The Duke of Burgundy

If you want romantic drama that respects your intelligence, The Duke of Burgundy is available in the US on Philo and AMC Plus Apple TV Channel , and in the UK on BFI Player and Curzon Amazon Channel right now. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. With 379 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. You will have strong feelings about it by the finale. Start it on Philo whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

There is a reason The Duke of Burgundy keeps coming up in conversation. The Duke of Burgundy treats its central relationship as something worth taking seriously. Day in and day out, lovers Cynthia and Evelyn enact an elaborate sadomasochistic fantasy as mistress and maid. But as their ritual of domination and submission begins to turn stale, Cynthia yearns for something more conventional, while Evelyn tries to push their taboos even further. Sidse Babett Knudsen and Chiara D'Anna lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2015. The relationship at the centre of The Duke of Burgundy develops at a pace that feels earned rather than rushed for plot reasons. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

The Duke of Burgundy is ideal for viewers who want romance served with real character development. If you have run out of similar titles to watch, this is a strong next pick. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. The chemistry Sidse Babett Knudsen brings to it is the engine that drives everything. A rarer quality than it sounds — earning the romantic beats rather than assuming them.