The Loft

Right now you can watch The Loft in Australia on Amazon Prime Video, and in the US on Amazon Prime Video and Shout! Factory Amazon Channel — and it earns its twists rather than manufacturing them. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. 1,584 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Karl Urban anchors it, but the writing does the real work. Put it on tonight on Amazon Prime Video and see for yourself.

The Loft arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. The plotting in The Loft is tight enough that the twists feel earned rather than assembled. For five men, the opportunity to share a penthouse in the city -- in which to carry on extramarital affairs -- is a dream come true, until the dead body of an unknown woman turns up. Realizing that her killer must be one of their group, the men are gripped by paranoia as each one suspects another. The writing gets a boost from Karl Urban and James Marsden, who sell every scene they're in. It was released in 2014. What distinguishes the best crime dramas from the rest is whether the character work can carry scenes where the mystery takes a breath — The Loft passes that test consistently. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Viewers who think they have seen every crime drama tend to find The Loft proves them wrong. If you have run out of similar titles to watch, this is a strong next pick. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. Karl Urban 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.