Gothika

Right now you can watch Gothika in Australia on Foxtel Now and Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel, and in the US on Hoopla — and it earns its twists rather than manufacturing them. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. 2,554 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Halle Berry's performance alone is worth the time investment. Put it on tonight on Foxtel Now and see for yourself.

There is a reason Gothika keeps coming up in conversation. The plotting in Gothika is tight enough that the twists feel earned rather than assembled. After a car crash, criminal psychologist Dr. Miranda Grey regains consciousness only to find that she's a patient in the same mental institution that currently employs her. She's been accused of murdering her husband Dr. Credit to Halle Berry and Robert Downey Jr. For grounding it — this is a cast that earns the twists. It was released in 2003. What makes Gothika hold up is that the resolution matters less than how the characters get there. 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, Gothika delivers. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Halle Berry anchors it, but the writing does the real work. If you are going to commit to one crime drama this month, make it this one.