Aahana Swrup
Netflix’s ‘Black Rabbit’ transports the viewers to the gritty underbelly of the lively city of New York, where danger and luck await at every other corner in equal doses. However, in the lives of the Friedken brothers, the former comes around way more frequently than the latter. Jake, the younger brother, is on the precipice of success as his restaurant, the Black Rabbit, promises to become the newest hotspot on the city’s ever-changing cultural map. Inversely, Vince, a natural harbinger of personal catastrophe, is running away from trouble.
When this fleeing inevitably brings Vince to his brother’s doorstep, well-kept masks and secrets begin to unravel, bringing out the worst and the best in both men. Thus, soon enough, they find themselves running from bookie Joe Mancuso’s dangerous thugs, as the debt over Vince’s head hangs over them like an ever-present noose. In the chaotic adventure the Friedkens undertake, their narrative manages to tap into an intrinsically authentic family dynamic. Similarly, their titular restaurant offers a realistic image of New York’s nightlife, inviting natural exploration into the story’s roots in reality.
Black Rabbit Charts a Fictional Narrative Centering Around a Realistic Relationship
‘Black Rabbit’ charts a fictitious crime drama that retains no direct inspiration from real-life people or incidents. Therefore, even though the characters in the series and their thematic narratives remain realistic and relatable, they’re a product of creators Zach Baylin and Kate Susman’s imagination. In a conversation with Netflix Tudum, the latter discussed the inciting premise of the series and said, “We (Baylin and Susman) both have siblings, and we’re interested in exploring the idea that you’re kind of one person with your sibling and (another with) someone else in the world.” Thus, this idea becomes the narrative nucleus of Jake and Vince’s story. The former starts off the story as the owner of the up-and-coming restaurant with a cool, calm, and charismatic demeanor.
Nonetheless, this image soon unravels as Vince, his older brother and partner in crime, rolls into town. In cleaning up the latter’s messes, a more raw, genuine, and subsequently chaotic side of him begins to come out. Inversely, where Vince appears to be volatile and undependable from the outside, the dedication and devotion he has for those he loves become evident in his dynamic with his younger brother. Thus, the instrumental relationship between the Friedkens became the central impetus of the story, grounding the plot in a sense of realism. These characters and their interpersonal relationship are fictional, penned by the creators and their team of screenwriters, including Carlos Rios, Stacy Osei-Kuffour, Andrew Hinderaker, and Sarah Gubbins.
Despite their fictionality, a level of authenticity remains attached to the characters and their storylines, likely influenced by the creators’ own ideas and experiences. “It’s (the show) really about these brothers who love each other but don’t match — one’s a screw-up, and the other is much more buttoned up,” Jason Bateman, who plays the role of Vince, said, sharing his insight on the series. “Everybody can relate to that. Everybody’s either got a sibling, or a friendship where you love being with one another, but it’s kind of dangerous; where that person usually gets you in trouble, but they’re really exciting to be around.” Ultimately, this universal appeal and relatability factor largely contribute to creating authentic ties between reality and the characters.
Black Rabbit Strives to Present an Authentic Depiction of New York
The Cain and Abel-esque brotherhood between Jake and Vince undoubtedly remains at the center of ‘Black Rabbit.’ Yet, one of the most eye-catching and notable aspects of the series stems from its depiction of the Big Apple as presented through the experiences of born and raised New Yorkers. This meant depicting the city through a worn-down lens, which would focus more on its well-trodden and underbelly-ish parts rather than its glitz and glamor. Co-creators of the show and spouses in real life, Zach Baylin and Kate Susman, have both found themselves living in New York at one point in their lives or another. Therefore, the show’s backdrop, which often serves as a character of its own, presented a familiar landscape.
Furthermore, Baylin and Susman, who are otherwise residents of Los Angeles, moved to New York with their family during the course of the project’s production. Consequently, the show retains a varied and authentic understanding of the city and its inner culture, highly influenced by the real-life experiences of the creators. Landmark places from Coney Island to the more niche Turkish Baths in the East Village all come together to frame the on-screen depiction of the city. In fact, during filming, which fittingly took place in corresponding real-life places, the cast and crew were eager to catch the city in its hustling and bustling glory, allowing actual traffic and crowds to blend in with their shots. Thus, Jake and Vince’s story, as it unfolds across the various streets of New York, appears intrinsically entangled with the city.
The Real-Life Location Behind the On-Screen Black Rabbit Restaurant
Much like the overarching story and the characters, the on-screen Black Rabbit restaurant is also a work of fiction. As such, the establishment, as it is depicted in the show, doesn’t exist in real life. While fans may be able to find similarly christened places, such as the one in Gujarat, India, or Bengaluru, India, they have no direct links to the restaurant in the show. However, there is an actual place that holds some connections to the titular establishment in ‘Black Rabbit.’ Jake and Vince’s winning restaurant seems to hold a link to the historic New York-based restaurant and bar, Bridge Cafe. Located in Manhattan’s South Street Seaport area at 279 Water Street, the location was employed as a primary filming spot for the show.
The Water Street site, located near the Brooklyn Bridge, found its start as a grocer’s store, first opened all the way back in 1794. Since then, it has changed faces many times, becoming a saloon, a gambling den, and even a brothel over the years. In 1979, the place was owned by the Weprin family, who turned it into a restaurant and bar named The Bridge Cafe. Unfortunately, 2012’s Hurricane Sandy took a toll on the location, which eventually went out of business in 2021. The same year, the Weprin family gave up ownership of the location. Reportedly, in April of 2024, Netflix transformed the old historical and out-of-business building into the Black Rabbit, remodeling the place into its on-screen counterpart. As such, Jake’s restaurant retains the original charm and history of The Bridge Cafe, which further authenticates its presence in the story.
Read More: Is Task Based on a True Story?
You must be logged in to post a comment.