Happy Sunday, Streamers.
Let’s start with the glaring omission from last week’s top ten. How I forgot about HBOMax’s Minx is beyond me. It more than deserved a spot, and had I not simply forgotten it, I would have definitely knocked out a certain unnamed retelling of a story we’ve heard about fifty times over. If you never got the chance to check it out, it’s a feel-good comedy on the level (ish) of Hacks, and we highly recommend it. For more on why Minx is one of the best shows this year, check out our initial coverage here.
As for this week, we’ve got a recommendation that will please both horny women (or men!) and fans of Netflix’s Mindhunter (trust me).
Now, let’s get to it.
Black Bird
Current 🍅 Rating: 98%
What It’s About: Inspired by actual events, this drama follows a convicted drug dealer (Taron Egerton) who, after being sentenced to 10 years in a minimum security prison, is given the choice of a lifetime — befriend suspected serial killer Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser) and get him to confess his crimes, or stay where he is and serve his full sentence with no possibility of parole.
Why You Should Watch: For one of Ray Liotta’s final appearances, Paul Walter Hauser’s spine-chilling performance, and an absolutely ripped Taron Egerton who will make you think twice about that extra slice of pizza (true story, I put down a slice of pizza while watching this).
Look, is this show breaking the mold when it comes to the true crime genre? Not really. Still, enough about it sets it apart from all the other dramatized depravity we have to choose from that makes it worth the watch. First and foremost would be Paul Walter Hauser, who is so good at being a creepy outcast serial killer you have to wonder where he’s pulling this from (someone check this guy’s van!). His interview scenes are just as good as anything in Mindhunter, and Taron Egerton makes an excellent foil with his usual brand of roguishly charming handsomeness. You have to wonder, though, if he really needed to be that yoked for his role as a convict/coke dealer. There’s a prevailing theory online that he insisted on making his character jacked so Marvel would see and finally take him seriously as a candidate to play the next Wolverine (and his interviews during the press tour don’t suggest otherwise). Strategic posturing aside, Egerton certainly should be credited for his serious range, considering his last major role had him singing in a peacock outfit.
In the end, though, what brings Black Bird home is Liotta. I couldn’t think of a more fitting end note for his career than playing a tough, former cop father, decimated by the fact he may have failed his son who has chosen a life of crime. It’s heartbreaking to watch Liotta’s character struggle to pull his son out of the mess he’s made for himself and, in the process, reconcile his shortcomings as a father while battling his failing physical health and mental faculties. Black Bird takes a while to get going (it’s a full hour and a half before Egerton and Walter are finally brought together), but when it does, it takes flight (sorry).
Who’s In It, and Where You Probably Know Them From:
Taron Egerton - You most likely know this pretty boy Brit from his starring role in the Kingsman franchise or, more recently, from his turn as Elton John in the musical rock biopic Rocketman. He’s also a fan favorite to be the next Wolverine now that Disney/Marvel has the rights to the X-Men franchise.
Paul Walter Hauser - Mostly known for his comic work in films and shows like I, Tonya, BlacKKKlansman, Cobra Kai, Reno 911, and I Think You Should Leave with Tom Robinson, he’s also shown his dramatic chops in Richard Jewell, a role that got him a lot of awards buzz in 2019.
Greg Kinnear - Depending on your age, you either know him as Simon in As Good As it Gets/Frank in You’ve Got Mail OR as Richard Hoover in Little Miss Sunshine. Or, for a distinct few of you, he’ll always be Captain Amazing in Mystery Men, the late 90s superhero send-up that was way ahead of its time.
Ray Liotta - An actor who recently left us much too soon, Ray Liotta had a decades-long career where he mostly played fast-talking mob/cop tough guys with a sensitive edge. His most famous role would, of course, be as Henry Hill in Goodfellas.
Who Made It, and What Else Have They Done:
Black Bird was created by Dennis Lehane, a prolific author whose books have been adapted into various movies, including Mystic River, Gone Baby Gone, and Shutter Island.
Where You Can Watch: Apple TV+