Watching “Beef,” the brand new collection from longtime author Lee Sung Jin produced by A24, is like observing a trainwreck. Solely, as a substitute of it being an accident that appears to return out of nowhere, two completely different drivers are working separate locomotives hurtling towards one another. They may slam on the brakes or swap to a special observe at any time, but they’re hellbent on destroying the opposite. No matter whether or not it brings concerning the annihilation of their very own life, they simply hold going quicker and quicker towards a remaining collision. But, as they get nearer and nearer, there may be the sensation that every driver could also be extra just like the opposite than they’re completely different. By the point they understand this, it could be too late to avert the approaching disaster. It’s morbidly entertaining, sure, but additionally melancholic.
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The drivers on this case, Steven Yeun’s Danny and Ali Wong’s Amy, will not be working trains. Fairly, it begins with the 2 in automobiles and getting right into a close to accident within the confines of a parking zone the place Danny was backing up, and Amy was driving by. The previous stopped on the sound of the latter’s horn, however the disaster is barely simply starting. With out ever seeing the opposite particular person driving, rage consumes them each. After Amy flips off Danny, he begins pursuing her by means of visitors. Almost getting himself and others killed, it ends along with her virtually hitting him earlier than dashing away. Danny memorizes her license plate, which he then makes use of to seek out her and get again at her. When he does so, she goes again after him, he after her, time and again, spherical and spherical. As every thing continues to escalate, what begins as a darkish comedy threatens to change into a tragedy. With each needle drop, of which there are a lot of, comes a way that issues are spiraling uncontrolled. Within the tenuous lifetime of two folks, a collection of existential truths are teased out.
The exact escalations begin out foolish, even infantile, however quickly change into one thing extra sinister. Danny urinating throughout Amy’s toilet is met along with her vandalizing his truck he makes use of for work. But these are the identical places that can change into altogether devastating, ratcheting up the strain till a grim, sinking feeling replaces the earned laughs that had been had initially. Discussing mainly any plot particulars of this is able to rob the collection of its affect as it’s a exactly constructed thriller along with being a personality research primarily based upon how far every will go. There are moments the place it looks like issues might by some means stabilize for every, just for it to explode. With each resolution Danny and Amy make to not take the numerous off-ramps obtainable to them, the extra it attracts you in. The way in which it pulls collectively is messy, in a method it doesn’t all the time have a deal with on, however the reflections dropped at life by the 2 leads make for one thing mesmerizing. Every has performed nice work earlier than, however this collection sees them actually letting free.
Each play profoundly flawed and damaged folks, able to cruelty simply as they’re compassion. Danny cares deeply for his brother Paul (Younger Mazino) although is usually harsh to him, believing that that is the one method to assist him learn to navigate a painful world. Yeun is as spectacular as ever within the function, embodying the character’s fragile emotional state in each sudden outburst. Whether or not it’s when Danny mutters inventive vulgarities to himself whereas driving or when he breaks down crying in any respect he has needed to carry, we come to know him by means of even the small moments. Simply seeing him eat quick meals or attempt to strike up a dialog with a bartender is illuminating. Although vastly completely different in presentation and pacing, it’s a character that feels just like the one he truly performed towards within the spectacular 2018 movie “Burning.” Danny is struggling to outlive, typically due to the numerous forces outdoors his management. The way in which Yeun is ready to seize that is nothing in need of riveting, simply as it’s ridiculous.
Equally, Wong brings a lot to the character in simply the little methods she responds to issues. Although much better off than Danny, Amy has solely gotten there by destroying a lot of what it’s she needed for her life. She desires to spend extra time along with her daughter June (Remy Holt) and husband George (Joseph Lee) although she nonetheless has to promote her firm so as to take action. That is the dream, however we see in her each pained expression that this won’t be sufficient to make her comfortable. As we hear a number of occasions all through the collection, “there may be all the time one thing” that may utterly strip away their slivers of pleasure. Even when it looks like Amy is on the verge of a breakthrough, we already know this may get thrown away once we see a specific look creep again throughout Wong’s face. Although her character doesn’t all the time say a lot to precise this, her silence makes all of it that a lot worse, as we are able to see her frustration beginning to boil over. When it’s launched, it may be cathartic whereas additionally being relatably demoralizing.
It’s the performances of Yeun and Wong that make “Beef” work, even because the story generally is a bit scattered the longer it goes on. This reaches a breaking level within the closing episodes that actually go off the rails, shifting from being a extra grounded collection of escalations into a very chaotic spectacle. But even because the story goes off a cliff, being in freefall with Danny and Amy is exactly the purpose. Regardless of how a lot they flounder about, there’s something stunning about seeing their descent. United by a crushing melancholy and darkness that can also be the place they’re most themselves, there’s a lingering hope being performed with in whether or not they’ll have the ability to discover a method ahead with out destroying one another. As their revenge schemes change into extra elaborate, so does the portrait being painted.
This all takes on a extra oddly candy and nostalgic tone, every factor sneaking up on the story amidst the bleakness that’s grabbing maintain of it. Because the boundaries between Danny and Amy are pulled aside, every rising extra intently entangled with the lifetime of the opposite, it is sort of a cosmic joke in how it began out with such a easy, on a regular basis altercation in a parking zone. There isn’t any getting back from this second, and, for higher or worse, seeing the duo emerge from it without end modified makes the collection into one as deeply unhappy as it’s more and more elegant.
For a narrative so outlined by folks consumed by their hatred of the opposite and, as we come to appreciate, themselves as properly, there may be simply a lot to like when all else fades away. Very like the characters themselves, it’s a collection that’s wrapped in an offended outer shell that reveals itself to have a compassionate inside that may both break away or be obliterated. At the same time as you by no means know which is able to find yourself coming to move, you’re locked in for the trip. [A-]
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“Beef” debuts on Netflix on April 6.
