This review of ‘I Will Find You’ is largely spoiler-free
One of these days, Jesus himself will descend upon the Earth as the ultimate twist in a Harlan Coben thriller, and some fans would still go, “Amaze! Amaze! Amaze!” like Rocky from the sci-fi novel-turned-blockbuster Project Hail Mary. Because right from episode one, ‘I Will Find You’ sets up a far-fetched premise: a father, falsely imprisoned for bludgeoning his son to death, is presented with proof that the boy might actually be alive, sending him on a wild journey to uncover the truth. Whose body did the police find? And who orchestrated such an elaborate crime to trap him?
Also Read: Enola Holmes 3: The Case Isn’t Great, but Enola and the Gang Still Are
The eight-episode thriller stars Sam Worthington as primary protagonist David Burroughs, a former Law professor, who cuts of contact with all family and friends after he is pronounced guilty for murdering his 3-year-old son Matthew. But after five years of quietly serving his time in prison, his journalist sister-in-law Rachel Mills (Britt Lower) visits him with proof that Matthew might still be alive. So, in the very first episode of ‘I Will Find You,’ circumstances lead to David breaking out of prison and launching a desperate search for his son.
Honestly, I was exasperated and lost interesting in this show by the end of the very first episode, because it concludes with a far-fetched annoying twist. As someone who has already seen a bunch of Harlan Coben thriller adaptations on Netflix (Run Away, Fool Me Once, Missing You), I could instantly sense the story gearing up to throw one outrageous twist after another. That’s perfectly fine, but I Will Find You stretches credibility a little too often.
The biggest problem is just how exceedingly lucky David Burroughs is when it comes to evading an army of investigators on his tail. Even the most competent FBI officers aren’t able to get a hold of the fugitive, while he strolls around New York and then his home-town. With luck like his, he’d walk into a casino and leave a billionaire by the end of the night.
Seriously, episode six features one of I Will Find You’s most absurd sequences, with a crime boss going to the trouble of flying David in on a private jet, putting him through a series of mind games, and then eventually letting him walk free. It makes little sense, especially since the same gang is pretty trigger-happy when dealing with other characters despite having an even bigger problem with David.
As if that weren’t enough, the guy also throws in some free advice on how David should approach the case, inadvertently leading him to one of the biggest breakthroughs in his investigation. I genuinely laughed at that point. The writers seem to forget that David is a law professor whose father and best friend are both cops. But apparently, it takes a random criminal’s words of wisdom to crack the case.
As with most thrillers, I Will Find You throws plenty of red herrings at viewers. But when the truth finally comes out, it’s so ridiculously contrived that the only way to make peace with it is to tell yourself, “Forget it, the antagonist’s an idiot.” Which is funny, because another pivotal character describes them as some sort of master manipulator in the climactic episodes. The villain had multiple opportunities to end David’s search for truth within hours of his prison escape, yet somehow lets the chaos snowball instead. Brain freeze? Or just David’s unbelievable luck?
My forehead practically hurts from all the eye-rolling I did while watching I Will Find You. I’d usually dedicate a few paragraphs to discussing the performances, but honestly, nobody stood out. Perhaps a handful of flashbacks showing David with his son would’ve made his plight more emotionally compelling. He comes across less like a desperate father and more like a generic prisoner on the run.
If Harlan Coben thrillers have become your comfort watch and plot logic isn’t high on your list of priorities, I Will Find You might prove serviceable. Otherwise, it’s an over-the-top, far-fetched, and frequently irritating thriller with too many convenient turns.
You can watch ‘I Will Find You’ on Netflix.
Find the writer on Twitter | Instagram
Read Next: Teach You a Lesson S1 Review: Gratifying Action-Fantasy Against Bullying
