Lawman

Lawman is currently streaming in Australia on MGM Amazon Channel, and in the US on fuboTV and MGM+ Amazon Channel, and it rewards the patience it asks of you. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. Its 7/10 TMDB score, built from 137 ratings, reflects a title that consistently delivers. Watch it for Burt Lancaster — one of the stronger performances out there right now. Put it on tonight on MGM Amazon Channel and see for yourself.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Lawman earns its spot. Lawman trusts its audience to sit with discomfort instead of resolving it too quickly. While passing through the town of Bannock, a bunch of drunken cattlemen go overboard with their celebrating and accidentally kill an old man with a stray shot. They return home to Sabbath unaware of his death. Bannock lawman Jered Maddox later arrives there to arrest everyone involved on a charge of murder. Burt Lancaster and Robert Ryan lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1971. What elevates Lawman is a refusal to let any character off the hook too easily. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Drama fans who appreciate slow-burn storytelling will feel right at home with Lawman. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. Short enough to finish in one sitting, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Burt Lancaster is the centre of it, and it is one of their strongest performances on record. The patience it asks of you early on is paid back with interest.