Black Rabbit
Written By: Margaux Fortier
Black Rabbit, a limited series co-created by Zach Baylin and Kate Susman, was featured in the TIFF 50th Anniversary program in the Primetime lineup. Primetime celebrates achievements in episodic storytelling and Black Rabbit captures a darkly mesmerizing story worthy of the distinction.
Starring Jude Law, Jason Bateman, and a full cast of compelling and engaging actors, Black Rabbit is centered around two brothers trying to stay afloat. With risks that will bring them down with each new opportunity, the brothers must determine how far they would go to protect their family but also how far they would go to protect themselves. With unexpected turns and bad situations growing worse, the show is a character study that will stay with you long after the credits roll.
Jude Law’s character Jake is an ambitious NYC restaurant owner trying to keep the restaurant going and also trying to expand the business into bigger and better things. When his brother Vince, played by Jason Bateman, comes back to town, the pressures and complications of having him around again start to bubble up to the surface quickly. Vince has troubles everywhere he goes and a string of lies and cons that follow. Will his dark cloud fall over the Black Rabbit along with all the people around it? The intricate story keeps the audience guessing and falling further into the hole the brothers are digging for themselves.
From owed money to drug overdoses to inappropriate behavior from patrons of the Black Rabbit towards the female staff, there is no shortage of bad qualities already inhabiting the restaurant. The character named Anna embodies this previous misdoing and proves that the arrival of Vince is not when it all starts. However, the moment that Vince steps behind the bar again, all these issues rise to the surface and exaggerate. With tragic consequences, the restaurant workers get pulled into the web that the brothers have built.
Courtesy of TIFF
The complexities of this story is portrayed seamlessly by the two leads of this series. Jason Bateman completely transforms himself, in both look and demeanor, and it is easy to forget who is playing the part. His relationships with his daughter and his brother in particular linger with the audience as he gets himself further and further away from making things right. His daughter desperately wants Vince to become a reliable and stable part of her life, but his true nature hurts her again and again. Despite all his flaws, there is a level of likability even while he’s doing bad things that keep you rooting for him. Jude Law showcases his range at every twist in the story and delivers a performance that takes the audience along with him. Though visually he is more organized and polished, his character is just as complex and keeps you wondering how he will handle the changes to his curated life. His character is drastically different from the first episode to the last. The rest of the cast is authentic, from the restaurant staff to the loansharks chasing them to the family caught up in the chaos and Black Rabbit delivers an emotional impact.
Scenes linger in the mind long after watching the show. Vince is leaving a trail of destruction and danger in his wake and is convinced that just one more trick will fix it all. Just one more deal, just one more trick, just one more scheme. Black Rabbit is intense and dark and deeply human.
Black Rabbit is available now on Netflix.
Watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueNsPJgWNAg
