Rio 2

Right now you can watch Rio 2 in Australia on Disney Plus, and in the US on Disney Plus and Hulu — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. With 3,793 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Watch it for Jesse Eisenberg — stay for everyone else around them. Available now on Disney Plus — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Rio 2 is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. Sharp writing and a well-matched ensemble are what separate Rio 2 from the crowd. It's a jungle out there for Blu, Jewel and their three kids after they're hurtled from Rio de Janeiro to the wilds of the Amazon. As Blu tries to fit in, he goes beak-to-beak with the vengeful Nigel, and meets the most fearsome adversary of all: his father-in-law. Between them, Jesse Eisenberg and Anne Hathaway carry the comedy without ever forcing it. It hit screens in 2014. What keeps Rio 2 from feeling disposable is a cast that clearly understands the material better than the format usually demands. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Comedy fans looking for a reliably funny watch will find it in Rio 2. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Jesse Eisenberg's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.