Beef Season 2 Review – Streaming on Netflix
An anthological continuation from the Emmy Award winning first series, which saw Ali Wong and Steven Yuen take a road rage incident way too far, Beef returns for a new chapter, featuring new players, in a new location, but without losing all of the awkwardly tense humour that made the first season so uncomfortably fun.
Josh (Oscar Isacc) and Lindsay (Carey Mulligan) are the new managers of an elite country club, with their every move being closely observed by the club’s billionaire chairwoman, Park (Youn Yuh-jung). The tension of their takeover, on top of other marital issues, leads to a very heated, borderline physical argument that is caught on film by Ashley (Cailee Spaeny) and Austin (Charles Melton), two workers from the club who are very much so in love and preparing for their lives together, even in the face of financial difficulties and fertility issues. But, with the video of Josh and Lindsay’s argument in their possession, the two young lovers see an opportunity to use it as blackmail to finally make their way to the top.
Once again, Lee Sung Jin has created something that manages to breakdown so many complex different issues and themes – classism, racism, the pay gap, elitism, sexism, infidelity, sexuality, infertility, health care systems, corruption, lost dogs – but with such a biting and entertaining sense of dark humour that not only makes the eight episodes of Beef fly by, but also emotional hit with impact as you watch the lives of these four people intertwine, and inevitably, spiral into pride-filled chaos as the events of the story unfold.
Lee Sung Jin and his writing team have also built a bigger world this time around, bringing in many more side characters and taking the story over to Korea, creating an even larger ripple effect of the shows indicting incident, and consequently, making the insanity that ensues go to levels that are truly wild, but doesn’t lose any of the dramatic impact of the themes that the show explores. The larger sense of scale also comes through the show’s cinematic direction and engaging cinematographer, which is again truly fantastic. Another technical standout for the show is Finneas O’Connell (best known as Finneas) and his score, which features variations of the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s Heads Will Roll, often bringing even more energy to the overall insanity.
There is such a depth to each character that is built out incredibly well throughout the series, brought to life by four phenomenal performances. Oscar Isaac balances the public-facing, nice-boss demeanour with the on-the-edge, porn-addicted, insecure man who cares more about how his power is perceived with a crazily wide-eyed tension. Carey Mulligan channels some of her Saltburn energy as the unhappy wife, but happy elite member of society who begins to self-destructively explore extra marital options. The antagonistic chemistry between Isaac and Mulligan is brilliant, and with both being well-established, renowned performers, they bring an expected gravitas to their characters while getting to play around in a heightened emotional world.
However, it’s the show’s two younger characters and stars that really get to plant their feet in all of the complex comedy of Beef. Charles Melton, who really broke out in a dramatic sense in May December, once again gets to bring a boyish charm and Golden Retriever like energy to Austin, who is the loveliest guy, but very much so to a fault. His lack of ambition clashes with Ashley’s drive to find a higher purpose, even in her young age. And their young age also fuels the honeymoon phase love that they have for each other. It’s sweet, almost sickly, but that’s the point as Austin and Ashley seem like they will do anything for each other, a stark difference to Josh and Lindsay’s relationship.
Beef’s true standout is Cailee Spaeny, who is solidifying herself as one of Hollywood’s most exciting actors, taking on challenging and engaging projects like this that allow her to play a character who goes through a large spectrum of emotional challenges, which Spaeny effortlessly brings to the screen. Spaeny commands the screen every time she appears, and Ashley’s story arc, as we watch her become slowly corrupted by more and more tastes of power, is wonderfully fascinating.
Beef’s second season takes every element from the first season that really worked – the humour, the insanity, the complexity – and brings new life to it through characters and a story that is as awkwardly funny as it is confronting and human. With a larger scale and the natural dramatic gravitas brought by the performances, it could be said that Beef’s new story exceeds the quality of its predecessor.
Beef Season 2 premieres on Netflix April 16
Binge. play. Watch. Repeat.
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