Black Bird Christian Review

It’s rare to come across a show that doesn’t just tell a story but invites you to live it—feel its weight, grapple with its questions, and emerge on the other side somehow changed. Black Bird, Apple TV+’s gripping six-hour limited series, is precisely that. It’s the kind of drama that doesn’t shout for your attention. It pulls you in with a quiet, undeniable force. It’s not flashy, it’s not showy, but it leaves a mark you’ll be thinking about long after the credits roll.

A Deal You Can’t Refuse

At the center of the story is Jimmy Keene, a drug dealer turned inmate, whose charm and charisma once made him the toast of his town. Now, it’s those same qualities that the FBI is banking on. They offer him a deal: transfer to a high-security prison, befriend suspected serial killer Larry Hall, extract a confession about the whereabouts of his victims, and walk out a free man.

It sounds straightforward on paper. In practice, it’s a high-stakes psychological game that could break even the toughest mind. Jimmy’s freedom depends on his ability to navigate the treacherous waters of a maximum-security prison while dancing on the knife’s edge of Larry’s dangerous unpredictability.

Performances That Cut Deep

There’s acting, and then there’s what happens in Black Bird. Taron Egerton, as Jimmy, commands the screen with a blend of vulnerability and bravado. His performance isn’t about being likable—it’s about being real. Jimmy isn’t a hero in the traditional sense, but Egerton makes you root for him because he’s trying, and trying is often more compelling than succeeding.

Paul Walter Hauser as Larry Hall is, quite simply, unforgettable. He inhabits the role with such eerie precision that it’s hard to separate the actor from the character. Larry is creepy, yes, but he’s also pitiable in a way that makes your skin crawl. Hauser’s portrayal forces you to confront the uncomfortable truth that even monsters are human.

And then there’s Ray Liotta, delivering a gut-wrenching performance as Jimmy’s father, Big Jim Keene. There’s a rawness to his portrayal—a mixture of love, regret, and desperation—that serves as the emotional backbone of the series. Watching Liotta, especially knowing this was one of his final roles, is both heartbreaking and a testament to his immense talent.

Themes of Redemption and the Shadows of Sin

If there’s one word that encapsulates Black Bird, it’s “redemption.” Jimmy’s journey is one of reckoning—not just with the system that put him behind bars but with himself. He’s forced to confront who he is, who he was, and who he wants to be.

For Christian viewers, this exploration of redemption hits close to home. It’s a story about second chances, about the messy, painful process of transformation. Jimmy isn’t seeking redemption in the spiritual sense, but his journey mirrors the Biblical narrative of dying to oneself to find new life.

Then there’s Larry Hall, a man who embodies the darkness of a world fallen into sin. The show doesn’t excuse his actions—it’s clear-eyed about the evil he’s done—but it does delve into the brokenness that shaped him. It’s a nuanced portrayal that challenges the viewer to wrestle with the complexity of human nature.

Suspense That Simmer and Burns

What makes Black Bird so compelling is its pacing. It’s a slow burn, but not in a way that drags. The tension builds steadily, like a pot of water coming to a boil. By the time the steam starts to rise, you’re too invested to look away.

The prison setting amplifies the stakes. It’s not just a backdrop—it’s a character in its own right, with its own rules, its own dangers. For Jimmy, it’s both a battleground and a crucible, a place where his survival depends on his ability to read people, to manipulate them, to stay one step ahead.

The show’s use of parallel timelines—flashing between the present-day cat-and-mouse game between Jimmy and Larry and glimpses of their pasts—adds depth without feeling jarring. It’s a reminder that our pasts are never as far behind us as we’d like to believe.

A Few Bumps in the Road

Black Bird isn’t perfect. Some flashbacks feel a bit out of place, and a subplot involving a flirtation between Jimmy and an FBI agent doesn’t add much to the story. But these are minor quibbles in an otherwise masterful narrative.

The writing, helmed by Dennis Lehane, is sharp and unflinching. Lehane, known for his work on Mystic River and Shutter Island, has a knack for capturing the messiness of the human condition. He doesn’t give you easy answers or tidy resolutions. Instead, he presents you with a world that’s as complicated and flawed as the people who inhabit it.

A Reflection of the Gospel

For Christians, Black Bird offers much to reflect on. It’s a story about brokenness—about the ways we hurt ourselves and others, and the ways we try to make things right. It’s about justice and mercy, about the tension between holding people accountable for their actions and acknowledging the circumstances that shaped them.

Jimmy’s journey is a reminder that redemption is rarely a straight line. It’s messy and painful, and it often requires us to confront parts of ourselves we’d rather ignore. But it’s also worth it.

Larry’s story, on the other hand, is a sobering reminder of the reality of sin. It’s easy to look at someone like Larry and see only the monster. But Black Bird challenges us to see the human beneath the horror—not to excuse his actions, but to understand the brokenness that led him there.

The Weight of Truth

One of the most striking things about Black Bird is its basis in reality. Knowing that these events happened, that Larry Hall is a real person, adds an extra layer of weight to the story. It’s a reminder that the battle between good and evil isn’t just something we read about in Scripture—it’s happening all around us, in courtrooms and prisons and quiet, unassuming neighborhoods.

Final Thoughts

Black Bird isn’t just a crime drama. It’s a story about what it means to be human—about the choices we make, the paths we take, and the consequences we live with. It’s not an easy watch, but it’s a worthwhile one.

For fans of the genre, it’s a must-see. For Christians, it’s an opportunity to reflect on the themes of justice, mercy, and redemption that are central to our faith.

Rating: 9/10

In the end, Black Bird is more than a show. It’s an experience—one that will leave you thinking, feeling, and, hopefully, looking at the world a little differently.