Is the ‘Good American Family’ really that good?

BY HELENA KNUTSON

Marketing Executive

Posing as a child to be adopted by a family isn’t a typical thing, but that is exactly what Natalia Grace does in the brand new Netflix series “Good American Family.”

The “Good American Family” is a Hulu original that tells the story of Natalia Grace, a young Ukrainian girl with dwarfism who was adopted by the Barnett family. 

After adopting Natalia, the Barnett family began to notice some unusual things — she had all her adult teeth and had already started her menstrual cycle, despite claiming to be only seven years old. These developments led Kristine Barnett to question the girl's true age.

The first episode is from the perspective of Kristine Barnett, played by Ellen Pompeo. In the first episode, we see the adoption of Natalia Grace. Kristine and her husband went through a rough patch after an adoption fell through for a little girl they were planning to adopt. 

During this time, Natalia Grace appears to be a gentle, loving child searching for the perfect family; however, it quickly becomes apparent that Natalia has a short temper. 

Kristine is dealing with trying to start a recreation center for children with autism. Throughout the episode, Kristine is referred to as an “angel” and a girl sent from God. However, as time passes, this perfect picture of Kristine begins to decay.

With every episode, Natalia Grace, played by Imogen Faith Reid, becomes more psychotic, and her actions start to become dangerous. The show uses real allegations made by the Barnetts against Natalia, such as hiding knives and attempting to poison their coffee with a cleaning solution.

 However, the thing that Natalia uses most to break down the Barnett family is her psychological torture of Kristine Barnett. Natalia tried to turn everyone against Kristine, particularly her husband, Michael Barnett, played by Mark Duplass.

Natalia and Kristine's relationship is complex. Watching the show, you have no clue who to believe or who was in the wrong. Each family member tells the story differently, and it is portrayed in each episode.

This fast-paced show keeps everyone on their toes, and with every episode, you start to wonder if Natalia is really who she claims to be.

The show is interesting and portrays how quickly a family can fall apart with a simple change in dynamics. 

The show does an excellent job of capturing the story while also ensuring that the audience knows how complex and ever-changing the family dynamic and characters are. However, since the show was released, the real Michael and Natalia Grace have come forward, telling two completely different stories of the event. 

The show has recently gained popularity on social media, providing a platform for the real Natalia Grace to share her story. However, critics are still skeptical about the show. On Rotten Tomatoes, the show has received a 55% rating on the Tomatometer, indicating that critics are divided on whether the show is fresh or rotten.