Breaking the Scene (Ozark — Marital Brawl)
By: Jason Turk
Tags: Breakdown, Ozark, Screenplay, Screenwriting, Scenes

For this post, I wanted to look into the scene that got me invested into Ozark. It’s a dialogue driven scene early in the series that, in my opinion, establishes exactly the kind of show viewers will be in for.

Scene comes from: Ozark, Episode 102, “Blue Cat”

Where to watch it: Netflix

Scene Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rl1BgT-sSY

Scene Context

Marty’s drug cartel has forced his family to move to the Ozarks, and now Marty and Wendy must plan how to situate their family in this new world.

Scene Conflicts

Marty wants Wendy to listen to him and follow his lead.

Wendy to listen to him and follow his lead. Wendy wants Marty to see that he’s imperfect and that she can think for herself.

Marty to see that he’s imperfect and that she can think for herself. They both want the other to respect them.

Scene Outline

Wendy offers that she can get a job to help out the family. Marty asserts that, despite her college degree, she isn’t qualified for any real work.

Wendy asks what they’re supposed to tell the kids. Marty sarcastically offers they tell them the truth.

Wendy brings up that Marty isn’t the victim here, and Gary (her lover) was a good man who died over nothing.

Wendy begins to defend her affair with Gary, arguing that Marty was absent.

Marty orders Wendy to find a house and not to make any decisions without telling him about it.

Marty insists that the mistakes he made were caused by the stress of being cheated on by Wendy.

Marty argues that Gary is responsible for his own death. He clarifies that Gary’s death doesn’t haunt him. In fact, it brings him satisfaction.

Wendy punches Marty twice before leaving the car.

Why It Works

Loaded Introduction: The scene’s first beat isn’t anything extraordinary, yet it perfectly establishes the conflict to come. Wendy wants to help her family and is trying to establish a sense of agency. Marty doesn’t think she’s able to do anything on her own, despite her credentials. With mutual resentment efficiently established, the remainder of the scene is able to expand naturally.

Paradoxical Wants: Both characters want the other to respect them, but to say that’s unrealistic is an understatement. How is Marty supposed to respect Wendy after she cheated on him? How is Wendy supposed to respect Marty after his choices got her lover murdered? The answer is, they don’t. When wants are so deeply unrealistic, the characters have to try different techniques to get their goal, and that’s what we see here. They both become increasingly aggressive, and by the end? No one gets what they want.

Variety of Topics: When you have a scene which is all dialogue with little to no action, you need to make sure your characters aren’t just talking about one thing. This scene could’ve just been the pair of them debating what to tell the kids, or how they should continue. But what makes the scene particularly engaging is how they don’t ever harp on one thing for too long. Wendy’s talking about getting a job in one moment, and in the next she’s trying to defend her deceased lover. By avoiding lengthy explanation in any one topic, the scene never gets a chance to stagnate, meaning the audience never gets a chance to feel bored.

Monologue vs. Monologue: This scene is effectively broken down into two stints of dialogue. Wendy explains her side of things, and then Marty explains his. This simple set-up allows for astounding complexity behind each of the character’s lines and a natural expansion of each character. As they monologue, they begin to unravel and say things they really shouldn’t, thus creating engaging conflict. Wendy starts by simply wondering what to do with the kids, but ends by justifying her affair. Marty starts by telling Wendy to find a house, yet ends in celebration of her lover’s death. If the scene began with either of their final beats, it would feel nonsensical and cheap, but since each character is given a chance to emotionally elevate, their final statements come with the full destructive capacity they deserve.

Tight Space: There’s a definite feeling of claustrophobia pervading the scene, and much of that is due to the tight setting this takes place in. When you are plotting out a scene largely concerned with dialogue, the setting needs to feel appropriate. Were they having this conversation on a walk, or on lawn chairs, much of the tension is lost. In this enclosed space, we feel like these characters are trapped with one another, and thus the scene’s tension is made that much more palpable.

One-Two Punch: The last beat of this scene is astounding. Wendy punches Marty not once, but twice. A lesser scene would have the ‘explosion’ land in just one hit, but it’s the second punch that really delivers, hinting that Wendy feels no remorse for violence against Marty. Most importantly, it makes this fight feel distinct. This is a more than a toxic marriage; this is two people who hate each other, but need to work together. It’s horrifying, painful, but most of all- captivating.

In Summary…

There’s a lot that I love about this scene. It’s quick, ruthless, and a perfect encapsulation of what this show is about. Not a line of dialogue is wasted, and every moment of this two minute scene serves to build these characters who, for much of the series, will be at war with each other. As far as establishing character relationships go, it doesn’t get much better than this.