Story: Jimmy Keene is sentenced to ten years of imprisonment after telling the truth about his involvement in drug trafficking and possession of illegal firearms. Eager to get out of jail to take care of his ailing father, who just has a few years to live, he cuts a deal with the FBI to elicit a confession from a suspected serial killer.
Review: ‘Black Bird’ completely embodies the idiom that truth is stranger than fiction. Based on a real-life incident, this crime drama sits comfortably with the likes of ‘True Detective’, ‘Mare of Easttown’ and other great dramas that have been exported to the world by America though with a completely different premise. The two episodes that have been made available by the streaming platform will ensure that you will wait with bated breath for the remaining six episodes. Apart from being a great crime story what actually pushes this crime drama towards excellence is the performances by its characters. In terms of performances, there is not a single false note by its cast.
‘Black Bird’ is a 90s-based period drama and is based on the book ‘In with the Devil’ penned by the protagonist himself i.e. James Keene. The mini-series begins when James Keene is arrested by the FBI on charges of drug trafficking and possession of illegal firearms. At the court, he is under the impression that pleading guilty will sentence him to jail for only five years, but contrary to his expectation, he is awarded ten years in a maximum-security prison. At the prison, he is offered a deal by the FBI to help the agency in one of their cases and get his term nullified. Keene initially rejects the proposal, but when he gets to know of his father’s deteriorating health, he accepts the offer. Later we see him in Springfield prison, trying to elicit a confession from Larry Hall for his serial killings.
This mini thriller-drama series is an engrossing watch and if one were to even compare it with films like ‘Midnight Express or ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ or ‘Cool Hand Luke’, it’s extremely comfortable in its own skin. Based on the two episodes made available, the series veers in the direction of mind games and psychological warfare, but at no point do they look complicated and incomprehensible. It’s a story that has been adapted and told beautifully to viewers without complicating things.
The series has been executive produced by Dennis Lehane whose novels include ‘Mystic River’ and ‘Shutter Island’ – all made into films and his brilliance shines here too. Taron Egerton in the role of Jimmy delivers a marvellous performance and so does the ever-reliable Greg Kinnear as detective as Brian Miller. But the real gem of this crime drama is Paul Walter Hauser, who plays Larry Hall, accused of serial killing. It’s a subtle performance, but a very powerful performance that stays with you. One really hopes that more and more people are able to discover this fine piece of acting by Walter Hauser. It’s a morbid and haunting act by Hauser in the series and it's a foregone conclusion that he would be a darling at awards seasons next year. ‘Black Bird’ will also be remembered as Ray Liotta’s swansong and it’s truly a great bidding finale. In the role of an ex-cop and Jimmy’s father, he packs in a punch and brings forward the pathos of a disappointed, helpless but nonetheless caring father.
This crime-drama in the beginning does not reveal much and comes across as a regular storytelling, but as the story progresses, events unfold and it starts peeling layer by layer, and there comes a time when you are finally hooked. The sequences that feature Greg Kinnear happen in a small town and sometimes give a noir feel but that fails to sustain. This crime drama deals with a favourite genre of American TV – serial killing, but the good thing is it's unlike anything you have seen before.