Black Bird (TV Mini Series) WhatsHerName (2022) User Reviews

Voices trapped in yearning, memories trapped in time

[slak96u · 9/10 · 22 July 2022]

Great episode, such a surreal feel to it, just an odd tone. The entire episode, essentially, is a two person play. Nearly the entire episode consists of dialog between Taron Edgerton and Paul Walter Hauser, with brief flashbacks to childhood and that's it. It's a truly focused and well done narrative. As Jimmy learns more about Larry, his idiosyncrasies surface, he's not quite what he seemed to be over the first three episodes. At the same time, neither is Jimmy, the parallels between them, and some of the similarities are huge.

Mogwai has been doing a fantastic job with the score, had to say. Very melodic, yet industrial, a bit NIN and unmistakably 90s. It really fits the series, it's spooky but not overwhelming. Honestly one of the better series scores I've heard this year. Love it, it's truly a highlight of the production.

WhatsHerName

[bobcobb301 · 7/10 · 23 July 2022]

A well-done episode here that focused on one simple task: Larry and Jimmy talking.

We had some flashbacks, we had a big fight, but for the most part it was about the lengths Jimmy went to to try and get the confession. Simple, but effective writing.

Riot Quiet....

[MozartGod · 8/10 · 23 July 2022]

Everything's almost perfect, beside the flashbacks were too long..

And When they were eating, Larry doesn't believe James, so... James has to do something so he said a real story with feelings to build confidence with Larry... that's a good move..

.

!Wow!

[timmo97 · 10/10 · 22 July 2022]

One of my favorite episodes of television ever. The acting from the two leads is quite astonishing, and we get backstory on each that has really fleshed out their characters. Beyond that, it's just beautifully directed and perfectly paced. These last two episodes are going to be so good.

Every episode delivers

[lizziemariejb · 10/10 · 22 July 2022]

I was blown away by the pilot and have been surprised when every episode since is better than the last! . Episode 3 dropped last week and I thought they couldn't beat it, perfect acting and pacing and an ending that instantly became an all-time favorite scene with the perfect song choice. The first three chapters of Black Bird are just top notch, peak television experience.

I saw the preview for episode four, which was mostly just our two lead characters talking which I wasn't sure could completely hold the excitement of the previous chapters. Boy was I wrong in the very best way! The writing tbe acting, the direction with excellent flashbacks ... at this point for me this show can do no wrong! I cannot recommend it enough!!!

I wish it was twenty hours long, I can't get enough.

Oh and I agree with the other commenter who appreciated the music and made the connection to it sounding like Nine Inch Nails- you hit the nail on the head sir! No pun intended! Trent Reznor is a he joins at writing movie scores as we know now after a few academy award wins/noms, but to be inspired by him the score, hats off to Mogwai!!! (A sound track has been released btw...!)

There was an interesting musical choice at the end of this episode ... you will know it when you hear it. It just works!

Everything about this show works!

Amazing episode

[mikeballa2001 · 10/10 · 23 July 2022]

This series has been great so far! Each is like a build up. Apple TV is killing it. Feels like Severance which is a great thing! Jimmy is getting closer haha.

Stellar Acting and Writing

[andrealschultz · 10/10 · 24 July 2022]

Paul Walter Hauser and Taron Egerton are amazing in this episode! They both need to win all of the awards for their performances on this series. Amazing! Mr. Hauser's acting in particular is terrifying in its creepiness.

Masterpiece

[moviesfilmsreviewsinc · 10/10 · 12 August 2022]

Those disparate childhoods are introduced in the opening moments of "WhatsHerName", with that killer Mogwai score in the background. In the early seventies Larry and Jimmy were living completely different lives. Larry was thrust into the family business of grave digging, with a horrid father forcing him to dig up dead bodies to feast on their belongings. Whilst Jimmy was enjoying football practice with his inspirational father. They couldn't have been further apart. Jimmy starts to hunt around in Larry's unattended cell. He believes without a shadow of a doubt that Larry is the murderer they suspect he is, but still needs some proof. Any evidence Jimmy uncovers will help, but Larry's cell appears harmless on first glances. There are photographs on the wall of re-enactments and sports cars, he has ordinary books and figurines on his shelves. It's only when Jimmy delicately flicks through a stack of magazines that he unearths the jackpot in debauchery. Larry has doodled over the adult mags, defacing the women. Then Jimmy finds haunting drawings of murder and torture hidden inside. Larry is ordered to take the rings and jewelry from a corpse and even has to chop off a finger to retrieve a wedding band. The innocent teen hates the job at first, but slowly starts to enjoy the time spent with his father and the peaceful night air. In the end he keeps the finger as a memento of the occasion. Jimmy's flashbacks take a sinister turn as well, with his father leaving and a horrible man replacing him. His mother's new boyfriend beats Jimmy, his mother and brother. It's a sharp detour from the sweet memories of football with his dad. Whilst they clean the cafeteria, the inmates engage in more conversations, with Larry slowly opening up to Jimmy. They discuss their High School years, pets and murder. Larry sees the world in an odd way, finding no issues with eating a pet or desecrating a corpse. Jimmy continues to push the killer for a confession, but feels repulsed by some of the things Larry comes out with. There is no doubt he has raped and killed many women, yet Jimmy still has no official confession to use.

What's really spooky about this show is...

[feargal-91558 · 9/10 · 24 July 2022]

How Taron Egerton looks like jake McLaughlin. So in the climatic scene we see Larry talking to his brother Gary and they're about the girls they met and all that . Yet it's like as if Larry is talking to James yet again. Is this deliberate on the part on the filmmakers or am I just imagining things ? Guess we will find out.

Friends?

[dannylee-78082 · 7/10 · 30 August 2022]

Goodness, Larry is creepy. The subtleties in Jimmy and Larry's interactions are written really well. I love that they incorporated each other's childhood into the writing so that they have some common ground. Because of the riot, they had an opportunity to somewhat bond and share who they are, some with lies and some with truth. Love that both of these characters are explained pretty well and one can somewhat justify why they are who they are. I feel like that's the case with a lot of true crime shows but I feel that "Black Bird" accomplishes that more smoothly. I also am glad that they did not opt into a potential cliche where Jimmy saves Larry during a dangerous moment in the riot or something like that. Rather, it's portrayed as a deeper character dive into two completely different yet similar human beings. 2 episodes left and I am curious to see how they wrap this up!

bad writing and bad acting took away from great episode

[emperorsclothes · 22 July 2022]

...the scene with young Jimmy and his mother where he has a bloody nose. The writing was terrible and the mother's acting was sooo bad... so direction and editing have to take blame too.

back to form

[nerrdrage · 9/10 · 6 January 2024]

After starting to lose faith in this series because of gaping plot holes opening up, this episode is a return to the strong form of earlier episodes.

Regardless of the sketchy plot manipulations needed to put these characters where they are, the real meat of this series is the relationship between Jimmy and Larry, and how it evolves. It's almost inevitable that Jimmy will slowly see the disturbing parallels between his life and Larry's, and sympathize with him more, as Larry's disturbing childhood is revealed.

The prison riot was also depicted very harrowingly, nice job there. And it's interesting seeing Larry take charge of the cleanup crew like he's a Civil War general, not just a guy who has the sideburns.