Eyes Wide Shut

Eyes Wide Shut has quietly become one of the more dependable crime dramas currently available in Australia on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, and in the UK on HBO Max. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Watch Tom Cruise work — the performance is a masterclass in restraint. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Netflix.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Eyes Wide Shut is worth clearing space for. At its heart, Eyes Wide Shut understands what makes crime drama work — character first, plot second. After Dr. Bill Harford's wife, Alice, admits to having sexual fantasies about a man she met, Bill becomes obsessed with having a sexual encounter. He discovers an underground sexual group and attends one of their meetings -- and quickly discovers that he is in over his head. The writing gets a boost from Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, who sell every scene they're in. It hit screens in 1999. The plot mechanics of Eyes Wide Shut never overwhelm the human cost underneath them. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

For anyone who wants their crime drama to earn its twists, Eyes Wide Shut delivers. 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. Tom Cruise carries scenes that would sink a lesser production. The resolution feels inevitable rather than arbitrary, which is rarer than it sounds.