The Black Phone

Right now you can watch The Black Phone in Australia on BINGE, and in the US on Netflix — and it earns its twists rather than manufacturing them. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. With 5,911 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Watch Mason Thames work — the performance is a masterclass in restraint. Start it on BINGE whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

The Black Phone is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. At its heart, The Black Phone understands what makes crime drama work — character first, plot second. Finney Blake, a shy but clever 13-year-old boy, is abducted by a sadistic killer and trapped in a soundproof basement where screaming is of little use. When a disconnected phone on the wall begins to ring, Finney discovers that he can hear the voices of the killer’s previous victims. And they are dead set on making sure that what happened to them doesn’t happen to Finney. Credit to Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw for grounding it — this is a cast that earns the twists. It was released in 2022. The Black Phone is at its best in the quiet scenes between the plot beats, where the character work actually happens. The consistency throughout is what elevates it — not every moment is the best, but none of them are a reason to stop watching.

Crime and mystery fans will find exactly what they are after in The Black Phone. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Mason Thames 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.