Dark Blue

This week's sharpest crime pick in the US on Amazon Prime Video and Hoopla, and in the UK on Amazon Prime Video and Icon Film Amazon Channel is Dark Blue. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. With 390 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Kurt Russell leads a cast that carries the story without ever feeling mechanical. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Amazon Prime Video.

There is a reason Dark Blue keeps coming up in conversation. At its heart, Dark Blue understands what makes crime drama work — character first, plot second. Set during the Rodney King riots, a robbery homicide investigation triggers a series of events that will cause a corrupt LAPD officer to question his tactics. The writing gets a boost from Kurt Russell and Scott Speedman, who sell every scene they're in. It hit screens in 2002. What makes Dark Blue hold up is that the resolution matters less than how the characters get there. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Crime and mystery fans will find exactly what they are after in Dark Blue. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. Short enough to finish in one sitting, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Watch Kurt Russell work — it is a masterclass in the genre. Few crime dramas earn their twists this consistently.

Dark Blue was released in 2002, directed by Ron Shelton. The full 118-minute film is available to watch now. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.