Repulsion

If you want a crime drama that treats its mystery as more than a puzzle, Repulsion is available in Australia on Shudder and AMC+, and in the US on fuboTV and Brew right now. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. With 1,116 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Catherine Deneuve's performance alone is worth the time investment. Start it on Shudder whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Repulsion earns its spot. The plotting gives Repulsion its backbone, but it is the characters you come back for. Beautiful young manicurist Carole suffers from androphobia (the pathological fear of interaction with men). When her sister and roommate, Helen, leaves their London flat to go on an Italian holiday with her married boyfriend, Carole withdraws into her apartment. She begins to experience frightful hallucinations, her fear gradually mutating into madness. Catherine Deneuve and Ian Hendry lead a cast that never lets the mystery feel thin. Repulsion came out in 1965. Repulsion is at its best in the quiet scenes between the plot beats, where the character work actually happens. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

For anyone who wants their crime drama to earn its twists, Repulsion delivers. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Watch Catherine Deneuve work — it is a masterclass in the genre. Few crime dramas earn their twists this consistently.