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Prime Video typically kicks off each month with a slew of additions to its movie library. The selection of June 2026 is quite the bumper crop, with more than 70 flicks added to the Amazon-owned streaming service. Among them is the clean, conniving 2017 thriller “Thoroughbreds.”
I’m not expecting this to be the most popular pick, not because of its quality, but because even upon its release, this movie from director Cory Finley largely flew under the radar. I’m never one to let a good movie go overlooked, so consider this a plea to add it to your watchlist. If you like dark, twisted, tense watches, it should be right up your street.
Starring Anya Taylor-Joy (the voice of Princess Peach in the Mario movies), Olivia Cooke (known for her role in HBO’s “House of the Dragon), and marking one of the final film roles for Anton Yelchin, “Thoroughbreds” combines a strong cast, a twisting story, and a dash of disarming comedy.
What is ‘Thoroughbreds’ about?
![THOROUGHBREDS - Official Trailer [HD] - In Theaters March 9, 2018 - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/TPcV_3D3V2A/maxresdefault.jpg)
Set in the suburbs of Connecticut, a setting that is intentionally almost suffocatingly bland (sorry, to any Connecticut residents reading), high school student Lily (Anya Taylor-Joy) reunites with an old pal, Amanda (Olivia Cooke), after the two grew apart some years previously.
Lily is on the path to becoming a high-achiever thanks to her spotless record and already polished resume. Meanwhile, Amanda has become a social outcast, with an impending animal cruelty charge to her name and an inability to feel emotions. The two are opposites, but reestablish their bond and hatch a plan to deal with the one roadblock in Lily's life.
That hurdle is her smarmy stepfather, Mark (Paul Sparks), and the two teens concoct a plan to murder him with the help of a local drug dealer (Anton Yelchin). What could go wrong? Turns out a whole bunch of stuff.
‘Thoroughbreds’ is dark all the way down (and that's a good thing)
To set the scene, “Thoroughbreds” opens with Cooke’s Amanda euthanizing her crippled horse with a knife. While viewers aren’t forced to endure the cruel act, this pretty neatly sets the tone for the dark thriller to come. Most of the movie might take place in a plush home, but this isn’t a film about the grandeur of high society; instead, it explores dark impulses.
But for all its narrative darkness, centered on a murderous scheme, “Thoroughbreds” isn’t a miserable watch by any means. There’s a surprising amount of humor to cut the tension. It’s certainly not the first movie to offset a dark plot with comedy, but this combination is effective, and “Thoroughbreds” strikes a strong balance between the conflicting tones.
The narrative never gets too convoluted and shows a commendable amount of restraint. There is a twist or two to keep you on your toes, but writer/director Cory Finley steers clear of melodrama. Instead, the focus is placed on the movie’s characters and getting into their heads — and in the case of Amanda, it’s quite a twisted and alarming headspace to be in.
Olivia Cooke and Anya Taylor-Joy are by far the movie’s shining lights. Both actresses are fantastic, and while Cooke’s Amanda takes the early lead, as the more intriguing of the two, it’s actually Taylor-Joy’s Lily that, by the end, I found to be the more fascinating and perhaps just as psychologically flawed. She's just a lot better at presenting herself.
“Thoroughbreds” is a tense little thriller that makes the most of its relatively meager components (it was shot for around $5 million, pocket change in Hollywood). It doesn’t need a huge cast or high-concept setup to hook you; instead, it grips thanks to fleshed-out characters, strong performances, and a dark tone that intentionally clashes with the plush world its lead inhabits. It’s a thriller with real bite and sharp conviction.
However, if “Thoroughbreds” doesn’t suit your tastes based on my pitch, here’s a guide to everything new on Prime Video in June 2026, which includes dozens of alternative picks.
Watch "Thoroughbreds" on Prime Video now
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