The Outsiders

Right now you can watch The Outsiders in Australia on Stan and MUBI, and in the US on Philo — and it earns its twists rather than manufacturing them. 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. Watch C. Thomas Howell work — the performance is a masterclass in restraint. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Stan.

The Outsiders is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. The plotting gives The Outsiders its backbone, but it is the characters you come back for. In 1960s Tulsa, class divisions ignite a violent rivalry between the working-class Greasers and the privileged Socs. When a deadly encounter forces two Greasers, Ponyboy and Johnny, to flee, their struggle for survival and redemption exposes the fragile innocence and enduring bonds of youth on the wrong side of town. The writing gets a boost from C. Thomas Howell and Matt Dillon, who sell every scene they're in. It was released in 1983. The plot mechanics of The Outsiders never overwhelm the human cost underneath them. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

For anyone who wants their crime drama to earn its twists, The Outsiders delivers. If you have run out of similar titles to watch, this is a strong next pick. Short enough to finish in one sitting, substantial enough to feel satisfying. C. Thomas Howell 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.