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Tom Holland is taking a break from acting after filming The Crowded Room. Holland has been on the front line in Hollywood ever since he gained prominence for his portrayal of Spider-Man. He recently starred in the psychological thriller series The Crowded Room, which did not do as well as expected. The series received a lot of criticism, and now Holland is set to take a break from acting. This has many wondering if the series’ performance is the real reason for Holland’s break.
Tom Holland’s Acting Break Comes After His Role in The Crowded Room
As mentioned, Holland is set to take a break from acting. This break comes after a difficult filming experience for The Crowded Room. The 27-year-old actor shared that he would be taking a year off after his role in the Apple TV+ series. “I’m now taking a year off, and, you know, that is a result of how difficult this show was,” he shared during an interview with Extra.
The Crowded Room tells the story of a troubled young man named Danny (Holland). Danny finds himself in police custody after a shooting incident in New York City’s Rockefeller Center in 1979. As the plot unfolds, investigators gradually gain a distressing insight into Danny’s inner thoughts and personal experiences. This provides an understanding of the motives behind the act.
The character’s life is explored through a series of interviews with interrogator Rya Goodwin. Through the interrogation, Danny unveils his life story and the events that led up to the shooting. As the story goes on, it takes a more emotional tone. The retrospective examination of Danny’s life leads him to uncover a huge revelation.
The film draws inspiration from Daniel Keyes’ 1981 novel, The Minds of Billy Milligan. The novel tells the true story of a man named Billy Milligan. He was diagnosed with multiple personality disorder, now known as dissociative identity disorder.
Holland shared that the role posed a challenge that pushed his abilities to the limit. And although he needed a break, the experience had a good impact on him. Later in the interview, the British-born actor shared his anticipation for witnessing the completed version of The Crowded Room. He also expressed his desire that his hard work, as well as the collective endeavors of the show’s team, would be fruitful.
How Did Critics React to The Crowded Room?
Regrettably, the majority of critics agree that the production did not meet the anticipated standards. Featuring a cast of notable stars like Holland, Amanda Seyfried, and Emmy Rossum, as well as a story that combines crime and thriller, should make the series a hit. However, for most critics, the project doesn’t quite meet the mark. The general agreement is that the series takes too long to unravel the mystery, and the plot twist is easy to predict.
The Crowded Room got a 10% score on Rotten Tomatoes, along with plenty of negative reviews. “The Crowded Room is a 10-episode series, and the evasiveness, hints […] and drip-feeding of information start to seem willful long before the true unraveling of the mystery,” the Guardian writes. Collider’s Chase Hutchinson made a point to highlight the show’s unnecessarily slow pace, which draws out the story to the point of frustration, leaving the series more “over-embellished than engaging.”
The Hollywood Reporter states that the series would have been better off as a two-hour movie. According to The Evening Standard, the series has an interesting premise but managed to miss the point in the course of the portrayal. Per Slashfilm, The Crowded Room was overstuffed, and its underdeveloped plot twist made it tedious.
With early reviews of the show being so negative, it’s possible that Holland took them to heart. Few of the actor’s many projects have been as successful as his appearances in the MCU. As such, it’s possible the frustration of this is what caused Holland to take a break.
About The Psychological Thriller
The 10-episode series debuted on June 9, with the first three episodes airing on the debut date, followed by a weekly release of a new episode every Friday until July 28. Apart from starring in the series, Tom Holland also took up the role of an executive producer alongside Kornél Mundruczó, who also served as a director. Other directors for the series include Mona Fastvold, Brady Corbet, and Alan Taylor.