looking story, but this version breathes new life into it, turns it outwards, and adds a touch of rocket fuel."