The Babadook

If you want a drama that takes its characters as seriously as its plot, The Babadook is available in Australia on Amazon Prime Video and Foxtel Now, and in the US on Hulu and Philo right now. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Essie Davis leads a cast that never overplays its hand. Available now on Amazon Prime Video — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

There is a reason The Babadook keeps coming up in conversation. The Babadook trusts its audience to sit with discomfort instead of resolving it too quickly. A grieving single mother and her child fall into a deep well of paranoia when an eerie children's book manifests in their home. Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2014. What elevates The Babadook is a refusal to let any character off the hook too easily. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

For anyone looking for storytelling that takes its characters seriously, The Babadook delivers. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Essie Davis carries the material with a performance that rewards close attention. Worth starting sooner rather than later.