This Week in Streaming (May 23)

A Man in Full (Netflix) The greatest sign that American culture still has a future is that a streaming giant like Netflix would fund a mega budget adaptation of a Tom Wolfe book in 2024. Sure, they probably thought adapting his 1998 novel about a real estate mogul (Jeff Daniels) defending his empire from all sides as his enemies orchestrate a fall from grace would have some resonance in Trump’s mugshot era. But, as is true of anything written by the man in the white suit, it’s not quite the resonance they intended. As the polarized reviews indicate, the six-part miniseries is the type of feather-ruffling mainstream prestige work we rarely get anymore

The Iron Claw (Max) This gritty retelling of the rise and tragic fall of the Von Erich wrestling dynasty finally makes its way to streaming. Zac Efron approaches Day Lewis levels of artistry as the Texas clan’s elder brother torn between the quest for stardom his father drilled into him and the well-being of his kid brothers forced to follow in the old man’s footsteps. Sean Durkin has long been American indie film’s most unassuming talent. As we wrote upon the film’s theatrical release, he’s also a master of deplorable mythology.  

Late Night with the Devil (AMC+) This instant classic of found-footage horror made box office waves this spring for its 70s talk show sheen and star-making turn from veteran character actor David Dastmalchian. Now, the story of a flailing Hollywood talk show host whose disastrous attempts to escape the shadow of Carson with a live Halloween special featuring a young girl who escaped a satanic cult is ready for home viewing. One of the rare times a movie may be better experienced on your living room television.