MovieChat Forums > Ozark (2017) Discussion > Laura Linney: An Acquired Taste

Laura Linney: An Acquired Taste

posted 6 years ago by ecarle (14979)
17 replies | jump to latest

SPOILERS for Ozark(both seasons)

I've read some reviews of "Ozark" in which bountiful praise is heaped upon how great Laura Linney is and what a bonus she is for this show. After all, she has been in quite a few "movie movies" and proved her chops on the big screen.

I recall her in "Love Actually," the 2003 masscult favorite where her character's attempts to find love(and sex) with the office hunk are continually thwarted by her love for the mentally ill, institutionalized brother whose every cell phone call she answers. It was the main "sad story" amongst all the happy endings in the film and it was indeed driven by Linney's trembling, angst-ridden, flibbergibbet presence(not to mention a willingness to do nudity, which has been matched, a little bit, in her sex scenes in Ozark.)

I found Linney a bit hard to take in Love Actually, and here she is 15 years later doing roughly the same act on Ozark. Oh, but with a scheming, evil undertow -- and she's got THAT on her resume too -- she was pretty evil as gangster Sean Penn's wife in Eastwood's Mystic River(also from 2003. I guess that was her very good year.)

I "get" Linney's character, now, I think. Compared to her husband, relatively decent Jason Bateman(who is desperately plotting to escape the cartel world), Linney rather likes the cartel world and looks forward to being a power player within it. She's also clearly the more ruthless of the Byrdes (for now -- Marty might change himself in a season or two.)

So...all granted, character-wise.

But there's just something about Linney that grates on me in this particular part.

I think part of it is how Linney approaches every scene the same in which she manipulates the hapless fools around her: with a sweet, homey grin that breaks into a beaming smile and a sisterly/motherly attitude towards her prey.. The problem: I don't believe the act. Linney's Wendy is usually so "overdone" in her sweetness when she comes out to get what she wants that not only is it no surprise when she ends up in a "power mode"(threat, blackmailing), but she seems so FAKE during the "nice part" that I can't believe all these people who believe her.

I don't know how to fix it. Its how Laura Linney acts nowadays, its her persona and its what she sells as an actress(her facial expressions, her line readings)...and a lot of her fans and critics buy it.

Not me. But it there may be a point to it after all: the series seems to be mutating into one where Wendy/Linney's quest for power and dominance in the crime world makes her scary to all around her. She's doing THAT right with her acting choices(even if the actress playing Darlene Snell has already taken that menace up a few notches with her psychotic rage and her dark-circled, crazy-angry eyes.)

I guess I don't much like Linney in the role, but I defer to those who do.

PS. With male characters like Buddy, Jacob, the FBI guy and Ruth's dad dropping like flies, could "Ozark" be becoming a "female empowerment" tale? Wendy, Darlene, the female cartel lawyer and Ruth are all candidates to take over the organized crime, and the series, with one or more of them coming out a winner. Bateman's Marty better watch his back...and his coffee.

PPS. Marty's character may have started out as a financial advisor/numbers cruncher, but Wendy's background as a poltical campaign consultant seems to have given her the corrupt, take-no-prisoners attitude to thrive as a crime boss. Its a good theme of the show.

[–] ASACWHITE (411) 6 years ago

She was good in primal fear also but damn she's aged horribly

[–] brux (14666) 5 years ago

A lot of wives do ... in fact most Americans do these days as about 1/2 of them have type-2 diabetes, smoke or drink too much.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

It's not just older women either. Younger women's skin also tends to be really bad, too much time in the sun, drinking, smoking, bad diet etc. It all takes a toll.

[–] brux (14666) 5 years ago

We are programmed by business to self-destruct before we get too old and wise enough to realize how f-ed over we have been.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

lol true although in regards to women f'd over is the case as so many of them are trying to compete with men especially in the drinking and living hard stakes. We are different whether they like hearing that or not! And if all of those things don't hit them they tattoo themselves with silly pictures to make up for it!

[–] brux (14666) 5 years ago

I really do not like to hear this kind of hostility towards women, because for 20,000 years men have had their own issues and dumped them on women. I do agree with what you said in that today the media seems to want to fit everyone into their pigeonhole and tell us what we are and what they want us to me ... but women have had the bad end of the stick for a very long time. We all get the bad end of the stick unless we have money, power or independence. I think that is what people need, all people. Get other people off our backs ... and that is exactly what our surveillance society is doing the opposite of.

