Malcolm X

If you want a drama that takes its characters as seriously as its plot, Malcolm X is available in the US on Philo and Starz Apple TV Channel, and in the UK on Amazon Prime Video and MUBI right now. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. With 1,934 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Denzel Washington leads a cast that never overplays its hand. Put it on tonight on Philo and see for yourself.

There is a reason Malcolm X keeps coming up in conversation. Malcolm X takes its time building the world its characters inhabit, and the patience pays off. A tribute to the controversial black activist and leader of the struggle for black liberation. He hit bottom during his imprisonment in the '50s, he became a Black Muslim and then a leader in the Nation of Islam. His assassination in 1965 left a legacy of self-determination and racial pride. Denzel Washington and Angela Bassett lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. Malcolm X came out in 1992. The writing trusts the audience to sit with ambiguity rather than wrapping everything up in a tidy conclusion — it is the approach that separates good drama from great. It rarely drops the ball, and when it does, it recovers fast.

Viewers drawn to character-driven storytelling will find plenty to sit with in Malcolm X. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Denzel Washington 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.