Holding a 96% Rotten Tomatoes score, the film makes for an unforgettable watch.
Our TV movie pick for tonight (Tuesday, 17 September) is Custody, the extremely tense thriller drama from 2017.
A French film, it stars Denis Ménochet (Beau is Afraid, Inglourious Basterds) and Léa Drucker (The Bureau, War of the Worlds) as a married couple who have gone through a bitter divorce, with the story detailing the fallout of this and how it impacts their young son (Thomas Gloria).
The plot synopsis reads: “Miriam and Antoine Besson have divorced, and Miriam is seeking sole custody of their son Julien to protect him from a father she claims is violent.
“Antoine pleads his case as a scorned dad whose children have been turned against him by their vindictive mother. Unsure who is telling the truth, the appointed judge rules in favour of joint custody.
“A hostage to the escalating conflict between his parents, Julien is pushed to the edge to prevent the worst from happening.”
The feature debut of writer-director Xavier Legrand, Custody begins as social realist drama – where the viewer is unsure which of the parents is in the right.
That is before it gradually – through its powerful performances and a string of profoundly unnerving parent-child scenes – ratchets up the tension, eventually culminating in an unforgettably distressing thriller climax.
This ending hits all the harder because you believe in the characters at the centre of the chaos.
Holding a 96% Rotten Tomatoes score, Custody is airing on TV tonight/tomorrow morning on Film4 at 2.10am, so we’d advice recording the movie and watching it later.
If you miss it, the film is also available to rent for €1.99 on Apple TV.
Here are the other movies on TV this evening:
Robin Hood – ITV4 – 9pm
The decent Ridley Scott (Gladiator) take on the legend of Robin Hood starring Russell Crowe.
The 355 – Film4 – 9pm
This poorly received action spy thriller from 2022 boasts an all-star international cast including Jessica Chastain, Penélope Cruz, Fan Bingbing, Diane Kruger and Lupita Nyong’o.
Deepstar Six – Legend – 9pm
A critically panned sea monster horror from the director of the original Friday the 13th.
Vendetta for the Saint – Legend Xtra – 9pm
A movie spin-off of the classic Roger Moore-led crime series The Saint.
Grimsby – Comedy Central – 10pm
Sacha Baron Cohen is a football hooligan whose brother (Mark Strong) is a top MI6 spy in this raunchy comedy.
The Hunter’s Prayer – Legend Xtra – 11pm
Avatar’s Sam Worthington plays a conflicted hitman helping a young woman to avenge the death of her family in this 2017 action thriller.
Legacy of Lies – Legend – 11pm
Cult action movie star Scott Atkins (Avengement) plays an ex-MI6 agent thrown back into the world of espionage in this spy thriller with an 86% Rotten Tomatoes score.
War for the Planet of the Apes – Film4 – 11.25pm
The third entry in the Planet of the Apes reboot series adds Woody Harrelson to the franchise.
The Best Man – BBC Two – 11.40pm
The release of an autobiographical novel threatens a wedding that the author (Taye Diggs) is the best man for in this hit 1999 romantic comedy.
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