Few things work better than a good psychological thriller. One or two people facing an apparently impossible and desperate situation that they must confront with nothing but their will to move forward, or the need to do so at all costs. Netflix knows this well, as it has seen several of its biggest recent successes are psychological thrillers. And it seems that it wants to go with another one with one of the big bets of this autumn in the form of a miniseries with big names behind it.
Black Rabbit is the name of the miniseries and the big names are Jude Law and Jason Bateman. You know the former from the big screen, where he has starred in films like The Talented Mr. Ripley or Sherlock Holmes, in addition to being the lead in one of the most exquisite recent series you shouldn’t miss, The Young Pope. For his part, Jason Bateman is a familiar face, as besides Air, he is famous for his role in the intense and dark Ozark. Together, they star in this new psychological thriller that promises to leave us on the edge of our seats.
A miniseries for those seeking empathy in their tension
But what is Black Rabbit about? It’s about two brothers, Jake and Vince Friedkin, who share a restaurant considered the place to go in New York, the titular Black Rabbit. The problem is that Vince, played by Jason Bateman, has been away for a while, and upon his return, Jake, played by Jude Law, will have to confront all the old traumas and new threats that come with him. Because Vince is a handful.
Focusing on the nightlife and underworld of New York, the miniseries centers on the world of the mafia and the risks involved when trying to work with it. Or working at its expense. But the heart of this miniseries, like that of any good psychological thriller, is the relationship between its characters. The relationship between the two brothers is complicated, tense, volatile, and always filled with affection and love, being the center of the entire narrative: will their relationship survive all the problems that Vince will bring with him, or will they not even survive physically to them?
Two actors giving it their all
With an unreliable character who gets into trouble, but has a good heart; with another character who is more uptight, but is reliable and always willing to give a second chance, Netflix may have the perfect formula to win over the audience. Especially if the conflicts faced by the Friedkins are on par with their relationship.
With 8 episodes ahead, of which the first two will be directed by Bateman himself, the series promises to offer us exactly what we expect from this kind of productions: drama, tension, strong emotions, and a lot of suffering from a couple of characters that we would love to hate, but we are unable to not have affection for. Something very easy to achieve with two actors like Jude Law and Jason Bateman in the leading roles, and we have no doubt that they will elevate this production to another level.
