Kathryn Hahn stars as an unlikely advice columnist in “Tiny Beautiful Things.”
The half-hour dramedy, premiering April 7 on Hulu, was created by Liz Tigelaar (“Little Fires Everywhere”) based on a book by Cheryl Strayed (author of the hit memoir-turned-movie “Wild”).
Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern are executive producers — in other words, it’s catnip for the “moms in a bookclub” demographic, but not in a bad way. (And if you’re neither a mom nor in a book club, it’s more of a state of mind.)
The story follows Clare (Hahn), a woman whose life is in shambles.
Her writing career has ebbed — she once had a book deal, but, “It doesn’t count if you don’t write the book,” she says.
Her marriage to her husband, Danny (Quentin Plair, “Welcome to Chippendales” ) is falling apart and they’re living separately.
Her teenage daughter, Rae (Tanzyn Crawford), doesn’t want much to do with her.
From her first scene, it’s clear that Clare is a mess: she’s drunk and disheveled, singing along to a Nelly song and breaking into her own house, startling her estranged husband.
When a friend suggests that she take up the mantle of an advice columnist called “Dear Sugar,” Clare reluctantly agrees, even though she’s seemingly in no place to impart wisdom to anyone else, because in her own words, “My life is a s–t show.”
Hahn is a Hollywood mainstay (“Parks and Recreation” and “Transparent”) and she got an extra boost of attention after her Emmy nominated turn as Agatha Harkness in the MCU show “WandaVision” (she’s even getting her own spinoff).
She brings her easy charm to “Tiny Beautiful Things,” playing Clare with an oddball charisma and a lack of vanity that makes her compelling.
Many actresses are, understandably, afraid of looking sloppy or undignified in a role, but Hahn’s stellar performance is fearless.
That makes both Clare and “Tiny Beautiful Things” feel grounded.
It would be easy for a show about an advice columnist called “Dear Sugar” to have a saccharine tone, but not here.
Each letter addressed to “Dear Sugar” sends Clare back to reflecting on moments in her life, such as her mom’s (Merrit Wever) death from cancer when Clare was in her 20s, or her fallout with her younger brother.
The show includes flashbacks to these scenes; younger Clare is played by Sarah Pidgeon (“The Wilds”).
Through this experience, Clare is able to understand, address and grapple with her own problems.
Stories about a character looking back on their life and feeling like they’re at a crossroads aren’t exactly novel, but this show has tight writing that ranges from poignant to amusing, and a good cast. The flashbacks occasionally make the narrative feel choppy, but they don’t overstay their welcome, and Wever’s presence gives them weight.
Because episodes are a half-hour, “Tiny Beautiful Things” feels more like a brisk, thought-provoking watch than an intense drama — and it’s all the better for it.
