After looking through Netflixâs lineup for the week, I noticed the streamer was adding âThe Lesson,â a psychological thriller with a very compelling premise. Itâs rare for movies to pass me by, but this one, released in 2023, completely did (no surprise, given it underperformed at the box office). Still, the premise alone was enough to get me to watch, and now that itâs streaming on Netflix, Iâm confident it deserves a spot on every thriller fanâs watchlist.
âThe Lesson,â marking Alice Troughtonâs first featureâlength directorial debut, plays out almost entirely in one space with five main characters, making it feel like a stage play. While it takes a little while to reach the most gripping moments compared to most thrillers, once it does, the experience is so enjoyable that the wait is justified. And you canât go wrong with some psychological drama, too.
If youâre looking for something engaging to stream this week, hereâs why âThe Lessonâ is worth adding to your Netflix watchlist.
What is âThe Lessonâ about?
Watch On
âThe Lessonâ follows Liam Somers (Daryl McCormack), an ambitious young writer who takes a job as a live-in tutor for the teenage son of his literary hero, celebrated author J.M. Sinclair (Richard E. Grant), at the familyâs grand countryside estate.
Liam, thrilled by the opportunity to be close to Sinclair and his work, settles into the household and begins preparing the boy for university entrance exams. Living under the same roof, he meets Sinclairâs wife HĂ©lĂšne (Julie Delpy) and the reserved butler, and soon gains access to the reclusive authorâs unpublished manuscript.
As Liam settles into the household, friction grows between him and Sinclair, and longâburied elements of the familyâs past slowly come to light, culminating in shocking developments that test everyone involved.
âThe Lessonâ is a gripping ride, now streaming on Netflix
âThe Lessonâ is a very simple title for a movie, but there is a lesson to be learned here, and itâs that pride, rivalry, and manipulation can corrode relationships and even destroy lives. At first, the story doesnât reveal its true point, but as events unfold, it turns into a clever visual essay about vanity and revenge. We first meet a young aspiring writer who takes a tutoring job preparing the son of a celebrated author for Oxford. Soon, he grows closer to the family, which paves the way for some juicy drama.
Although this is one of the slower-burning thrillers, leaning more on atmosphere for flavor than on dramatic reveals, it works to its advantage thanks to its stage-like feel. I could easily imagine it as a stage performance, which is part of its charm, but the main reason it succeeds is the strength of the core castâs performances. Predictable or not, the movieâs suspense is made absorbing by the talent behind and in front of the camera.
Set almost entirely within the elegant, well-staffed Sinclair estate, âThe Lessonâ carefully unravels its intertwined mysteries, building suspense without rushing to get to the drama. Every central character hides something, and the first two acts are smartly structured, encouraging you to see it through until the end. Unfortunately, the final act and conclusion donât quite live up to the promise established earlier, but itâs still fun nonetheless.
Iâm not alone in my praise either. âThe Lessonâ holds a solid score of 77% on Rotten Tomatoes, with viewers rating it slightly lower at 70%. The siteâs critics consensus reads: âEven if it isnât always quite as clever as it seems to think it is, sharp performances from an outrageously talented cast make The Lesson worth learning.â Itâs safe to say that âThe Lessonâ feels like a refreshing change of pace and easily ranks among the most engaging thrillers Iâve seen recently.
Stream âThe Lessonâ on Netflix now
