a) STORY
Is the story, idea, plot, dialogue authentic and believable?
The story of Ozark season 3 is quite interesting, the show follows the Byrdes, an ordinary family that have their lives turned upside down when Marty, the husband, decides to launder money for a drug cartel. With the first two seasons, it was all about their desperate attempts to escape, but in season three, the Byrdes realize that they are stuck in this life and that desperation turns into ambition. They are trying to move ahead, but since they don’t fully want to grasp the seriousness of their situation, they make a lot of mistakes along the way. The genius of the writing, particularly in season 3, is the fact that all the characters act like real people, that gives the audience the feeling that they could do it too. On the surface this seems like another crime show like Breaking Bad or Narcos, but Ozark is unique in what it’s exploring.
Is it original?
The way Ozark differentiates itself from other crime shows, is the fact that everyone in the family is involved and they all make serious mistakes as they underestimate their situation. With Walter White, he was the only one in the action and his wife was more of an anchor, just another obstacle for him to jump over, but here Wendy, Marty’s wife, is just as involved, if not more in the laundering. Even the kids have very interesting roles to play.
Did you care about the main characters, why?
Ozark has the advantage of two previous seasons, with a cliffhanger ending each season that has you hooked to the story from the get-go. You have seen this family evolve of the past couple of years and the brilliance of the script, coupled with the award worthy performances keeps you invested.
Did the sub-plots work? Why?
It’s interesting to see how Marty & Wendy operate, using skills they acquired from their past jobs as an accountant and lobbyist respectively, in contrast to how the other organizations run. The show makes it clear that even though the cartel, the mafia, the hillbillies and even the FBI, are all different, they all share many similarities. Each is brought in skillfully, adding interesting nuances to the shows main plot.
Why would you, or wouldn’t you, recommend it to a film class?
For sure, the show has shocking twists and turns that not only blindside you but are well setup and thought out. This is a perfect example of how to write and structure a show, especially a streaming show made to be binged.
Story Score: 100/100
b) ACTING
Were the actors believable, natural?
This is one of the best acted shows I’ve ever seen. They all feel like a real family, not just how they interact with each other, but they are well cast, the kids look exactly like Bateman and Linney.
What was the best acted scene in the film, why?
The cold open of Season 3; Episode 6. At this point in the season, a lot has happened to this family, all of their own making, and they are at a therapist's office to try to fix their marriage. There is some dramatic irony in play as both are paying the therapist off without the other knowing, and of course, the secrets being kept from the therapist, because they obviously can’t talk about their life of crime, so they opt to use code words to seem “normal”. As soon as this scene starts, you feel the tension in the room, and as everything escalates, so does the tension, until inevitably, it explodes. Jason Bateman and Laura Linney are so well cast as a troubled married couple, during this scene you felt like you were witnessing a real argument between the couple. A lot of acting is reacting, and the subtlety of their facial expressions is great. The argument gets so heated, that you, along with the characters, forget that the therapist is there listening to all of it, as they talk about drugs, murder, the FBI and more. When the argument ends, they have a brilliant pan, revealing the therapist in the background, still out of focus, and without dialogue, you see Marty realize the huge mistake he made.
Who was the best actor? Why? Would you cast the actor? For what role?
Tom Pelphrey joins the cast this season as Wendy’s mentally ill brother (looking exactly like Keanu Reeves). His character is full of surprises that I don’t want to spoil but I’ll just say, if he deserves an Emmy for his performance here, the fact that he can make us care about his character in such a short amount of time is impressive. He manages to realistically depict how someone with his condition would react to being thrown into this situation, he makes so many mistakes but what makes him endearing rather than annoying, is he does everything out of a good place, where he just wants to protect himself and the people he loves. There is a scene that involves him that is so incredibly sad and heartbreaking, I started tearing up as it unfolded. Jason Bateman, Laura Linney, Julia Garner, Sofia Hublitz, Skylar Gaertner, Charlie Tahan, Janet McTeer, Lisa Emery and the entire cast do an amazing job, they take their characters to unexpected places and are able to pull off the craziness. There is a story line involving Lisa Emery’s Darlene and Charlie Tahan’s Wyatt that wouldn’t have worked with anyone else in the role.
Acting Score: 100/100
c) TECHNICAL
How did the following elements influence the mood of the film:
Cinematography?
The cinematography is impressive. The show is highly cinematic but still feels very grounded, they producers of the show have said that they tried to shoot the show in a way that would require the least number of cuts in the editing room. The framing and block the shots in a way that contrasts the gritty with the aesthetically pleasing.
Editing?
The editing of the show keeps the suspense and cleverly reveals the bigger picture at just the right pace.
Audio/music?
The music is eerie and further adds to the mystery and tension of the show.
Lighting/Colours?
The show has a very cold color palate. Utilizing blues to add to the coolness the showrunners were aiming for. This season also has our characters going to Mexico and the contrast of the blue coldness of the Ozarks to the orange warmth of Mexico is very effective.
Technical Score: 100/100
d) ADD
Add up the marks of your review
300/300.
Give the film a total percentage.
100%
Make a concluding sentence or paragraph.
I hate the TV format, but I loved Ozark! It may tough to start as it is already in its third season and it starts off a bit slow but, this is the perfect time to get started, you are stuck at home, doing nothing, get on Netflix and start watching this show. The first season is great, season two is good, but season three is amazing, and although the first episode is a bit slow, it seriously ramps up in episode two of the first season. By the end of season three, you will be hooked!
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