Laura Linney is one of the very best character actresses alive, and frankly, she's the best part of "Ozark."
Bateman and the girl who plays Ruth are both fine, but Linney is the revelation here. If we're still making comparisons to "Breaking Bad," I will say that the one and only thing that "Ozark" does better is it's female characters.
In "Breaking Bad," Skylar was always thinly drawn and given the short straw, even towards the end when they tried to beef her role up. Anna Gunn did what she could, but it was essentially a thankless role. Luckily, Vince Gilligan and co. corrected that wrong with "Better Call Saul," by creating Kim Wexler, possibly the best character in either "BB" or "BCS."
In "Ozark," Linney runs the gamut. She's a knockout.
Bateman and the girl who plays Ruth are both fine, but Linney is the revelation here. If we're still making comparisons to "Breaking Bad," I will say that the one and only thing that "Ozark" does better is it's female characters.
In "Breaking Bad," Skylar was always thinly drawn and given the short straw, even towards the end when they tried to beef her role up. Anna Gunn did what she could, but it was essentially a thankless role. Luckily, Vince Gilligan and co. corrected that wrong with "Better Call Saul," by creating Kim Wexler, possibly the best character in either "BB" or "BCS."
In "Ozark," Linney runs the gamut. She's a knockout.
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