Review of Ozark Season 1: My review of the hit Netflix crime drama Ozark.
While I myself am unfamiliar with the intricacies of the specific regions of America, after viewing the first season of the Netflix series Ozark, I feel as though I have lived and experienced the challenges of living in lake Ozarks Missouri. The way that Netflix has managed to create a perfect cacophony of bleak cinematography, dark imagery, sharp writing, excellent acting and character studies into a show that is mostly unlike any other television on the streaming platform speaks to its brilliance. Written by Bill Dubuque and partially directed by the main characters actor Jason Bateman, the first season takes place in rural Missouri at Lake Ozark after white collar accountant Marty Byrde and his family are trapped in a money laundering scheme for the Mexican drug cartel.
The Pilot episode summarizes Martys fall from cartel grace leading him to the Ozarks with his family. The audience is introduced to Byrde’s quiet Chicago life, his family being a facade of tranquil domesticity, and his thriving law firm with hotshot partner, before the audience as well as Marty are thrust into a violent, life threatening encounter with his cartel bosses leaving four dead and dissolved in acid. This abrupt tonal shift highlights the atmosphere for the rest of the series, a brutal tense atmosphere reminiscent of shows like ‘The Sopranos’ and ‘Game of Thrones’. Over the course of the series we are introduced to a multitude of characters and plot points that heighten the tension and induce further chaos for the main family. The heads of the family Martin and Wendy are played effortlessly by Bateman and Laura Linney who demonstrate this couple as diametrically opposite people with a failing marriage but are bound together by their children and promise to the cartel. Another standout performance is provided by Julia Garner as Ruth Langmore, a young woman working for the Byrde’s with a cunning demeanor, willing to betray anyone in order to further her own safety and gain. The show employs a grey, drab color scheme and cinematography that evokes a bleak nature, mirroring the tense dialogue and dark subject matter. This creation of bleak cinematography, expert writing and master performances create a debut season not to be missed.
Always interesting to see what people are watching! You could leave a link to the show AND you could try asking the blog reader what they think about it! Nicola