From Scratch review: Is the latest Netflix romantic-drama miniseries worth binging?

From Scratch, the highly anticipated and heart-touching romantic-drama miniseries, debuted on Friday, October 21, 2022, on Netflix.

The limited series is based on a book titled From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily and Finding Home by Tembi Locke. Locke and her sister Attica have also written some of the episodes of the series.

The Locke sisters, along with Reese Witherspoon, Lauren Neustadter Zoe Saldaña, Jermaine Johnson, Richard Abate and Will Rowbotham, are the the executive producers for the series. The official description for From Scratch, given by Netflix reads:

"Meet Amy and Lino - a love story for the ages."

In the miniseries, Zoe Saldaña portrays the lead character, Amy, and actor Eugenio Mastrandrea plays the other lead character, Lino.

Ever since, From Scratch was released on Netflix, it has been getting quite a lot of positive attention from both critics and the audience. Viewers have been appreciating the series for its engrossing and quite heartfelt storyline, consuming acting performances by the lead actors and alluring cinematography.

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From Scratch is an emotionally woven heartwarming story

From Scratch delves deep into the concept of true love and is a captivating and heartbreaking story at once. Writers of the miniseries Attica Locke and Tembi Locke have done a splendid job of creating a world of love, passion and pain.

The limited series is layered with several emotional complexities as the two lead characters, Lino and Amy, build a world for themselves. The storyline invokes feelings of comfort and fulfillment among the viewers.

Both the lead characters feel real and raw in their emotions as they show vulnerability and compassion throughout the limited series. The complex emotional nuances in the series only add to its appeal.

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The cinematography takes From Scratch to another level

Brian Pearson and Patrick Murguia have served as the cinematographers of the series and have done a great job of capturing the beauty of the alleys of Florence and Sicily.

The cinematographers' capturing of certain scenes in the series is enchanting. The scenes that may be appreciated are the ones where Amy and Lino take a scooter ride in Florence or the one where they simply roam around the market of Sicily.

However, it is the presentation of food throughout the series which needs a special mention. The way cinematographers have captured Lino's cooking will leave viewers wanting to learn more about Sicilian cuisine and culture.

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Captivating performances by Zoe Saldaña and Eugenio Mastrandrea

Zoe Saldaña as Amy is charismatic, fierce, inspiring and quite lovable. The actress has dived deep into her character to bring out all the complexities of her emotionally driven journey throughout the miniseries.

Eugenio Mastrandrea as Lino has also done a fantastic job. He is believable and quite charming in portraying his role, and has brilliantly brought out all the challenging layers that his character has. He was the perfect lover for Amy and the perfect father to Idalia.

The on-screen chemistry between the two lead actors is a treat for the eyes. The way they communicated throughout the miniseries, with such passion and ease, has made it quite arresting and binge-worthy.

Apart from Mastrandrea and Saldaña, the other cast members of the miniseries include Danielle Deadwyler, Kellita Smith, Keith David, Judith Scott, Paride Benassai, Lucia Sardo, and Roberta Rigano, among others.

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Don't forget to catch From Scratch, which is currently streaming on Netflix.