Oscar

Oscar has quietly become one of the more dependable comedies currently available in the US on Amazon Prime Video. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. 576 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Sylvester Stallone sets the tone, and the rest of the cast matches it scene for scene. Available now on Amazon Prime Video — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

There is a reason Oscar keeps coming up in conversation. Oscar gets the fundamentals right first, then finds room to get weird with it. Angelo "Snaps" Provolone made his dying father a promise on his deathbed: he would leave the world of crime and become an honest businessman. Despite having no experience in making money in a legal fashion, Snaps sets about to keep his promise. Sylvester Stallone and Marisa Tomei lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1991. The timing in Oscar is precise enough that even the throwaway lines land on a second watch. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Oscar is the kind of thing you put on in the background and end up fully watching. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. Sylvester Stallone's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.