Emily the Criminal

If you want a crime drama that treats its mystery as more than a puzzle, Emily the Criminal is available on streaming right now. The runtime earns every minute, with nothing here that feels like padding. 1,026 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Watch Aubrey Plaza work — the performance is a masterclass in restraint. Start it whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Emily the Criminal earns its spot. Emily the Criminal treats its mystery as a means, not an end in itself. Desperate for income, Emily takes a shady gig buying goods with stolen credit cards supplied by a charismatic middleman named Youcef. Seduced by the quick cash and illicit thrills, they hatch a plan to take their business to the next level. Aubrey Plaza and Theo Rossi lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2022. What distinguishes the best crime dramas from the rest is whether the character work can carry scenes where the mystery takes a breath — Emily the Criminal passes that test consistently. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

For anyone who wants their crime drama to earn its twists, Emily the Criminal delivers. 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. Aubrey Plaza carries scenes that would sink a lesser production. The resolution feels inevitable rather than arbitrary, which is rarer than it sounds.