Five things to watch this weekend
HANNAH GADSBY: DOUGLAS — NETFLIX
The Australian comedian follows up her 2018 special Nanette, the acclaimed and uncomfortable examination of sexual trauma, with this lighterhearted but punch-filled and acerbically smart monologue about autism, the evils of misogyny and the best Louis CK put-down you’re likely to hear.
FINAL PORTRAIT — SHOWMAX
Stanley Tucci’s gentle examination of the relationship between artist Alberto Giacometti (Geoffrey Rush) and writer James Lord (Armie Hammer) is a touching look at the artistic process and the story of an offbeat but ultimately charming and rewarding friendship.
MIRACLE WORKERS — SHOWMAX
Daniel Radcliffe and Steve Buscemi star in this quirky workplace comedy set in heaven. Buscemi plays God, who is done with people and figures. It’s time to move on to the next project but Craig (Radcliffe), an angel in charge of answering prayers, hopes he and his friends can stop the big guy from annihilating the earth if they can manage to answer one impossible prayer and make two desperate humans fall in love. How hard could that be? Of course, it’ sa little harder than you might think and the results are suitably hilarious and frustratingly just not going to plan.
SPACE FORCE — NETFLIX
Created by Steve Carell and Gary Daniels (The Office US, Parks and Recreation), this uneven and saccharine attempt to satirise the craziness of Donald Trump’s ambition to colonise space benefits from strong performances by Carell and John Malkovich. Carell plays Gen Mark T Naird, fecklessly promoted to run the unnamed leader of the free world’s Space Force, who must balance the demands of an unhinged boss with the breakup of his marriage and a tricky relationship with his teenage daughter. Never mind the impending space war looming with China and the rational demands for scientific usefulness imposed on him by his colleague and begrudging bestie Dr Adrian Mallory (Malkovich).
LAST DAYS OF AMERICAN CRIME — NETFLIX
Action director Olivier Megaton arrives on Netflix with this adaptation of the noirish comic book by Greg Tocchini. Starring Edgar Ramirez, Michael Pitt and South African Sharlto Copley, it’ sa twisty piece of high-octane action set in a dystopian future in which the US government plans to end crime by broadcasting a signal that will make it impossible for citizens to knowingly do anything unlawful. All well and good but tell it to the gang of determined criminals who plan to pull off the greatest heist in history before they’re rendered into law-abiding zombies by the feds.