Grace Van Patten's stellar performance saves 'The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox'

“The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox” might be flawed, but the performance of Grace Van Patten, as the titular character, is nothing short of spectacular.

This is the 28-year-old actress’s biggest role to date after receiving widespread praise for her role on “Tell Me Lies”.

After making a name for herself on the hit drama series, she has kicked her credentials up several notches on “The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox”.

Having a unique knack for depicting complicated and controversial women, Van Patten shines as she portrays Knox, a US student who was accused of murdering her roommate, British student Meredith Kercher, in 2007 in Perugia, Italy.

Knox served almost four years of a 26-year sentence before the murder conviction was overturned, and she was finally acquitted of murder by the Italian Supreme Court of Cassation in 2015.

This eight-part series, which recently concluded on Disney+, is based on the true story which captivated the globe at the time.

The true crime biographical drama is created by K.J. Steinberg and also features Sharon Horgan, Francesco Acquaroli, Giuseppe De Domenico, John Hoogenakker and Roberta Mattei.

It kicks off with Knox bidding farewell to her family in Seattle, Washington, as she embarks on her study abroad trip in Italy.

It paints Knox as a free-spirited and vibrant young woman who, despite her youthful naivety, forges a strong bond with her roommates, including Kercher.

Early scenes show her struggling at first with her new surroundings, but being eager to make the best of this experience, even learning Italian in a bid to communicate with the locals. 

The episode also features her spending time with the ladies as they enjoy time together in their apartment.

There are also glimpses of Knox’s relationship with Kercher as the series depicts them bonding about both not being from Italy, while also embracing this new adventure.

But the show also reveals Knox’s adventurous side, her indulgences with alcohol and weed, her love for partying, as well as her flirtatious side.

This is a precursor for vital upcoming scenes, as in Knox’s trial, Italian prosecutors described her as being a promiscuous drug user, with her even earning the notorious nickname, Foxy Noxy.

But I digress, so let’s go back to the first episode.

When it nears its conclusion, viewers abruptly learn that on the morning before she was meant to leave on a romantic excursion with her new Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, things take a sinister turn when Kercher is found murdered.

The next few episodes see Knox and Sollecito at the centre of the police’s investigation, and it reflects the American’s agony as she faces mounting pressure in a foreign country.

As the couple are increasingly being placed in the worldwide media spotlight, a case continues to be built against them.

Even as new suspect Rudy Guedes' highly anticipated trial unfolds, Knox's choices continue to be scrutinised by the media as she languishes in prison.

She is then dealt new betrayals as hers and Sollecito’s highly publicised trials begin.

The emotional toll of the ordeal is also central to the show, as well as her determination to redeem herself in the eyes of all parties as she seeks not to make the same mistakes during her second trial.

Finally, “The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox” also offers her perspective after being acquitted. The final episode depicts her struggling to move forward with her life as well as her relentless fight to clear her name.

Before I delve into Van Patten’s stellar performance, I would like to highlight some of my issues with the series.

The first is that there is some bias to it, as Knox, who worked with film-makers, I believe, cherry-picked details from her past as a way to use the production to clear up her name.

There is not much focus on Kercher, whose life was brutally taken from her, apart from a very short tribute to him. Instead, most of the series prioritises Knox’s injustices and heartbreaks.

“The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox” has also been criticised for most of the dialogue being in Italian, but I think that this gave the story credibility, as much of the story was set there.

But what you won’t hear from me in terms of this review is any slander against Van Patten.

She excellently portrayed the range of Knox’s emotions - from elation from moving to a new country, the intoxication of young love and the delight of starting a new life.

But the actress also excelled in her reflection of Knox’s mental state while being in prison and her frustration during her fight for freedom.

Van Patten is a star in the making, and I am excited to follow the rest of her career.