Jason Bateman and Laura Linney in OzarkPhoto: Netflix
Ozark’s latest episodes are confusing. Not because they don’t do exactly what the funny Netflix crime thriller has been doing since 2017, but because they do it with sentimentality that is uncharacteristically spicy. For a drama that boasts numerous executions with jumps and the unexpected depths of antagonists like Darlene Snell (Rest in Peace, Queen), serious tension is played by the almost sinister second violin of the Bird family’s fourth swan song. Of course, there is bloodshed; there is always bloodshed. But these seven episodes are more about saying goodbye than saying goodbye – a stunning change in tone for the show, so grim that it once threatened to drown a baby.
However, this is a surprisingly effective choice for the final. While not delivering even the best thrill that Ozark has ever had, the rotation of sad hugs, surprising appearances and retrospectives with hazy eyes in the fourth part of season two brings almost nostalgia in the style of Friday night that will make you miss these money laundering maniacs when they’re gone … but that’s what happens.
B-
Ozark
Created by
Bill Dubuque, Mark Williams
Starring
Jason Bateman, Laura Linney, Julia Garner, Sofia Hublitz, Skyler Gartner
Premiere
April 29 on Netflix
Formatting
Simultaneous drama; all seven episodes have been watched for review
It rises shortly after the infamous “If You Want to Stop Me, You’re Gonna Have to Kill Me, Damn!” Ruth vows revenge after the murder of her cousin Wyatt (Charlie Tahan) of Xavi (Alfonso Herrera), nephew of Mexican drug cartel leader Omar Navarro (Felix Solis). But, of course, Ruth killing Xavi is tantamount to a nasty storm, so Bydres is doing what she can to protect him from her – and her from herself. Meanwhile, the union of Charlotte (Sofia Hublitz) and Jonah (Skyler Gertner) with Ruth creates problems, as Jonah is a walking, talking teenage teenager from season two and loose lips sinking ships.
These seven episodes are more about goodbye than good release.
G / O Media may receive a commission
On the periphery, FBI agent Maya Miller (Jessica Francis Dukes) faces the aftermath of Navarro’s arrest – just as private detective Mel Satem (Adam Rothenberg) and Wendy Nathan’s father (Richard Thomas) arrive in the Ozarks in search of the “missing” Tom Pelfrey). But Wendy can’t focus on potentially revealing her brother’s murder because she’s still in hot water over a cartel deal with pharmaceuticals chief executive Clare Shaw (Katrina Lenk).
Julia Garner at Ozark Photo: Netflix
Sounds like a lot to follow? That is. As in previous seasons, the interconnected drama and stakes of these dueling storylines create some pretty juicy twists and turns around the chaos of the Bird family and their sphere of influence. But there is negligence in the overall performance of these episodes – in terms of editing, cinematography and, above all, writing – which significantly undermines the more successful building of tension in the rest of the series.
Plot holes abound, as established parts of Ozark’s ecosystem are inexplicably set aside for unbaked fourth-season additions, which at best feel out of place, and at worst take you out of history. For example, Kansas City Mafia leader Frank Cosgrove (John Bedford Lloyd) gets a little more than an episodic appearance, while a relatively new character plays a completely undeserved role in the last episode, which is key to the point of stealing the show. Even when the most important characters appear, the energy seems to decrease as their motivation becomes gloomier episode after episode. There’s not much to make your heart beat faster, if only because each story feels compelled by the need to make familiar characters interact with each other for the last time – even when the central storyline doesn’t justify it.
Skyler Gartner and Sofia Hublitz at OzarkPhoto: Netflix
Still, it’s fun to see this cast – especially Linny and Garner – chew on their characters in a shared victory lap. Whether you’re wondering about Marty’s cell phone stand, opposing gravity, or deciphering mysterious characters in the intro, season four, part two, offers a lot of reminders of what made this show work really well for a while. Ozark may not come out clean. But it does not overdo it with its welcome.
Add Comment