Eros

If you want romantic drama that respects your intelligence, Eros is available on streaming right now. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. With 148 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Gong Li is the anchor, and the chemistry with the rest of the cast carries every scene. Put it on tonight and see for yourself.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Eros earns its spot. Eros treats its central relationship as something worth taking seriously. A three-part anthology about love and sexuality: a menage-a-trois between a couple and a young woman on the coast of Tuscany; an advertising executive under enormous pressure at work, who, during visits to his psychiatrist, is pulled to delve into the possible reasons why his stress seems to manifest itself in a recurring erotic dream; a story of unrequited love about a beautiful, 1960s high-end call girl in an impossible affair with her young tailor. Gong Li and Chang Chen lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2004. Eros understands that tension needs a believable reason to exist, not just narrative convenience. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Eros is ideal for viewers who want romance served with real character development. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. The chemistry Gong Li brings to it is the engine that drives everything. A rarer quality than it sounds — earning the romantic beats rather than assuming them.