Black Rabbit Series-Premiere Recap: To Live and Die in New York

by

Okay, so *Black Rabbit* throws you right into the action. It starts with this really striking image – a wallpaper covered in rabbits, some playful, others looking genuinely terrified. Then we meet Jake Friedken, played by Jude Law, who just looks completely burdened. You can *feel* the pressure on him, and there’s this constant ticking clock adding to the tension. Cut to outside, and we see two robbers getting ready to pull off a heist. Jake is giving a speech, a toast to the ‘Black Rabbit’ – basically, the whole crew and investors who keep this wild, indie club going – when everything explodes in gunfire. It’s a total shock and immediately sets the stage for a chaotic night.

The way America is built on risk and chance will eventually affect everyone, and that’s a common theme in many crime stories. When things get tough, even the strongest bonds between people will break as everyone prioritizes their own safety.

The first episode of *Black Rabbit* is a solid, though somewhat predictable, start to a story that focuses on a group of people and, more importantly, the complicated relationship between its two main characters. While some might question Jude Law’s Brooklyn accent, both he and Jason Bateman convincingly portray charismatic, yet troubled, brothers. They effectively capture the intense and toxic dynamic at the core of the series.

Jason Bateman directs the first two episodes and sets a consistently dark and gritty tone, visually reminiscent of his work on *Ozark*, but with some particularly striking camerawork inspired by William Friedkin. It’s a bit cheeky that the characters are named Jake and Vince Friedken – a clear nod to the late director. This stylistic choice, along with the show’s overall feel, places it among modern crime dramas that feel like they could have been major films from the 1970s, alongside classics like *The French Connection* and *Mean Streets*. Ultimately, Bateman demonstrates his ability to create a unique atmosphere, blending the sensibilities of *Ozark* and *Good Time*.

Where are Friedken and his brother, who were expected a month ago? After years of slow progress, Jake’s business, The Black Rabbit, is finally starting to thrive and could become *the* place to be in New York City – it just needs a great review in the *New York Times*. This is exciting news for everyone involved, including chef Roxie (Amaka Okafor), Jake’s close friend Wes (Sope Dirisu) – who is a musician, fashion designer, and provides financial support – Wes’ girlfriend Estelle (Cleopatra Coleman), who handles the interior design, and the popular hostess, Anna (Abbey Lee).

Anna has been strangely absent, and is about to call in sick just before a crucial event, which is making an already worried Jake even more stressed. He’s juggling a lot – he’s even had his son help him out on the way to school. He’s also meeting with his financial advisor, Naveen (Amir Malaklou), to discuss opening a new business. Jake has been given the first opportunity to buy The Pool Room at the Four Seasons. Once his current club, The Rabbit, is well-established, he plans to invest everything into renovating and relaunching The Pool Room. He tells Naveen he’s aiming for significantly higher profits with less personal effort – “Triple the customers at double the profit margin.” Ultimately, Jake feels like the promise of the American Dream has narrowed down to a precarious balance between financial success and failure.

Everything is starting to feel unstable as he builds his new business. He’s already made one mistake by overlooking the reason for Anna’s absence, and now his brother, Vince, who disappeared some time ago, has just contacted him. While the disguise might be a little over the top, Bateman delivers a surprisingly realistic performance.

Okay, so the movie throws you right into the action with Vince, a guy just trying to sell his dad’s coin collection in Reno. The deal goes south *fast* – it turns into a robbery in the casino parking lot, and let me tell you, Vince isn’t a pushover. He’s got this raw, desperate energy, like a cornered animal. Things get messy, involving a car and a lost coin collection, and he ends up back home, only to find even *more* problems waiting for him. It’s a pretty wild ride from the start.

The very first scene featuring Jake and Vince will immediately show you if they convincingly portray brothers throughout the series. While they might not be the first actors you’d cast as brothers in a gritty crime drama, they have a surprisingly strong emotional connection that’s clear from the start. Bateman perfectly embodies a fast-talking, slightly desperate character, convincingly spinning a tale about returning home due to a conflict with his girlfriend’s dangerous ex over child support. Jake, however, sees right through it, and Law brilliantly conveys the frustration of a younger brother constantly having to fix his older brother’s problems.

Vince is in debt – actually more than he admits, by around $130,000 – but Jake has good news: they’ve found a buyer for their childhood home, promising a $300,000 profit. While collecting some old clothes, Vince dramatically claims to have paid off a debt to a local gangster’s son, Junior Mancusco, with a cryptic line about a fiery passion cooling down – a line that hints at trouble ahead. Outside, Jake awkwardly tries to threaten his assistant, Anna, revealing an unprofessional closeness. Later, Vince encounters Junior and his associate, Babbitt, and ends up with a cut finger after admitting he hasn’t paid his debt. Despite all this, the night of the *New York Times* review goes well. Vince reconnects with his old friends at the Black Rabbit, seemingly without issue, though Roxy appears to be carefully watching him and Jake. The brothers need to hold things together just long enough for the house sale to finalize and Vince to receive his payout, which will inevitably be filled with turmoil.

Read More

2025-09-18 10:55