Ruthless

If you want a crime drama that treats its mystery as more than a puzzle, Ruthless is available in Australia on Amazon Prime Video, and in the US on Amazon Prime Video right now. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. With 142 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Dermot Mulroney's performance alone is worth the time investment. Put it on tonight on Amazon Prime Video and see for yourself.

Ruthless is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. The plotting gives Ruthless its backbone, but it is the characters you come back for. A high school coach, whose teenage daughter was murdered, takes matters into his own hands by going after the men who kidnap his students for their sex trafficking operation. Dermot Mulroney and Jeff Fahey lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2023. The plot mechanics of Ruthless never overwhelm the human cost underneath them. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Crime and mystery fans will find exactly what they are after in Ruthless. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Dermot Mulroney's performance is the kind that shows up on best-of lists years later. If you have been looking for something to fill the gap left by a recently finished story, this is a reliable answer.