Big Driver

Big Driver has quietly become one of the more dependable crime dramas currently available in the US on Philo and Lifetime Movie Club. 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. Maria Bello sets the tone, and the ensemble matches it scene for scene. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Philo.

Big Driver is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. At its heart, Big Driver understands what makes crime drama work — character first, plot second. Tess Thorne, a famous writer, is determined to seek revenge on the man who brutally assaulted and raped her on a desolate New England road. Maria Bello and Ann Dowd lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2014. The plot mechanics of Big Driver never overwhelm the human cost underneath them. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Crime and mystery fans will find exactly what they are after in Big Driver. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Watch Maria Bello work — it is a masterclass in the genre. Few crime dramas earn their twists this consistently.