Episode four of "Too Old to Die Young" continues the momentum from the previous three episodes, further cascading its characters in neon lights, blood, and surreal situations.
I'm finding it difficult to review this series without mild spoilers, so from here on out I will discuss some plot elements in more detail, which will contain slight spoilers while not ruining any specific surprises the show may or may not throw at you.
This episode more closely follows Miles Teller's character as he spirals down down a rabbit hole of violence as he partakes in his side job: murder for money. Of course, we as an audience are never sure if the people he is killing necessarily deserve what's coming to them, but the thing is, neither does he - and watching his character become increasingly conflicted over this is certainly fascinating. This fuels his desire to want to kill only people who he feels have it coming to them, and it's interesting to watch him navigate through these newfound emotions when previously his mindset toward killing was so nonchalant.
Additionally, the world feels a lot more fleshed out now, with comedy that balances the dark tone and stone-faced characters; there's a hilarious scene in particular where Miles' character is at work attending an employee meeting, and everyone around him is cheering on their supervisor as he plays the ukulele, and Miles just sits there, silent, slightly smirking at the ridiculousness of it all. It's a charming scene that works surprisingly well, showing that Nicolas Winding Refn (NWR) also has a good eye for humor.
There's a lot more action in this episode, and by action, I mean brutal murders. Of course they are all shot well, the framing so beautiful in contrast to the bloody violence. What I appreciated about the scenes of murder in this episode was that nothing felt gratuitous - it wasn't overly violent, and the camera never lingered. Also, Refn does a great job of building suspense in a number of different scenes - one scene, especially, where Miles tracks down someone he is tasked with killing is masterfully done, with visuals and sound combing together so perfectly that you'll be on the edge of your seat.
"Too Old to Die Young" is really coming together. Every episode becomes increasingly interesting, with the world of the show consistently more believable. I can now firmly say I am enjoying this show, and would definitely recommend it to others.
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