Raising Cain

This week's most rewarding drama pick is Raising Cain. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. A 6/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. John Lithgow anchors it with a performance that rewards close attention. There is no real reason to keep putting it off.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Raising Cain earns its spot. Raising Cain trusts its audience to sit with discomfort instead of resolving it too quickly. Child psychologist Carter Nix is a loving and caring family man, but under this appearance lies a dark and troubled past. Grappling with the consequences of this past on his own psyche and the influence of his returning father and violent brother Cain, Carter becomes involved in a series of murders and kidnappings. Meanwhile, his wife Jenny rekindles an old love affair, placing herself in the crosshairs of her increasingly unstable husband. The performances from John Lithgow and Lolita Davidovich give it more weight than the premise alone would suggest. Raising Cain came out in 1992. What elevates Raising Cain 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.

Viewers drawn to character-driven storytelling will find plenty to sit with in Raising Cain. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. John Lithgow 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.

Raising Cain was released in 1992, directed by Brian De Palma. The full 92-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.