[BEEF REVIEW] The series is a fun and entertaining revenge story!

BEEF The 10-episode Netflix series from A24 tells the story of two people who let a road rage incident burrow deep into their minds and slowly consume their every thought and action, leading to their eventual downfall and the impact on those around them.

Note: This article has been translated from Thai to English, I apologize if there are any mistakes/errors.

BEEF REVIEW (No spoil)

It appears that A24 is drawn to directing stories about Asian characters who have come to live in America, as this is another work following “Everything Everywhere All At Once“, which was awarded Best Picture at the Oscars in 2023. The film also addresses the challenges faced by Asians growing up in America, an issue that continues to be prevalent in their latest production.

The title still features the Chinese female protagonist, Emily (played by Ali Wong, who is paired with a Korean man, Danny Cho (played by Steven Yeun), and also has a Japanese husband added to the mix. This means that the main characters are of different Asian ethnicities, and they represent ethnic groups with a history of conflict that persists to this day. These small conflicts start as road rage incidents that escalate into revenge plots involving the characters’ identities. It starts with petty teasing to vent frustration, but eventually, the situation spirals out of control, and it becomes too big to contain. It is clear that those who have to deal with the aftermath are not just the couple but the people around them who are mostly unaware of the situation.

The thing that this story does well is to write a script that gradually adds reasons for every action, allowing the audience to believe in the story as it becomes more and more intense. It is unpredictable what will happen next, much like a real-life tragedy that can occur unexpectedly. Cases of fatal accidents or physical assault due to reckless driving are already common in real life, but this story expands on the details from all angles that lead to the occurrence of the incident, from the small triggers that arise from one’s mental state, social status, mistakes made in life, and childhood traumas that affect one’s ability to control emotions as an adult. They easily lose their temper and tend to use violence to solve problems. However, it may only be a matter of time before they encounter the hellish moments of life.

This story is filled with anger, revenge, hatred, and a never-ending quest for vengeance. However, it doesn’t go down the path of intense stress, but instead takes a humorous approach to the pain of the characters in every episode. Even though the story may become dark, it still contains clever humor that can make you laugh unexpectedly, and it’s always smart humor, not just dirty or 18+ jokes

And it is certain that the actors themselves played exceptionally well. Both lead actors portrayed their passionate, fun, and joyful emotions excellently, getting carried away with their own actions like mentally ill people living normal lives. There is still a family drama that brings tension and anxiety to both of them, but there are also touching moments that are inserted into the story.

In summary, this is a series that maintains A24’s signature indie style, but the plot is easy to understand and entertaining without requiring much interpretation. It is full of unpredictable and cleverly humorous twists, and viewers are guaranteed to laugh with joy at the couple’s vengeful scenes, which involve Chinese and Korean elements and escalate into violent drama beyond the original cause. However, the entire story still manages to end beautifully with a lesson that could happen to anyone in real life.

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