Mapplethorpe

Looking for a drama that respects your time, available in the US on Netflix and Philo, and in the UK on Amazon Prime Video? Mapplethorpe is a real answer. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. 36 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Watch it for Matt Smith — one of the stronger performances out there right now. Start it on Netflix whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Mapplethorpe is worth clearing space for. Mapplethorpe trusts its audience to sit with discomfort instead of resolving it too quickly. A look at the life of photographer Robert Mapplethorpe from his rise to fame in the 1970s to his untimely death in 1989. Matt Smith and Marianne Rendón lead a cast that treats the material with real seriousness. It was released in 2019. Mapplethorpe resists tidy resolutions in a way that respects how messy real consequences actually are. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Drama fans who appreciate slow-burn storytelling will feel right at home with Mapplethorpe. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Matt Smith 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.

Mapplethorpe was released in 2019, directed by Ondi Timoner. The full 102-minute film is available to watch now. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.