Early Man

If you are after a comedy that actually makes you laugh out loud, Early Man is available in Australia on Stan, and in the US on The CW and Kanopy right now. 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. Watch it for Eddie Redmayne — stay for everyone else around them. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Stan.

Early Man arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. The jokes in Early Man land because the characters underneath them are worth caring about. Dug, along with his sidekick Hognob, unite a cavemen tribe to save their hidden valley from being spoiled and, all together as a team, to face the menace of a mysterious and mighty enemy, on the turf of an ancient and sacred sport. Eddie Redmayne and Tom Hiddleston lead a cast that never overplays a joke. It hit screens in 2018. The timing in Early Man is precise enough that even the throwaway lines land on a second watch. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

For viewers who want something light without wanting something stupid, Early Man respects your intelligence. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Eddie Redmayne anchors an ensemble with real chemistry. Genuinely funny, consistently, across the whole run.