The Bricklayer

If you want a crime drama that treats its mystery as more than a puzzle, The Bricklayer is available in Australia on Netflix, and in the UK on Sky Go and Now TV Cinema right now. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. With 402 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Watch Aaron Eckhart work — the performance is a masterclass in restraint. Put it on tonight on Netflix and see for yourself.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, The Bricklayer is worth clearing space for. The plotting in The Bricklayer is tight enough that the twists feel earned rather than assembled. Someone is blackmailing the CIA by assassinating foreign journalists and making it look like the agency is responsible. As the world begins to unite against the U.S., the CIA must lure its most brilliant – and rebellious – operative out of retirement, forcing him to confront his checkered past while unraveling an international conspiracy. Aaron Eckhart and Nina Dobrev lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2023. The Bricklayer is at its best in the quiet scenes between the plot beats, where the character work actually happens. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

For anyone who wants their crime drama to earn its twists, The Bricklayer delivers. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Aaron Eckhart 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.