Assassins

If you want a crime drama that treats its mystery as more than a puzzle, Assassins is available on streaming right now. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. 1,727 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Watch Sylvester Stallone work — the performance is a masterclass in restraint. Available now — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Assassins earns its spot. The plotting gives Assassins its backbone, but it is the characters you come back for. Assassin Robert Rath arrives at a funeral to kill a prominent mobster, only to witness a rival hired gun complete the job for him -- with grisly results. Horrified by the murder of innocent bystanders, Rath decides to take one last job and then return to civilian life. But finding his way out of the world of contract killing grows ever more dangerous as Rath falls for his female target and becomes a marked man himself. Sylvester Stallone and Antonio Banderas lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1995. Assassins is at its best in the quiet scenes between the plot beats, where the character work actually happens. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Crime and mystery fans will find exactly what they are after in Assassins. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. Sylvester Stallone anchors it, but the writing does the real work. If you are going to commit to one crime drama this month, make it this one.