10 short thrillers that are worth a watch

As the lockdown grinds on, how about taking a look at these widely available, relatively low-budget and overlooked thrillers, all featuring twists in the lead characters story arc – played by actors who normally essay more ‘vanilla’-type roles. They’re all pretty watchable and generally don’t tend to overstay their welcome, ideal post 10.30pm fodder.

Here we go then, in order of release:

Brick (2005)

Director Rian Johnson (Looper/Last Jedi/Knives Out) went onto bigger, but not necessarily better things after Brick, his 2005 debut picture. The film has shades of Altman’s The Long Goodbye (1973) and The Black Marble (Harold Becker, 1980), with Joseph Gordon-Levitt as an amateur shamus investigating murder, heroin and organised crime operating in the environs of his California suburban high school.

Levitt plays the role as if Holden Caulfield had washed up in the present-day US West Coast, still holding true to his set of values and an irritating habit of speaking his mind.