While I'd usually queue up the holiday movies as the season approaches, for some reason, I'm not quite ready this year. I miss long summer days, even if they do come with insects and heat. Like me, if you are longing for beachy days, you may want to skip the queue of winter-heavy movies and opt for a summer-based thriller instead.
I happened upon "The Mean Season" on Tubi while looking for a thriller, and it completely swept me away. Starring Kurt Russell, Mariel Hemingway, and Richard Jordan, the film is set in a stormy, beautiful Miami during its "mean season" of storms and hurricanes.
It let me put off the cold weather a little longer while keeping me captivated by an intricate serial-killer plot — the ultimate escape from the dark fall and winter days to come. And best of all, it's completely free to stream "The Mean Season" since it's on Tubi.
What is 'The Mean Season' about?
"The Mean Season" kicks off with a murder. Alongside shots of a newspaper's printing press, a woman is seen walking out to the beach. At first, she seems to smile, only for someone to come up behind her, pointing a gun. The camera cuts away to a looming storm as a gunshot rings out.
The next scene introduces us to the weary Malcolm Anderson (Kurt Russell), who is ready to leave behind his journalism career in Miami for a slower life with his girlfriend, Christine Connelly (Mariel Hemingway), in Colorado. But before he leaves, his editor, Bill Nolan (Richard Masur), approaches him with one final assignment: a body that's been found.
The victim turns out to be a teenage girl. Malcolm is on the scene, talking to witnesses and gathering information, then returns to the office to write up the article. After it gets printed, he gets a phone call. While initially thinking it was a prank or a strange reader, the caller (Richard Jordan) admits to being the one who killed the girl. He even shares details only the killer would know.
Thus begins a truly bizarre relationship between reporter and murderer. The killer wants Malcolm to keep writing about him. Despite Malcolm's longing to escape the entire hustle for news, he can't help but stay and see it all play out. As the news reports on the crimes, the killer becomes restless, believing that too much focus is on Malcolm and not on the killer himself. It won't be long before both Malcolm and his girlfriend are at risk.
Why I recommend you stream 'The Mean Season'
While "The Mean Season" has its flaws, Russell and Jordan's excellent acting and the vivid Miami setting make it an electric thriller. These types of late '80s thrillers always leave me wanting more; it's something about the gritty setting and the less-than-combed look of the entire movie that makes it feel more real than anything of our modern era.
Plus, I've always loved Kurt Russell in films. He manages to portray a charming, decent man with notable personality flaws—including the ambition shown here that leads him into a relationship with a killer, putting both his and his girlfriend's lives at risk.
Richard Jordan as the killer is downright frighteningly good. He plays a diabolical man incredibly well, reminding me of how much we lost when this actor passed away far too soon. He's one of the biggest reasons to spend time watching this flick.
I also can't resist the Miami beach setting, especially with the stormy weather looming as equally close and threatening as the killer himself.
Also, keep an eye out for a fresh-faced Andy Garcia as Detective Ray Martinez. He does an excellent job matching the intensity of the moment throughout the movie.
Stream "The Mean Season" free on Tubi
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