Holes

Right now you can watch Holes in Australia on Disney Plus, and in the US on Disney Plus and Hulu — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. With 1,559 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Shia LaBeouf's performance alone is worth the time investment. Available now on Disney Plus — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Holes is worth clearing space for. Holes gets the fundamentals right first, then finds room to get weird with it. After being wrongfully convicted for stealing a pair of shoes, Stanley Yelnats is sent away to Camp Green Lake, a boys detention facility where inmates are forced to dig holes all day in the hot desert sun as a form of character building. As he endures the brutal routine, Stanley begins to uncover a hidden truth behind the camp—one that connects to a dangerous secret and his family’s history. Shia LaBeouf and Khleo Thomas lead a cast that never overplays a joke. It hit screens in 2003. What keeps Holes from feeling disposable is a cast that clearly understands the material better than the format usually demands. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

For viewers who want something light without wanting something stupid, Holes respects your intelligence. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. Shia LaBeouf sets the tone, but the supporting cast is where a lot of the best moments come from. A reliable pick for any night you want quality comedy without the homework.