Thrilling Omissions: ‘Before’ Falls Short of Its Promise

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What Is ‘Before’ About?

In Before, Billy Crystal (Dr. Eli Adler) is barely moved on from grieving the tragic loss of his wife Lynn (Judith Light) when he crosses paths with a young boy, Noah (Jacobi Jupe). An inquisitive child, wise beyond his years, Noah’s also a troubled, frequently silent child who frequently engages in sudden violent actions, and falls into fits of terror. What’s stranger is that there are oddities about Noah that can’t easily be explained, and he’s drawn to locations and knows languages that are frankly inexplicable. Dr. Adler attempts to explain the inexplicable while becoming increasingly obsessed with the mystery.

‘Before’ Has Promise, But Fails To Build To A Satisfying Crescendo

From its very first episodes, Before packs a mysterious punch. There’s a strong sense of tone that successfully persists as the series proceeds. Part of it is the isolation of a man on edge — Crystal’s Dr. Adler frequently finds himself isolated from his colleagues in his quest for answers about Noah — while part is due to the series’ willingness to bridge the audience into Noah’s terrified subjectivity. It becomes clear early on that Noah’s terror is attached to visions of what seems like ice and water, and suggestions that something is always in the shadows around the boy, waiting to reach out with a tentacled appendage. When Dr. Adler starts to make connections between Noah’s affliction and the untimely demise of his wife, there are layers of mystery to explore, providing an unsettling exploration that feels genuinely dangerous to the young boy.

Billy Crystal gives a strong performance as the protagonist at the series’ heart, landing the tougher emotional beats as his character’s obsession with the mystery grows. His inherent likability as a performer serves the narrative well: Dr. Adler may come across as increasingly unhinged as the narrative trucks along, but it’s easy to give him the benefit of the doubt when he seems, by all accounts, to intend well. The real shining star here is Jacobi Jupe as Noah, who succeeds at being harrowing despite relatively little dialogue at times. The boy’s terror at his visions, and his old soul vibes, are impressive testaments to the young co-star’s command of the screen. Before wouldn’t work without him.

Before fails to build to as satisfying and impactful a conclusion as the narrative suggests, suffering from too much repetition and insufficient payoff. It’s a series with a unique central mystery and a stunning central performance from its young co-star, but it’s undone in part by too much repetition and insufficient payoff.

Watch on Apple TV+.

Pros:

• Billy Crystal and Jacobi Jupe give exceptional performances, and Jupe in particular excels, landing the character’s terror and confusion.
• A strong, foreboding tone compliments the mysterious setup, creating a series that’s easy to get wrapped up in.

Cons:

• There’s a disjunction between the kind of supernatural explanation that’s promised and the actual explanation in practice, and the latter is much less exciting.

Watch on Apple TV+