Thinner

If you want science fiction that respects its own premise, Thinner is available in the US on Hoopla right now. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. 686 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Robert John Burke leads a cast that never lets the concept overwhelm the characters. Put it on tonight on Hoopla and see for yourself.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Thinner earns its spot. The world-building is meticulous, but it is the characters who carry Thinner through its more ambitious moments. An obese lawyer finds himself growing "Thinner" when an old Romani man places a hex on him. Now the lawyer must call upon his friends in organized crime to help him persuade the old man to lift the curse. Time is running out for the desperate lawyer as he draws closer to his own death, and grows ever thinner. Robert John Burke and Michael Constantine lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1996. What separates Thinner from lesser genre entertainment is a willingness to let the concept cost the characters something. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Viewers burned by ambitious sci-fi that could not sustain its premise should give Thinner a chance. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Robert John Burke anchors it with a performance that makes the more abstract moments feel personal. If you have been burned by ambitious sci-fi before, this is the exception.