Unfriended

Unfriended is currently streaming on major platforms, and its case-by-case structure never gets in the way of the bigger story. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. A 6/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Shelley Hennig leads a cast that carries the story without ever feeling mechanical. Available now — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Unfriended earns its spot. The plotting in Unfriended is tight enough that the twists feel earned rather than assembled. While video chatting one night, six high school friends receive a Skype message from a classmate who killed herself exactly one year ago. At first they think it's a prank, but when the girl starts revealing the friends' darkest secrets, they realize they are dealing with something out of this world, something that wants them dead. Shelley Hennig and Heather Sossaman lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2014. What distinguishes the best crime dramas from the rest is whether the character work can carry scenes where the mystery takes a breath — Unfriended passes that test consistently. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

If you cannot walk away from a good mystery, Unfriended will keep you hooked. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Shelley Hennig's performance is the kind that shows up on best-of lists years later. If you have been looking for something to fill the gap left by a recently finished story, this is a reliable answer.