by Charles Kirkland, Jr.
Brothers working in a trendy New York restaurant have to hustle to keep their business and each other alive in Black Rabbit.
Jake, the charismatic owner of The Black Rabbit, a stylish New York restaurant and bar, moves effortlessly between the kitchen and the floor, greeting regulars by name and recalling their favorite drinks without hesitation. With short-term goals that include glowing reviews and a Michelin star, Jake’s bigger picture is clear: expansion. But when his troubled brother Vince returns home, trailing a storm of debt, trauma, and unresolved tension, Jake’s carefully curated world begins to unravel.
Co-created by Zach Baylin (King Richard, The Order) and Kate Susman (The Order), Black Rabbit is a gripping Netflix limited series that stars Jude Law and Jason Bateman as the embattled brothers. They’re joined by a stellar supporting cast, including Abby Lee, Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, Troy Kotsur, Chris Coy, and Cleopatra Coleman. The series also features a powerhouse lineup of directors: Jason Bateman, his Ozark co-star Laura Linney, Ben Semanoff (Yellowjackets), and Justin Kurzel (The Order). Black Rabbit premiered its first two of eight episodes at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Each episode plunges deeper into the high-pressure world of New York nightlife, where ambition, loyalty, and survival constantly collide. Though the show is named after the nightclub, much like FX’s The Bear, Black Rabbit is less about the venue and more about the fractured, complex relationship between the brothers who run it. Fans of Ozark will feel echoes of that series’ tension and dark family dynamics, but with a twist.
Bateman’s Vince is the antithesis of his Ozark persona. Where Marty Byrde was calculating and composed, Vince is chaotic and impulsive, often barreling headfirst into trouble. He’s clearly talented (mostly crookedly), but without discipline or direction. Jake, on the other hand, seems to embody control and drive. Yet as the series unfolds, it becomes clear that Jake may be just as deep in the hustle as his brother; he’s simply better at hiding it.
Tension and humor are the twin engines of Black Rabbit, as familial bonds are strained to their limits. Bateman and Law are magnetic together, their chemistry pulsing through every scene, underscored by a dynamic score from Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans (Smoke, Earnhardt, Tulsa King).
Despite having multiple directors, the series maintains a tight, cohesive tone and visual style. Every episode moves with a propulsive energy—fast-paced, raw, and relentless. Even when the focus shifts to the ensemble cast, the storytelling never loses its urgency. The subplots are just as fierce, just as gritty, and just as essential.
Black Rabbit is a taut, stylish descent into the chaos of nightlife, ambition, and fractured family ties. It’s equal parts character study and thriller, anchored by two powerhouse performances and a writing team unafraid to blur the lines between survival and self-destruction.
Black Rabbit is rated TV-MA for language, violence, and intense scenes. After only two shows, it feels like it could be the next big Netflix series.
The series was initially reviewed at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2025
Grade: B+
