Bohemian Rhapsody

If you want a drama that takes its characters as seriously as its plot, Bohemian Rhapsody is available in Australia on Netflix and Disney Plus, and in the US on fuboTV right now. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. Its 8/10 TMDB score, built from 17,854 ratings, reflects a title that consistently delivers. Watch it for Rami Malek — one of the stronger performances out there right now. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Netflix.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Bohemian Rhapsody is worth clearing space for. Character-driven storytelling at its most effective — Bohemian Rhapsody earns every emotional beat it goes for. Singer Freddie Mercury, guitarist Brian May, drummer Roger Taylor and bass guitarist John Deacon take the music world by storm when they form the rock 'n' roll band Queen in 1970. Hit songs become instant classics. When Mercury's increasingly wild lifestyle starts to spiral out of control, Queen soon faces its greatest challenge yet – finding a way to keep the band together amid the success and excess. Rami Malek and Gwilym Lee lead a cast that treats the material with real seriousness. It hit screens in 2018. The writing trusts the audience to sit with ambiguity rather than wrapping everything up in a tidy conclusion — it is the approach that separates good drama from great. It rarely drops the ball, and when it does, it recovers fast.

Viewers drawn to character-driven storytelling will find plenty to sit with in Bohemian Rhapsody. If you have run out of similar titles to watch, this is a strong next pick. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Rami Malek anchors a cast that never overplays its hand. The kind of drama that stays with you well after the finale.