Klute

Right now you can watch Klute in Australia on HBO Max, and in the US on Kanopy — and it earns its twists rather than manufacturing them. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. 518 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Jane Fonda leads a cast that carries the story without ever feeling mechanical. Put it on tonight on HBO Max and see for yourself.

Klute arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. At its heart, Klute understands what makes crime drama work — character first, plot second. A high-priced call girl is forced to depend on a reluctant private eye when she is stalked by a psychopath. Jane Fonda and Donald Sutherland lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1971. What makes Klute hold up is that the resolution matters less than how the characters get there. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Viewers who think they have seen every crime drama tend to find Klute proves them wrong. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Jane Fonda carries scenes that would sink a lesser production. The resolution feels inevitable rather than arbitrary, which is rarer than it sounds.