‘Homecoming’ Review: Julia Roberts Captivates in Amazon’s Podcast-Turned-Series

Julia Roberts turned heads when she signed on for a TV series, in what is the first series regular role of her career.

However, after seeing Amazon‘s Homecoming, it’s clear Roberts attached herself to a worthwhile project that gives the actress one of her meatiest roles in years.

Based on the Gimlet podcast of the same name, Homecoming sees Roberts star as Heidi Bergman, a mild-mannered counselor at a center whose goal is to help acclimate veterans for life back on U.S. soil. However, viewers quickly learn that Heidi’s career as a counselor is far in the past as she is now a simple waitress living with her mother (Sissy Spacek).

The main mystery of the series is simply: How did she end up here?

Before assuming this is a simple story of failure or rediscovery, Homecoming quickly clues viewers in that not all is what it seems at the veterans facility.

There are shady business calls with Heidi’s boss Colin Belfast, played by a slimy Bobby Cannavale. Some of the veterans discuss odd conspiracies about the program, including the scene-stealing Jeremy Allen White in a guest role. The present-day shots are shown in a square aspect ratio to tie into the fact that the full picture is not yet clear. Plus, the score exudes eeriness, alluding to the curiosities to come.

All these elements and more come together to make Homecoming feel like a 5-hour episode of The Twilight Zone or Black Mirror.

The performances throughout the 10-episode season are strong, with Roberts serving as an anchor to the cast. She is able to tackle the timid and sympathetic version of Heidi in the past, as well as the confused and guilt-ridden Heidi of the present with ease.

Cannavale pulls off his role with the perfect blend of sleaziness and aggression; White and Spacek are great in their roles, but feel somewhat underutilized due the show’s half-hour episode time constraint.

The true unsung hero of the show is the secondary lead, Stephan James. The Selma and Race actor had the toughest shoes to fill on the adaptation as he portrayed soldier Walter Cruz, originally voiced by Oscar Isaac. While James cannot match the darkness Isaac brought to his portrayal, the 24-year-old actor brings an unmatched wave of hope to the role. Watching James on Homecoming, you want nothing more than for Walter to get through this strange rehabilitation process unscathed and live a happy life.

These portrayals and dialogue-heavy writing from creators Eli Horowitz and Micah Bloomberg are what will keep viewers intrigued by the series. The show keeps its cards fairly close to its chest until the back half, so viewers will have to buy into these elements in-order to stay hooked on the series.

There are a few bumps along the way, mainly the large chunks of time dedicated to Department of Defense investigator Thomas Carrasco (Shea Whigham) and Gloria Cruz (Marianne Jean-Baptiste). Their stories were only featured in fragments of the source material, and it may have been better for them to stay obscured in the on-screen adaptation. A pencil pusher digging for paperwork and a continually angry mom just distract from the core elements from the series.

Despite those kinks, Homecoming is a solid watch for a viewer looking for a performance-centric series laced with mystery. It’s a slow burn that pays off and once you see where the story is headed, you will most likely be compelled to binge to the end.

Season 1 of Homecoming is available on Amazon Prime Video.

Photo Credit: Amazon