‘The Girlfriend’ (2025) Prime Video Series Review - Robin Wright vs Olivia Cooke

Like the 2014 drama series The Affair that ran for five seasons, the new Prime Video psychological thriller, The Girlfriend, presents its events through the perspectives of different characters. Well, two different characters. They are Laura (Robin Wright) and Cherry Laine (Olivia Cooke). The person who becomes a common link between them is Daniel (Laurie Davidson), Laura's son and Cherry's boyfriend. For Daniel, Laura and Cherry are the two most beautiful and important women. The ladies, however, struggle to stay in the same room together for more than a minute. I am sure that, rather than endure each other's company, they would prefer to have their teeth pulled by a butcher. This friction is a result of misunderstanding, preconceived notions, and too much, um, motherly affection. There is a hint of something incestuous between Laura and Daniel. Notice how they greet one another in the swimming pool, or how Laura embraces Daniel by putting her arms around his naked chest. Moreover, Laura almost cries when she catches Cherry giving a blowjob to Daniel, and then, there is that lip-to-lip kiss between the son and the mother. I wonder what Oedipus will think of this situation. At least we're aware of Cherry's thoughts: she's not a fan of this intimacy, this closeness. She even tells Daniel that his relationship with his mother is somewhat unusual after watching Laura become overly concerned about a small scratch on his leg. I also wonder what Ari Aster would have made of this material. A strange mother-son bond? The guy practically launched his film career through parental complications.

In the hands of directors Wright and Andrea Harkin, though, The Girlfriend comes across as a bitchy tale of two scornful women who have no interest in solving their differences. Laura and Cherry do become friends for a while, but the friendship doesn't last. Laura is convinced that Cherry is a gold digger. Cherry constantly asserts that she really loves Daniel. Through Laura's perspective, Cherry is seen as a corrupt siren. Observe the story through Cherry's eyes, and Laura appears to be an insecure, jealous mother. Certain scenes and dialogues are added or modified when the POV shifts from one character to another, making The Girlfriend something along the lines of a she-said-she-said show. Who is right — Cherry or Laura? That's the main question posed by The Girlfriend, and the answer, ultimately, turns out to be, "Does it matter?" Long before the climax, it becomes apparent that both women are as toxic as poison. I am almost afraid to say that this is exactly the point of this show, which is based on Michelle Frances' novel. One can put on their intellectual caps and say things like, "Laura's abuse of Cherry reflects how the rich oppress the poor." Cherry's mother warns Cherry to stay away from the likes of Laura because they, with their wealth, have the power to bend the law. Such a reading, however, turns flimsy—almost laughable—as the story progresses. After a while, we sink into our seats with the realization that The Girlfriend is merely interested in depicting the cruelty of its lead female characters. The cruelty itself is the point; there's nothing consequential beneath the surface of the mean-spiritedness.

The Laura–Cherry POV ends up being little more than decoration—or, more accurately, a distraction from the mediocrity of The Girlfriend. It's a clever trick designed to capture the attention of second-screen audiences. What the two perspectives ultimately convey is this: the other woman is bad. Even if the intention is to highlight that humans are complex and no one is entirely right or wrong, it's not much. You don't need a dry, six-episode series to tell you something as basic as that. Could the series have benefited from more POVs? Could it have gained more narrative depth through the eyes of Daniel or his father, Howard (Waleed Zuaiter)? What about Laura's friend or Cherry's mother? I doubt any of these characters would have made the show any better, given that they don't seem to have any insight or experience and merely act according to the script's demands. I guess the least we can do is thank Wright and Harkin for not dragging the show for more than six hours. We can also thank Cooke for starring in this show. Her beauty, charming smile, demented looks, and vulnerable eyes all come together to form a figure of fetching, seductive power. No wonder Daniel gets wrapped around her character's finger. No wonder—thanks to Cooke—the six hours feel somewhat bearable.

Final Score- [4.5/10]
Reviewed by - Vikas Yadav
Follow @vikasonorous on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times
Note: All 6 episodes are screened for this review.
Premiere Date: September 10, 2025, on Prime Video