Ma

If you want a crime drama that treats its mystery as more than a puzzle, Ma is available in Australia on Paramount Plus right now. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. A 6/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Octavia Spencer's performance alone is worth the time investment. Available now on Paramount Plus — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Ma is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. At its heart, Ma understands what makes crime drama work — character first, plot second. Sue Ann is a loner who keeps to herself in her quiet Ohio town. One day, she is asked by Maggie, a new teenager in town, to buy some booze for her and her friends, and Sue Ann sees the chance to make some unsuspecting, if younger, friends of her own. Octavia Spencer and Juliette Lewis lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2019. The plot mechanics of Ma never overwhelm the human cost underneath them. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Crime and mystery fans will find exactly what they are after in Ma. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Octavia Spencer 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.