Sleeping with the Enemy

Right now you can watch Sleeping with the Enemy in Australia on Disney Plus, and in the UK on Disney Plus — and it earns its twists rather than manufacturing them. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. With 1,237 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Julia Roberts anchors it, but the writing does the real work. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Disney Plus.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Sleeping with the Enemy is worth clearing space for. The plotting gives Sleeping with the Enemy its backbone, but it is the characters you come back for. A young woman fakes her own death in an attempt to escape her nightmarish marriage, but discovers it is impossible to elude her controlling husband. Julia Roberts and Patrick Bergin lead a cast that gives the tension real weight. Sleeping with the Enemy came out in 1991. What makes Sleeping with the Enemy hold up is that the resolution matters less than how the characters get there. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Viewers who think they have seen every crime drama tend to find Sleeping with the Enemy proves them wrong. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. Short enough to finish in one sitting, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Julia Roberts anchors it, but the writing does the real work. If you are going to commit to one crime drama this month, make it this one.