BEWARE: SPOILERS BELOW.
This summer, Netflix released a nine-episode crime drama called "Ozark." The series stars Jason Bateman as Marty Byrde—a financial advisor who finds himself in deep shit when the Mexican cartel he launders money for suspects him of stealing. To save his own life, Marty agrees to move his family from Chicago to the Missouri Ozarks and launder not only the eight million dollars he supposedly stole, but an additional fifty million.
And, to make matters worse—his wife is having an affair.
Jason Bateman’s measured performance, as the pragmatic-yet-inventive Marty Byrde, makes the series what it is. Bateman, who is better known for his comedic performances, brilliantly delivers the role of a man whose only concern is keeping his family safe. His fierce acting chops are put to the test at the end of episode one, ‘Sugarwood’, when Marty is forced to watch his business partners be killed and dissolved in vats of acid. As Del Rio, the crime lord representative for the cartel, puts the muzzle of his gun to Marty’s forehead, the fast-talking money man must make one last pitch for his life. The fraught exchange between Del and Marty ends with a bang, and the viewer understanding two things: one, the Ozark lakes have more shoreline than the entire state of California, and two, Marty Byrde is a very lucky man.
Family is as important to the show, as it is to Marty. His wife, Wendy—played by Laura Linney—his daughter, Charlotte, and his son, Jonah, are all uprooted from their lives when they must move. Wendy is aware of Marty’s illegal activities and she helps him carry the often crushing burden of their family’s safety. In a surprising twist, the kids also learn of what their father does for a living. (Cue: Charlotte and Jonah wrapping stacks of money in saran wrap. Nothing to worry about, just normal family time.)Another family known to stir up trouble are the Langmores—rednecks with no compunction against murder or thievery. Nineteen-year-old Ruth Langmore is the unofficial leader of their small clan, but her name might as well be short for ruthless, because, well… She is. Ruth conspires to kill Marty not once, but twice. And towards the latter part of the season, she's successful in murdering both of her uncles. Don’t let her tight curls and rosy cheeks fool you. That girl’s no angel.
Ozark succeeds in many ways. One of which is its selection of villains. Del Rio’s subtle sophistication and casual attitude toward violence is frightening in its own right. While Jacob and Darlene Snell, local farm-owners and heroine distributors, represent a completely different brand of scary. The Snells are self-described “hill-billies” (Lord help you if you call them “rednecks”). They walk slow, talk with heavy accents, and generously contribute to the community their family has been a part of for generations. They seem quite tame, huh? Well, they also cut babies out of pregnant women’s bellies and sell drugs out of bibles, so… Seriously, don’t call them “rednecks”.
Ozark is cleverly written, with humanizing dialogue, sharp twists in fate, and consistent characterization. Plus, Bateman's natural and undeniable humor resolutely shines through in what is a pretty dark show. If you'd like to know more than you ought know to about “washing money”, and you have approximately ten hours to spare, then give this series a watch. You won’t be disappointed.
Bonus: I didn’t notice this at first, but each episode begins with the letter ‘O’, inside of which four images directly related the episode’s plot spell out ‘ZARK’. Pay attention to these!