But I gotta agree with your on the tattoos ... but again that is not just women. I live in the SF Bay area and it creeps me out how many people have these damn tattoos running all down their arms or all over their bodies. I really wonder what kind of families these people came from and what makes them think that is the thing to do. It makes me sad actually because it seems like graffiti, defacing one's own body. Piercings is another one.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

It's a case of Cause and Effect, we get told over and over how superior certain types of people are and how inferior others are. So it was only a matter of time before they felt a backlash. In my case I tend to just state what I observe and I do rather annoying thing of treating women like equals which they hate. But that is another thread.

Tattoo's aren't just a female thing and I agree they look awful on anyone. Today we had a major event in the state so you had women dressed up but as nice as their dresses may have been the overall look was ruined by tattoo's down their legs, upper backs etc etc I am sure it is inspired by some ill conceived objective to be an individual however when everyone seems to have them is that really unique?

And what happens when the fad dies off? These people break the rule that even the hard men of the past used to follow - No tatts on your face or hands!

[–] brux (14666) 5 years ago

>> In my case I tend to just state what I observe and I do rather annoying thing of treating women like equals which they hate. But that is another thread.

Don't want to be flippant, but do you feel the same way about African-Americans? I would hazard a guess not, but that was my point. The people connected and wired in are more wired in than ever, and the average American who's been told they are part of the in-group, assuming white male, are now starting to realize the BS they've been fed and reactions to that are anything but recognition as to what is happening.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

I'm not American so I have a different attitude to what you might be expecting due to not being American. I think it is a big topic overall and I don't adhere to the simple notions that I am expected to by the Powers that Be.

Not too sure I understand the rest of your post in the way you intended it.

[–] brux (14666) 5 years ago

I was getting at that there is a certain hostility towards women in your posts in the assumption that women do not like to be treated as equals. Of course, deconstructing that, no one should like being treated as "equals" since there can really be a lot of negativity in that, such as trying to treat children as equals, or a handicapped person ... the expectations that we are "expected" to have are programmed into us for societies benefit, not our own.

So white males are often, at least the ones in power, very adept at manipulating and lying about concepts like being treated equally. What does it mean really. I think I'd replace that with being treated appropriately with understanding and sensitivity.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Just my personal experience. They want privilege.

Oh no, not the white male privilege bit.

I'm too tired for this.

[–] hoosiergirl (209) 6 years ago

I've always loved Laura Linney, but I've never understood just why I find her so fascinating. Maybe we knew each other in a past life? I don't know, but I get so happy when I find out she has a new show or movie role.

But having said that, I find that I agree that she seems a bit off for the role of Wendy. The entire reason I started watching Ozark was because of her, but from the beginning of season 1, I found her a strange casting choice for Wendy.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

She has ALWAYS grabbed my attention. I loved her best in "Kinsey".

[–] brux (14666) 5 years ago

Are you thinking of "Maze" or is "Love Actually" a very similar movie?

Maze
>> An artist with Tourette Syndrome falls in love with his best friend's pregnant girlfriend.

I think Linney is an outstanding actress who has very interesting taste in the projects she undertakes. She is also beautiful or attractive even as she ages. To me, she works in the show, but she is not well-utilized. But I have only seen the first season, thankfully free, I think on NetFlix. I do not think I will bother to watch any more of it because of the constant blood baths and violence and threats of violence. I am not against it, but it is puffed up here for the sake of keeping viewers, and it is too unrealistic.

I liked this show in the beginning, but as it got more and more ridiculous I had a barrier come down against taking it too seriously. It's just good fun, a kind of dark comedy.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

To me she has a girl next door quality about her. She is relatable as she isn't like this glamorous type that you feel you would never encounter in real life. I guess for me that is why I have always found her attractive.

[–] [email protected] (1288) 5 years ago

I think Darlene steals the show.

[–] imatosser182 (305) 5 years ago

"PS. With male characters like Buddy, Jacob, the FBI guy and Ruth's dad dropping like flies, could "Ozark" be becoming a "female empowerment" tale?"

Yes, the women in this show are untouchable