The Billy Bob Thornton-led series Goliath, which follows often abrasive, but always brilliant lawyer Billy McBride as he tackles dangerous cases along with his own demons, comes to a close with its 4th and final season now available on Prime. While it began as a well-written, but more straightforward procedural law drama infused with Thornton’s unique brand of charisma and humor, it proceeded to add more eccentric elements with each subsequent year, before finally culminating in what should be considered a near perfect final season. It ends with Billy taking on the biggest case of his career while fighting a much more personal battle in his dreams. It’s beautiful and smart, and even though it doesn’t bring every loose end to a perfect close, it doesn’t need to.
Following the shooting that ended last season, we find Billy in Chinatown, treating the physical and mental repercussions of that night with various teas consisting of “awful leaves” prescribed by a doctor of sorts and provided at the Golden Dragon bar below his apartment. The drab place where he’s staying is being paid for by the firm where Patty (Nina Arianda, Midnight in Paris) currently works after he is brought in to help negotiate settlements with several pharmaceutical companies accused of knowingly marketing addictive pain medications. Billy is taking over for Tom True (Elias Koteas, Thin Red Line) who has gone missing since starting the lawsuits. Following the death of his daughter, who had become addicted to painkillers after a cheerleading accident, Tom became consumed with taking down Big Pharma, before fearing for his life and vanishing.
While Thornton remains the unquestioned star of the show, and nobody could possibly fill his role better, there have been several very strong performances across the series, and some of the best come this season. Jena Malone joins the cast as Samantha, the managing partner at Margolis & True, which was left to her by her father. She is tremendous, balancing strength and vulnerability as she battles MS and tries to ensure the firm receives large settlements from these cases. She’s a difficult character to root for or against, but her presence on screen is undeniable from the first conversation she has with Billy.
J.K. Simmons elevates anything he is a part of, so it’s no surprise how good he is at portraying George Zax, the ruthless head of Zax Pharmaceuticals. He even gets to show off some of the well-documented gains he’s been making at the gym and put on a musical number that surpasses anything seen in that Cinderella reboot. Additions like Brandon Scott, Clara Wong, and Robert Patrick, among others, deserve praise for their performances, as does the often-lauded Bruce Dern as Billy’s mysterious neighbor.
As expected for a series finale, we get to see the majority of the key players from the past return in some fashion, and thankfully that includes Brittany Gold (Tania Raymonde, Lost) who has become a successful PI in Chicago but always has time to help Billy. Her unique relationship with him is different than what he shares with anyone else, and they are great on screen together. Patty, of course, is a huge part of the case and so Arianda has close to equal screen time with Thornton, and for good reason. There are few characters more enjoyable to watch, as she never holds back from saying what she’s thinking, and gives as good as she gets from anyone. Arianda must have had the best time portraying Patty, with great dialogue, and the perfect comedic timing to match, along with rare moments where you see her let her guard down.
The cinematography was the highlight of Season 3 of Goliath, but the story at times was too convoluted, as it was often difficult to separate reality from delusion. This time, cinematographer Jeffrey Greeley along with the directors created something truly remarkable, never settling for anything rudimentary and using long takes, reflections, high-angles, and the beauty of San Francisco for establishing shots. The acting in the series is always top-notch, but the way it is captured this season is better than anything in recent memory. They do a great job portraying the fantastical elements of Billy’s dreams and visions in a way in which they can be easily deciphered as a whole story of its own. The only time things are scaled back is for the courtroom scenes, where they are content to strip much of the color and allow the focus to be on the deliberations and the mundane setting. The sheer number of shots that take you back is astounding, from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Hotel Halcyon rooftop to filming from outside of a trolley car; it all simply looks great.
You would think that someone like Billy would want some separation from high-profile cases with unusual circumstances, considering he took a bullet for a case he did pro bono, but it’s clear where he feels he makes a difference. Aside from just that, it’s really all he’s got, as we learn he has pushed away most of the people that care about him, including his daughter Denise (Diana Hopper, Bit). So, he’s going to give this case his all and ensure those that stand to profit from the abuse of pain killers are held accountable, even if he has to blow a 900-million-dollar settlement and get himself fired to do it.
The final season of Goliath is as close to a perfect send-off as any fan of the series could ask for. It has as riveting a court case as the show has seen, cloaked in mystery and deceit. Great writing, and an immensely talented ensemble cast, again led by Thornton who remains flawless. It provides satisfying levels of closure to not only this season’s events but also to some prior storylines without feeling forced, and it brings things full circle for Billy. Best of all, visually, it hits a new high, looking as nuanced on screen as Billy does in the courtroom. It’s a shame to not get to live with these characters anymore, but it’s hard to object to them going out on top.
Goliath Season 4 is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
