The Killing of a Sacred Deer

If you want a crime drama that treats its mystery as more than a puzzle, The Killing of a Sacred Deer is available in Australia on Stan and MUBI, and in the US on HBO Max Amazon Channel and Cinemax Amazon Channel right now. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Colin Farrell's performance alone is worth the time investment. Available now on Stan — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

The Killing of a Sacred Deer is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. The Killing of a Sacred Deer treats its mystery as a means, not an end in itself. Dr. Steven Murphy is a renowned cardiovascular surgeon who presides over a spotless household with his wife and two children. Lurking at the margins of his idyllic suburban existence is Martin, a fatherless teen who insinuates himself into the doctor's life in gradually unsettling ways. Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman lead a cast that gives the tension real weight. It was released in 2017. The Killing of a Sacred Deer is at its best in the quiet scenes between the plot beats, where the character work actually happens. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

If you cannot walk away from a good mystery, The Killing of a Sacred Deer will keep you hooked. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Colin Farrell carries scenes that would sink a lesser production. The resolution feels inevitable rather than arbitrary, which is rarer than it sounds.