Straight Time

Straight Time has quietly become one of the more dependable crime dramas currently available in the US on Criterion Channel. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Dustin Hoffman sets the tone, and the ensemble matches it scene for scene. Put it on tonight on Criterion Channel and see for yourself.

There is a reason Straight Time keeps coming up in conversation. The plotting gives Straight Time its backbone, but it is the characters you come back for. After being released on parole, a burglar attempts to go straight, get a regular job, and just go by the rules. He soon finds himself back in jail at the hands of a power-hungry parole officer. Dustin Hoffman and Theresa Russell lead a cast that gives the tension real weight. It was released in 1978. What distinguishes the best crime dramas from the rest is whether the character work can carry scenes where the mystery takes a breath — Straight Time passes that test consistently. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Viewers who think they have seen every crime drama tend to find Straight Time proves them wrong. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Watch Dustin Hoffman work — it is a masterclass in the genre. Few crime dramas earn their twists this consistently.