Words: Jonathan Wells
There’s a criminally good collection of titles breaking onto Netflix this month. Whether it’s foreign films or limited series, there’s everything from cult leaders to con men to be found on the streaming service this May; hostage-takers, jail-breakers and even the odd corrupt cop.
Bill Skarsgård and Polish actor Dawid Ogrodnik star in a couple of true-life tales of thieves and betrayal, Ryan Gosling tools up in pursuit of rogue replicants in Blade Runner 2049 and a new adaptation of The Lincoln Lawyer motors onto our screens — and after the bad guys. Here’s what to watch on Netflix this month…
Blade Runner 2049, May 1st
A sequel 35 years in the making, director Denis Villeneuve (who recently brought the dusty world of Dune to life) gives the original a run for its neo-noir, neon-drenched money with this barnstormer of a follow-up. Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford make for a suitably gruff double act, and there’s strong support from Ana de Armas and Jared Leto. Gosling plays K, an office with the LAPD who is tasked with hunting down a missing ‘replicant’.
Clark, May 5th
Back in 1973, Clark Olofsson committed a bank robbery at the Norrmalmstorg Square in Stockholm — taking hostages during the daring heist. These hostages later bonded with their captors, and the phrase ‘Stockholm syndrome’ was born. New and exclusive to Netflix, this limited series tells the story of Olofsson — played with all his wit, charm and lies by the incomparably versatile Bill Skarsgård.
The Takedown, May 6th
Another slice of foreign-language fare worth your time, The Takedown is an original Netflix comedy film starring the streaming service’s Lupin-leading darling, Omar Sy. Partnering with fellow Frenchman Laurent Lafitte — and directed by Now You See Me helmer Louis Leterrier — the film sees the duo star as polar-opposite police officers who get partnered to tackle an unexpectedly far-reaching criminal enterprise.
Doctor Sleep, May 7th
In the same vein as Blade Runner 2049 above, Doctor Sleep is another sequel many years in the making, In this instance, the Ewan McGregor-starring supernatural horror is a follow-up to 1980’s The Shining. Picking up several decades after the events of the original, McGregor plays Danny Torrance, a man with psychic abilities who finds he must protect a young girl from a cult known as the ‘True Knot’.
Elon Musk: The Real Life Iron Man, May 7th
It may have all the hallmarks of a Netflix original documentary, but this documentary was first released in 2018. Featuring some impressive talking heads — look out for Sir Richard Branson — the film is an absorbing window into the live of a pre-Twitter-buying, Cybertruck-smashing Musk, and expounds his revolutionary ideas on how we might harness artificial intelligence, utilise his ‘Hyperloop’ technology and colonise Mars.
The Getaway King, May 11th
The third foreign-language title to make the cut this month, The Getaway King’s thrills and spills are well worth slamming on the subtitles for. Released last year, the Polish action-comedy is based on the life of folk-hero bandit Zdzisław Najmrodzki, a sharp-suited criminal and thief who notoriously escaped prison and the Polish authorities a whopping 29 times.
The Lincoln Lawyer, May 13th
Taking the baton from former Gentleman’s Journal cover star Matthew McConaughey, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo is the latest actor to slide into the back seat of a Lincoln Town Car and start saving the down-and-out denizens of Los Angeles. Adapting Michael Connelly’s 2008 novel into a longer-form piece of legal storytelling, this series was created by Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers producer David E. Kelley.
The Good Liar, May 15th
Nothing is as it seems in Bill Condon’s twisty-turns thriller from 2019. Even if it slipped under your radar the first time around, this tightly-choreographed crime drama is well worth a watch. Starring Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen — both on sparkly-eyed, light-footed form — the latter plays a career con artist who meets a wealthy widow, and embarks on a shady scheme to steal her fortune.
Ricky Gervais: Supernature, May 24th
It’s been four world-changing years since Ricky Gervais’ last stand-up special, Humanity, hit the streaming service. His latest, Supernature, explores and explains the natural world — a journey that promises many diatribes and detours along the way. The topics he’ll use to tickle us this time around include uncomfortable medical examinations, the supernatural and his 60th birthday.
Stranger Things: Season 4, Volume 1, May 29th
And, finally, Netflix’s big-ticket item for the month of May. Stranger Things makes a wildly-anticipated return with a fourth season split into two sections. The first chunk of episodes picks things up after Hopper disappeared through the gate back into the ‘Upside Down’ — and resurfaces imprisoned in the snowy wasteland of Kamchatka. Back in Hawkins, the teenagers must tackle a new horror (as well as the complexities of high school).
Want more Netflix recommendations? Here’s the best new titles to land on the streaming service in April 2022…
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