Exodus

Right now you can watch Exodus in Australia on Amazon Prime Video, and in the US on Amazon Prime Video and Hoopla — and it holds up to as much attention as you give it. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Watch it for Paul Newman — one of the stronger performances out there right now. Available now on Amazon Prime Video — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Exodus is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. Exodus takes its time building the world its characters inhabit, and the patience pays off. Ari Ben Canaan, a passionate member of the Jewish paramilitary group Haganah, attempts to transport 600 Jewish refugees on a dangerous voyage from Cyprus to Palestine on a ship named the Exodus. He faces obstruction from British forces, who will not grant the ship passage to its destination. Paul Newman and Eva Marie Saint lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1960. Exodus resists tidy resolutions in a way that respects how messy real consequences actually are. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Drama fans who appreciate slow-burn storytelling will feel right at home with Exodus. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Paul Newman's work here is the kind that gets referenced in career retrospectives. It makes everything else feel thin by comparison.