Jude Law and Jason Bateman are brothers in deep trouble in a snappy, fast-talking thriller, and the return of Kaitlin Olson’s lovably sweet crime drama. Plus: the new adult animation from the makers of Rick and Morty!
Not so much Black Rabbit as Black Sheep, as Jude Law’s New York bar-restaurant owner Jake finds his business, and eventually life, turned upside down by the sudden reappearance of his no-good brother Vince (Jason Bateman). Jake is just about getting by, running the titular nightspot and looking to take it upmarket – as we meet him, he’s sweating on the verdict of a prominent food critic. But Vince has a target on his back: he owes money to bad people and Jake is his last resort. It’s snappy, fast-talking trash but with an undercurrent of fraternal tenderness that lends it a dimension beyond the generic – Jake may not want his brother in his world but he doesn’t want to throw him to the wolves either.
Netflix, from Thursday 18 September
“Welcome to the Undervale. We know about the smell, and we’re trying.” With a voice cast including Will Forte and Eliza Coupe, this adult animation (from the makers of Rick and Morty) revives the spooky holiday hotel trope to amusing effect. The premise isn’t a million miles away from Ghosts – the phantoms wandering the corridors of the Undervale do their best to be scary but generally fail. Instead, owner Katherine, who is attempting to run the place with her formerly estranged brother Nathan, tries to promote the apparitions as a feature. Inevitably, the spectres aren’t as biddable as she’d like.
