The Good Son

If you want a crime drama that treats its mystery as more than a puzzle, The Good Son is available in Australia on Disney Plus, and in the US on Netflix right now. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. 1,053 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Macaulay Culkin sets the tone, and the ensemble matches it scene for scene. Put it on tonight on Disney Plus and see for yourself.

The Good Son is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. At its heart, The Good Son understands what makes crime drama work — character first, plot second. A young boy stays with his aunt and uncle, and befriends his cousin who's the same age. But his cousin begins showing increasing signs of psychotic behavior. Macaulay Culkin and Elijah Wood lead a cast that gives the tension real weight. It was released in 1993. What makes The Good Son hold up is that the resolution matters less than how the characters get there. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

For anyone who wants their crime drama to earn its twists, The Good Son delivers. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Macaulay Culkin's performance is the kind that shows up on best-of lists years later. If you have been looking for something to fill the gap left by a recently finished story, this is a reliable answer.