The River Wild

If you want a crime drama that treats its mystery as more than a puzzle, The River Wild is available in Australia on BINGE and Foxtel Now right now. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. A 6/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Meryl Streep anchors it, but the writing does the real work. Put it on tonight on BINGE and see for yourself.

The River Wild arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. At its heart, The River Wild understands what makes crime drama work — character first, plot second. Gail and Tom Hartman are struggling to stay together and decide to take a white-water rafting holiday adventure in Montana for their son Roarke's 10th birthday, only to meet up with a pair of mysterious men whose desperation grows, turning their vacation into a nightmare. Meryl Streep and David Strathairn lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1994. The River Wild is at its best in the quiet scenes between the plot beats, where the character work actually happens. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Viewers who think they have seen every crime drama tend to find The River Wild proves them wrong. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Watch Meryl Streep work — it is a masterclass in the genre. Few crime dramas earn their twists this consistently.