The Others

Right now you can watch The Others in Australia on Stan, and in the US on Philo and AMC Plus Apple TV 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. An 8/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Nicole Kidman sets the tone, and the ensemble matches it scene for scene. Put it on tonight on Stan and see for yourself.

The Others is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. The Others treats its mystery as a means, not an end in itself. Grace is a woman who lives in an old house kept dark because her two children, Anne and Nicholas, have a rare sensitivity to light. When the family begins to suspect the house is haunted, Grace fights to protect her children at any cost in the face of strange events and disturbing visions. Credit to Nicole Kidman and Alakina Mann for grounding it — this is a cast that earns the twists. It was released in 2001. The Others is at its best in the quiet scenes between the plot beats, where the character work actually happens. The hit rate here is high enough that skipping ahead never feels like an option.

For anyone who wants their crime drama to earn its twists, The Others delivers. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Nicole Kidman 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.