REVIEW | Beef, trending on Netflix, will be one of the best shows you watch this year

Danny Cho (Steven Yeun), a failing contractor with a chip on his shoulder, goes head-to-head with Amy Lau (Ali Wong), a self-made entrepreneur with a picturesque life. The increasing stakes of their feud unravel their lives and relationships in this darkly comedic and deeply moving series.

An eye for an eye, and the whole world goes blind. Nothing encapsulates this saying better than the lead characters of Beef - Netflix's newest hit produced by the A24 studio. It's more than just a story of revenge and rage - it delves into the worst part of ourselves, the parts we try to hide from our loved ones and the world, hoping that we'll eventually become as good as we think we are. Beef doesn't want you to pick sides. It wants you to stare into the abyss and hope you don't find your own face staring back.

A series of escalating retaliations start with a simple road rage incident when Amy and Danny fatefully run into each other at the wrong time. Both are overwhelmed in their lives, finally snapping at each other as a toxic outlet for their pent-up frustrations. Their feud snakes into their everyday lives, the poisonous hate infecting those around them.

Labelled as a comedy-drama, Beef takes you on a journey of emotional contradictions, laughing as you laughed at White Lotus before slamming you into monologues about depression, internal conflicts and parental trauma. Amy is on the cusp of massive financial success, desperately trying to free herself up to spend more time with her daughter and husband. Danny is struggling to build up a construction business and fix a mistake he takes no accountability for, breaking under his family's expectations.

Neither Amy nor Danny is likeable in any way, each terrible in their own ways unique to their situations. While they pin all their failings on each other as the story progresses, they are the masterminds of their own demise, and it takes a horrible turn of events for them to come to terms with that. Darkly poignant writing weaves these philosophical quandaries into the plot with finesse and retains a clear vision of the outcome throughout every episode. It's hard to predict where these two hateful idiots will end up, keeping you pinned to the 'continue watching' button, but the end provides a well-earned catharsis.

The story is enhanced by career-best performances from Ali Wong and Steven Yeun, who respectively plays our warring leads. Wong is more known for her comedy and Yeun for his dramatic turns, but each proves their talents a hundred times over the other way around. Wong's biggest asset is her absolute control over her facial expressions, cultivating a series of differing smiles that speaks volumes louder than anything she actually says, the audience privy to the real-time repression of her emotions.

Her A+ performance is matched by Yeun's riveting portrayal of a man who surrounds himself with delusions about life and who he is as a person. He gives a masterclass performance when all these delusions come crashing down in a powerful church scene. Yeun tapped into something incredibly fragile within himself, and you'll be carried away by the vulnerability of his performance and the fervour of religious praise. I foresee both actors leaving a mark on the upcoming award season for Beef.

The show, however, doesn't just revolve around Amy and Danny. The audience catches glimpses of other characters' internal lives, the demons they struggle with and the small-cut 'beefs' they might harbour with the protagonists. It gives you a break from the self-absorbed selfishness of Amy and Danny and provides the series with a level of depth not easily attained in half-hour episodes. This is amplified through tight framing and imaginative cinematography, as indelible directing styles from Jake Schreier and Hikari melt into each other. Only in the last episode does it take a different turn at the hands of series creator Lee Sung Jin in the director's seat, matching the gravity of the plot.

The supporting cast also contributes enormously to Beef's brilliance, especially Joseph Lee in his breakout role as Amy's stay-at-home husband and aspiring artist. While framed as a foolish idiot, he gives heart to the show alongside their beyond-adorable on-screen daughter, despite some missteps that pale compared to Amy's. I also enjoyed the callous rich white lady energy imbued by Maria Bello, who emotionally manipulates everyone around her out of boredom and is a billionaire collector of things and people. Slightly more unbearable than our main leads, she adds a little seasoning to the well-done meal.

Beef is a standout show for the streaming platform and one that won't be soon forgotten. Beyond the characters, it forces an uncomfortable introspection in oneself, what might be our own worst parts, and how that might affect those around us. If nothing else, it should make you think twice the next time someone cuts you off in traffic, and hopefully, you'll send out more kindness into the world than petty spite.

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE: