Someone Has to Know Review
Director: Fernando Guzzoni and Pepa San Martín
Date Created: 2026-04-15 20:07
3.5
Someone Has to Know Review: Netflix’s Chilean drama Alguien Tiene Que Saber is directed by Fernando Guzzoni and Pepa San Martín and stars Paulina García, Alfredo Castro, Clemente Rodríguez, Lucas Sáez Collins, Gabriel Cañas and others. The series has 8 episodes with a runtime of roughly 40 minutes each.
Someone Has to Know Review
Netflix series Someone Has to Know revolves around the disappearance of a young man, Julio, which leaves everyone affected by it bewildered. In their pursuit to find the missing individual, three characters emerge as the key players in this story – a distraught mother looking for closure, an experienced detective who is desperately trying to maintain his grip over the case, and a priest carrying secrets that he is not allowed to divulge.
It all starts working in Someone Has To Know because the series is based on a real case. This is certainly not an extravagant crime thriller with many surprising moments or intense action sequences. It focuses more on creating an atmosphere of sadness, hopelessness, and silence rather than going for thrills. It is intimate and suffocating at the same time because the plot throws the viewer right in the middle of someone’s personal struggle, where there are no answers or explanations available to the characters.
Paulina García, without a doubt, is the emotional centre of the show. Her depiction of a mourning woman is extremely subdued but very intense. Instead of leaning toward drama, she uses subtlety to convey emotions that are palpable. There is this feeling of desperation throughout her acting, but nothing comes off as exaggerated. On the contrary, it is all very intense and very real.
Alfredo Castro, on the other hand, offers a unique dimension to the story through his performance as a detective. He portrays an intelligent but struggling detective who is well aware of the time being wasted and whose techniques might not even work anymore. It seems as if he feels frustrated from within and cannot help but let out his frustration about wanting to get to the bottom of things and failing to do so.
Gabriel Cañas plays the role of the priest; undoubtedly, the most interesting character of all characters. He embodies the entire story’s main theme, which is that of silence. The internal struggle that he faces regarding his religion and helping a mourning family plays an essential role in forming the main storyline. Even though his character is very interesting, at times, he ends up frustrating more than anything else because of how he does not act when action is needed.
The show’s stellar cast notwithstanding, it falls flat when it comes to pacing. With just eight episodes to its credit, Netflix’s Someone has to know sometimes seems to be overreaching. There are moments that drag on a little too long, and some emotional highpoints get hammered home far past their expiration date. While this is by design, the result isn’t always successful storytelling. Rather, there are times when the story feels like it’s spinning its wheels.
The other problem is the absence of narrative development. Although Netflix’s Chilean drama Someone has to know tries to centre itself around the characters rather than the storyline, it fails to build any kind of forward motion. The audience might end up anticipating a solution that never comes. Instead, there are continuous hints about something bigger to come, yet the show never delves into it satisfactorily.
Visually speaking, the production is excellent. The visual language depicts the depressing nature of the scenario through dark colours and subdued camera work. In essence, the setting itself becomes a character who acts as an extension of the emotions felt by the people involved in the case.
Thematically, the Someone Has to Know series is a very interesting show. This show deals with the notion that “truth hides behind fear, guilt, and silence”. Indeed, the very title of this work implies the presence of people who know the whole truth about something but who do not wish to expose it. This idea is embodied by different characters, each personifying guilt and responsibility. Moreover, the show touches on the question of justice and its feasibility in reality.
But despite all the compelling themes present in the TV series, its story is not always well-told. It is filled with meaningful messages, but they are not always conveyed skillfully enough for viewers to appreciate them fully. The overall tone and atmosphere of the show may be compelling enough, but the storytelling itself could benefit from being crisper.
Netflix Someone Has to Know Review: Summing Up
At the end, Someone Has to Know is a well-thought-out crime thriller, one which is more focused on the development of characters than on the mystery aspect itself. Although it’s quite a slow-paced show, it is definitely aided by some excellent acting on behalf of all the cast members. What makes the series even better is its dedication to realism and how it avoids any attempt at shocking its viewers. The theme of the search for the truth in an imperfect world and the power of grief and silence will definitely make you interested in watching this crime show.
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