Starring: Jason Bateman, Laura Linney, Julia Garner, Skylar Gaertner, Sofia Hublitz, Felix Solis, Adam Rothenberg, Alfonso Herrera, Katrina Lenk, Veronica Falcon
The first half of Ozark's season four maintained suspense, but the cracks in the storytelling were beginning to show. The final seven episodes which conclude the series wilt under the weight of double crosses, schemes, and plans gone awry. Then, we have the final scene in which the action cuts to black before we can determine what actually happened. The cynical side of me assumes this is so we can discover what happened when the movie is made a few years from now. If you're going to end a series, end it. In these days of reboots and continuations of long-ended series galore, the idea of concluding a series for good is going the way of the dodo.
Martin and Wendy Byrde (Bateman & Linney) are close to escaping the clutches of the Navarro cartel which has undergone a leadership change since the last episode. Omar (Solis) is now serving time in federal prison while his nephew Javi (Herrera) takes over. After cutting a lucrative deal with a pharmaceutical company, Javi is soon shot and killed in a revenge killing by Ruth (Garner), who sought revenge for Javi killing her cousin Wyatt and his wife (the ruthless Darlene Snell) at the end of the last episode.
For reasons difficult to explain, Marty steps in as the temporary head of the cartel in the wake of Javi's death and Omar's imprisonment. During Marty's stay in Mexico, an attempt is made on Omar's life in prison. Marty suspects one of Omar's lieutenants of giving the order and proceeds to have him tortured then killed. This doesn't sit well with Marty, but by now he's in way too deep to have moral compunctions about anything.
How the Byrdes have any cache to make deals with the FBI or have the cartel trust them with anything is beyond comprehension at this point. The cartel should have gone looking for a money launderer who gives them fewer headaches a long time ago. The Byrdes have been able to wiggle out of one predicament after another over four seasons, but now this is treading into ludicrous territory. The performances remain the best part of Ozark. Bateman is still cool under the intense pressures on he and Wendy, while Linney has compellingly morphed from bystander to Lady Macbeth who will do anything to survive, even things which give Marty pause. But, then the writing delves into a horrific auto accident involving the Byrdes' van which is only presented to drive a point which by now is perfectly clear: The Byrdes are indestructible and can withstand just about anything, even a random car crash.
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