A show about how we let anger rule our lives that became a commentary on class differences and the trivial nature of our perceived values, Beef was released as a limited series back in 2023. Having exploded onto the scene, creator Lee Sung Jin re-evaluated plans and has now followed up with a second season. It follows the same touchstones, with a conflict between two couples taking centre stage. But does Beef Season 2 ultimately bite off more than it can chew?
A young, naive couple bear witness to an alarming altercation between their boss and his wife, which develops into a series of (occasionally) coordinated power moves of intimidation and blackmail. Meanwhile, the country club in which the plot is set is bought by a Korean billionaire, forging its own set of issues. The game of chess that erupts is one that forces these characters into the deepest and darkest corners, exposing their very worst demons for all to see.
What makes Beef rare is its actors. Oscar Isaac and Carey Mulligan star in the roles of Josh and Lindsay, a couple jaded by their unfulfilled life together. It’s clear early on that the pair had plans grander than the reality of their situation, which sees Josh struggling for money and his future foggy due to the recent acquisition of the club by Chairwoman Park (Youn Yuh-jung). Isaac bolsters the unsteady nature of his character, dialling up the anxiety of an unravelling situation he can barely control. Mulligan acts as his counterpart and foil simultaneously, searing her offenders with sharp words that could only be conjured by a Brit.
They are contrasted by Cailee Spaeny and Charles Melton as Ashley and Austin, a freshly engaged couple who put the ‘dependent’ in ‘co-dependent relationship’. Spaeny has the most opportunity to set herself apart from the crowd, and she grabs it with both hands, delivering a fantastic performance wracked with emotional distress. Melton brings the rip-roaring humour to the narrative with a himbo energy that could put even Fred Jones to shame, and it’s a shame it’s all sourced with one character, but Melton pulls it off so excellently that he is just a joy to watch. Austin begins as caring and clueless, but this slowly dissolves into something else entirely—the transition of which Melton guides effortlessly.
The only gripe that could be had with some of these characters was that their actors may not have been given enough meat on the bone. While Spaeny had a story that lent itself to extreme emotion, an actor like Isaac is only afforded one moment where we get to see him really shine as we know he can, and sadly, Mulligan isn’t offered such a scene to chew on. However, the backdrop these characters are set against is wonderful to look at. Much like the first season, the cinematographer has a focus on beautiful views and colours to directly contrast the tumultuous character arcs taking place. James Laxton makes this a seamless transition from Larkin Sieple on Season 1.
Beef’s integral story is all in the name. This is executed perfectly in season one, with a road rage between two people spiralling into a one-on-one war that tears people apart and, oddly, brings them together, too. Season 2 has a harder time. Focusing on two couples creates four times the conflict, so not only are we dealing with two couples, we’re following four individual people who all have complex and differing relationships with each other. That’s a lot more ground to cover. Often, it feels the weight of these relationships buoys the narrative, making it hard to encompass everything that’s happening at once and limiting the characters from achieving their full potential. We also see much less of the back-and-forth battle between them due to these ties.
Themes of cultural identity, childhood upbringing, and capitalism are all wrapped up in the tangled web of spite. On the surface, viewers are watching a Gen-Z couple worry about money and the future, but Beef shows us that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Josh and Lindsay are, on the outside, a perfect couple taking in money from a rich country club, but they have problems of their own. This is a strong point to pin the plot on. Capitalism is mentioned time and time again, but the narrative feels so unfocused that it doesn’t seem to finish the thought. A few ideas introduced to the story aren’t fully developed, making it feel unfocused.
While Beef Season 2 may not have as much intrigue as its predecessor, it does deliver an often enjoyable, rage-filled look at what misplaced anger can do to relationships. The cyclical nature of life, as spotlighted here, prompts viewers to analyse their own knee-jerk responses to certain situations and the effects they can have on those around them.
★★★ 1/2
Streaming from April 16th / Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Cailee Spaeny, Charles Melton, Youn Yuh-jung / Netflix
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