An unrecognisable Nicole Kidman stars as a former undercover cop seeking revenge.
Finally, the weekend is here. And for those who want to kick back on the sofa tonight with a good movie, we’ve got just the thing…
Here’s a list of the best films airing on TV this evening.
Gold – RTÉ Two – 9pm
Matthew McConaughey stars in this solid if derivative drama about a prospector desperate for a lucky break who teams up with a geologist (Edgar Ramirez) and sets off on a journey to find gold in the uncharted jungle of Indonesia.
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit – Film Four – 9pm
This spy thriller follows Tom Clancy’s famous character Jack Ryan (played here by Chris Pine) as a young covert CIA analyst who uncovers a Russian plot to crash the US economy with a terrorist attack.
While paling in comparison to previous Jack Ryan films, Shadow Recruit is still watchable. Director Kenneth Branagh also stars as a villainous Russian tycoon and essentially gives the same performance he gave in Christopher Nolan’s Tenet.
The Great Train Robbery – TG4 – 9.05pm
In England in the 1850s, a master criminal aims to rob a train of a large sum of gold.
Sean Connery stars in this 70’s crime flick written and directed by Michael Crichton, who is best known for writing Jurassic Park.
Destroyer – BBC One – 10.35pm
In our pick for tonight, an unrecognisable Nicole Kidman plays a washed-up LAPD detective who decides to take revenge on the leader of a bank-robbing gang (Toby Kebbell) with which she has a history.
Directed by the underrated Karyn Kusama (Jennifer’s Body, The Invitation), Destroyer blends a heist thriller with an undercover cop drama to make something that feels exciting and new.
Boasting a twisty and time-shuffling screenplay that constantly has viewers intrigued, Kidman is incredible as a tired and world-weary cop running on empty with the hopes of rectifying her past mistakes. The supporting cast is excellent too, featuring Bradley Whitford (Get Out), Sebastian Stan (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) and Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black).
Flatliners – Horror Channel – 10.50pm
In this stylish 1990 horror from filmmaker Joel Schumacher, five medical students (including Kevin Bacon, Kiefer Sutherland and Julia Roberts) experiment with “near-death” experiences.
However, the dark consequences of past tragedies begin to jeopardise their lives.
The Festival – Channel 4 – 11.05pm
After being dumped by his girlfriend, a young man and his best mate decide to spend three days at an epic music festival.
Directed by Iain Morris, who co-created The Inbetweeners, this comedy also stars Joe Thomas who played Simon in the popular show.
Blue Velvet – Film Four – 11.05pm
In this 1986 neo-noir mystery thriller, the discovery of a severed human ear leads a young man (Twin Peaks’ Kyle MacLachlan) on an investigation related to a mysterious nightclub singer (Isabella Rossellini) and a group of psychopathic criminals who have kidnapped her child.
Legendary filmmaker David Lynch’s exploration of the seedy underbelly lurking under US suburbia, Blue Velvet boasts one of the best villains of all time in Dennis Hopper’s Frank Booth, with the actor playing the character like he is pure id.
Main image via Annapurna Pictures
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