Filth

Right now you can watch Filth in Australia on Stan, and in the US on Amazon Prime Video and fuboTV — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. James McAvoy leads a cast with real comic timing. Available now on Stan — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Filth is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. The jokes in Filth land because the characters underneath them are worth caring about. A bigoted junkie cop suffering from borderline personality disorder and drug addiction manipulates and hallucinates his way in a bid to secure promotion. James McAvoy and Jamie Bell lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2013. Filth earns its laughs from character rather than situation, which is why it does not wear thin the way pure farce tends to. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Filth is the kind of thing you put on in the background and end up fully watching. If you have run out of similar titles to watch, this is a strong next pick. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. James McAvoy anchors an ensemble with real chemistry. Genuinely funny, consistently, across the whole run.