Air America

Air America has quietly become one of the more dependable comedies currently available in the UK on Studiocanal Presents Amazon Channel. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. A 6/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Mel Gibson is the obvious draw, but the whole ensemble earns its laughs. Available now on Studiocanal Presents Amazon Channel — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Air America is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. Sharp writing and a well-matched ensemble are what separate Air America from the crowd. Air America was the CIA's private airline operating in Laos during the Vietnam War, running anything and everything from soldiers to foodstuffs for local villagers. After losing his pilot's license, Billy Covington is recruited, and ends up in the middle of a bunch of lunatic pilots, gun-running by his friend Gene Ryack, and opium smuggling by his own superiors. Mel Gibson and Robert Downey Jr. Lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1990. The real test of any comedy is whether it is still funny once you know all the jokes, and Air America holds up on rewatch in a way that separates it from one-off curiosities. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

For viewers who want something light without wanting something stupid, Air America respects your intelligence. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Mel Gibson's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.