The Promise

Right now you can watch The Promise in Australia on Lionsgate+ Amazon Channels, and in the US on Philo and Starz Apple TV Channel — and the chemistry between the leads carries every scene. The runtime earns every minute, with nothing here that feels like padding. With 510 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. The chemistry Oscar Isaac brings to it is the real engine here. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Lionsgate+ Amazon Channels.

The Promise arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. What makes The Promise work is that the obstacles feel real, not manufactured for the plot. Set during the last days of the Ottoman Empire, a love triangle develops between Mikael, a brilliant medical student, the beautiful and sophisticated artist Ana, and Chris, a renowned American journalist based in Paris. Oscar Isaac and Charlotte Le Bon lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2016. The relationship at the centre of The Promise develops at a pace that feels earned rather than rushed for plot reasons. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

The Promise is ideal for viewers who want romance served with real character development. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. The chemistry Oscar Isaac brings to it is the engine that drives everything. A rarer quality than it sounds — earning the romantic beats rather than assuming them.