Black Bird – Review [Apple TV+]

BLACK BIRD on Apple TV+ is a new limited series in six episodes. Based on a true crime and featuring stellar performances by Taron Egerton, Paul Walter Hauser, Greg Kinnear, Sepideh Moafi, and Ray Liotta. Read our full Black Bird series review here!

BLACK BIRD is a new Apple TV+ series and whatever you’re expecting, prepare to be absolutely shocked by the performances in this series. It’s a psychological thriller series with just six one-hour episodes, but it’s based on a true crime.

A FAN OF TRUE CRIME?

Check out our “true crime” tag here on Heaven of Horror to see what we’ve covered >

This story should really take your breath away. I am still haunted by many things I saw and heard in this Apple TV+ production. And I watch a lot of dark and sinister things to review.

Continue reading our Black Bird series review below. The first two episodes will be out on Apple TV+ on July 8, 2022.

Such a crazy – but true – story!

This Apple TV+ series is worth watching due to the crazy and scary true-crime case covered. However, if that isn’t enough to get you intrigued, then the cast certainly should be.

Everyone in this cast delivers some stellar and absolutely unforgettable performances here in Black Bird. Especially  Taron Egerton and Paul Walter Hauser. Taron Egerton plays the small-time (though not that small) criminal, Jimmy Keene. After receiving a 10-year-sentence, the FBI convinces him to try and help them. In exchange, he will be set free.

However, this deal also includes going from a minimum-security prison – where he’s doing pretty well – to a maximum-security prison for the criminally insane. It’s all kinds of crazy (in every sense of the word) and beyond dangerous. However, Jimmy’s dad has failing health and so Jimmy wants his freedom as soon as possible.

The suspected serial killer, Jimmy Keene (Egerton) needs to try and coax a confession out of, is Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser). If you look up Larry Hall, his full name is Larry DeWayne Hall and Paul Walter Hauser really does look like him. Also, his crimes were horrendous!

Unforgettable performances from this cast

While Taron Egerton has delivered so many great performances already. Just to remind you, Taron Egerton has portrayed such diverse real-life people as Eddie Edwards in Eddie the Eagle (2015) and Elton John in Rocket Man (2019). Still, his turn as Jimmy Keene is sure to be noticed as well.

For one, he has gained a whole lot of muscle and has a whole new attitude and demeanor. In part as the result of his new size.

And then there’s Paul Walter Hauser who also has an impressive resume of playing real-life people. From the leg-bashing Shawn in I, Tonya (2017) to Richard Jewell in Clint Eastwood’s 2019 movie of the same name. In Black Bird, he delivers a performance that I doubt I’ll ever forget. Certain scenes of him just talking still haunt me!

In other very important roles, we also see Greg Kinnear (The Stand), Sepideh Moafi (The Deuce, The L Word: Generation Q), and the late Ray Liotta (Goodfellas). The latter plays the father of Egerton’s Jimmy Keene and Ray Liotta delivers an extremely strong and nuanced performance.

Watch Black Bird on Apple TV+

The new Apple TV+ series was developed and executive produced by Dennis Lehane. If the name sounds familiar, it’s probably because he wrote several books that were adapted into very successful movies. From Clint Eastwood’s Mystic River (2003) to Ben Affleck’s Gone Baby Gone (2007), and Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island (2010).

More recently, Dennis Lehane has been adapting another huge author’s books into TV scripts. Specifically for Mr. Mercedes and The Outsider. Both series are based on books by Stephen King. He was also an executive producer on both series as well as on Shutter Island. And yes, he is also executively producing Black Bird on Apple TV+.

With Black Bird, he is also adapting a book. However, this one is the true-crime memoir “In With The Devil: A Fallen Hero, A Serial Killer, and A Dangerous Bargain for Redemption” by James Keene and Hillel Levin. Whatever you know (or don’t know) about this particular case, you do not want to miss out on this Apple TV+ true-crime series!

Black Bird premieres with the first two episodes on Apple TV+ on July 8, 2022. After that, you’ll get one new episode weekly, every Friday.

Details

Directors: Michaël R. Roskam, Jim McKay, Joe Chapelle
Writer: Dennis Lehane
Cast:Taron Egerton, Paul Walter Hauser, Greg Kinnear, Sepideh Moafi, Ray Liotta