An American Crime

An American Crime has quietly become one of the more dependable crime dramas currently available in Australia on Amazon Prime Video and Hoopla, and in the US on Amazon Prime Video and fuboTV. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. With 777 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Elliot Page leads a cast that carries the story without ever feeling mechanical. Put it on tonight on Amazon Prime Video and see for yourself.

There is a reason An American Crime keeps coming up in conversation. The plotting gives An American Crime its backbone, but it is the characters you come back for. The true story of suburban housewife Gertrude Baniszewski, who kept a teenage girl locked in the basement of her Indiana home during the 1960s. Elliot Page and Catherine Keener lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2007. What distinguishes the best crime dramas from the rest is whether the character work can carry scenes where the mystery takes a breath — An American Crime passes that test consistently. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

For anyone who wants their crime drama to earn its twists, An American Crime delivers. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Elliot Page's performance is the kind that shows up on best-of lists years later. If you have been looking for something to fill the gap left by a recently finished story, this is a reliable answer.