A darkly gripping true crime thriller movie is airing on TV tonight

Produced by Ridley Scott, the star-studded film revolves around a series of real-life murders in the '60s.

Set in the 1960s, the film tells the true-life story of Loretta McLaughlin (Knightley) and Jean Cole (Coon), journalists in a male-dominated newsroom, who investigated a series of real-life murders in Boston.

The pair were the first reporters to connect the killings, coining the name 'the Boston Strangler' for the culprit.

"Reporters Loretta McLaughlin and Jean Cole bravely pursue the story of the Boston Strangler at great personal risk, putting their own lives on the line in their quest to uncover the truth," the plot synopsis reads.

Written and directed by Matt Ruskin (Crown Heights) and produced by Ridley Scott (Gladiator), the cast of the movie also includes Alessandro Nivola (The Brutalist), Bill Camp (The Mastermind), Chris Cooper (Adaptation), David Dastmalchian (Late Night with the Devil), Luke Kirby (Dark Harvest), Morgan Spector (Black Rabbit), Robert John Burke (Thinner) and Rory Cochrane (Antlers).

Boston Stranger is similar in plot and tone to David Fincher's masterpiece Zodiac.

It must be said though that such comparisons do Ruskin's film no favours, as it is not as propulsive and thrilling as Fincher's thriller, while also lacking its epic scope and meticulous level of detail.

That said, fine performances, handsome production design and a fascinating real-life story do make Boston Strangler worth seeking out for avid watchers of true crime stories.

The 2023 thriller is on TV tonight on Film4 at 9pm. It is also currently streaming on Disney+ and will be available to watch Channel 4's website after it airs.

Here are the other movies airing on TV tonight:

The Bone Collector - Legend - 9pm

Oscar-winners Angelina Jolie and Denzel Washington hunt for a serial killer in this watchable ’90s thriller.

The Enforcer - ITV4 - 9pm

The third entry in Clint Eastwood’s Dirty Harry action thriller franchise.

Rogue - Legend Xtra - 9pm

Megan Fox headlines this 2020 action thriller, playing a battle-hardened mercenary who leads a team of soldiers on a daring mission to rescue hostages in remote Africa that ends up going very awry.

Psycho - BBC Four - 9.40pm

Alfred Hitchcock's incredible proto-slasher, with that iconic shower scene...

Standoff - Legend Xtra - 11.05pm

In this thriller, a troubled veteran (Thomas Jane) gets a chance at redemption by protecting a young girl from an assassin (Laurence Fishburne) after she witnesses a murder.

Total Recall - Sky Showcase - 11pm

The 2012 sci-fi remake starring Colin Farrell.

She Said - Film4 - 11.15pm

Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan headline this drama about the journalists who helped to break the Harvey Weinstein scandal.

Beyond Suspicion – Legend Xtra – 11.15pm

Also known as Bent, this 2018 crime thriller stars Andy Garcia, Karl Urban and Sofía Vergara.

Judgment at Nuremberg - BBC Four - 11.25pm

This epic ’60s courtroom drama with a star-studded cast centres around four German judges who served on the bench during the Nazi regime facing a military tribunal to answer charges of crimes against humanity.

Rocky - ITV4 - 11.40pm

The Oscar Best Picture-winning boxing drama written by and starring Sylvester Stallone.

Turn your home into a cinema with this projector 

Do you love movies? Have you ever dreamt of turning your home into your own cinema?

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The 4K projector has the likes of YouTube, Netflix and Prime Video built in, so you can access thousands of films and shows without an additional TV stick, and you can also connect it to Bluetooth on your phone and laptop.

It’s currently priced at €53.52 in a limited-time deal on the Amazon website.

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