Entertainment
Shocking, R-Rated 70s Thriller Is A Paranoid Descent Into Conspiracy
By Robert Scucci
| Published
When people say “they don’t make thrillers like they used to,” I have full reason to believe they have films like 1971’s Klute in mind when they’re airing their grievances. Sometimes, all you need to tell a compelling story is a missing persons case, a climbing body count, and some good old fashioned police work. Directed by Alan J. Pakula, Klute delivers all of the above in spades, and it’s no surprise that its critical and commercial success kicked off what’s affectionately, and informally, known as the “paranoia trilogy,” which also includes 1974’s The Parallax View and 1976’s All the President’s Men.
Anchored by a tight mystery that never fully reveals its true nature until it reaches a breaking point, Klute is a hard-boiled neo-noir thriller you can really sink your teeth into as you try to put the puzzle pieces together yourself.
Starts With A Missing Person And A Call Girl
When Pennsylvania-based chemical company executive Tom Gruneman (Robert Milli) vanishes without a trace, private investigator John Klute (Donald Sutherland) is summoned to trace his whereabouts. Before committing to the case, he’s briefed on intel provided by Gruneman’s employer and colleague, Peter Cable (Charles Cioffi), so he knows exactly what he’s getting into. The only lead John Klute has to work with involves a New York City call girl named Bree Daniels (Jane Fonda), who has received several obscene letters from Gruneman in the lead-up to his disappearance.
The investigation starts out simply enough, with John secretly renting a basement apartment in Bree’s building so he can surveil her and gather intel. Bree is a tough nut to crack because she genuinely enjoys the independence her career affords her as a high-class call girl between sparsely offered acting and modeling gigs. John knows he’s tailing the right woman, but Bree, given how many johns she’s encountered over the years, only vaguely remembers an encounter with Gruneman, who was said to have laid hands on her.
Bree is at first hesitant to work with John, but when their frequent run-ins result in a budding romance, their motives align and she becomes more willing to cooperate with the investigation. That cooperation leads John to Frank Ligouin (Roy Scheider), Bree’s former pimp. Upon learning about two other call girls, Jane Mckenna and Arlyn Page, who both had similarly troubling encounters with Gruneman, John comes as close as he ever will to locating him, only to realize that Gruneman’s disappearance is merely the tip of the iceberg. There are more parties involved, and they don’t want their dark secrets exposed.
A Straight-Faced Thriller With A Gutpunch Ending
More than 50 years after its initial release, Klute is still as effective as anything coming out today because it doesn’t bother overexplaining what’s truly at stake. Instead, it leaves a breadcrumb trail of clues and morally dubious figures in its wake. John Klute has a job to do, but he also finds himself uncovering a far-reaching conspiracy involving powerful people. There’s ample reason not to trust his client at face value, and Bree’s own paranoia and inability to trust anyone adds a palpable layer of tension as she lets her guard down and allows John to become more than just the private investigator living in her building.
Klute checks all the boxes for a rock-solid crime thriller, and it holds up because it’s a well-written mystery that trusts its audience to do the heavy lifting. It leans hard into neo-noir without relying on gimmicks, melodramatic dialogue, or intrusive narration. Its straight-faced delivery is what ultimately pulls you in as you zero in on the guilty parties involved. And if you like what you see here, there’s plenty more where that came from with its unofficial companions, The Parallax View and All the President’s Men.
As of this writing, Klute is streaming for free on Tubi.
Entertainment
The Insta360 Flow 2 Pro gimbal is back at a record-low price at Amazon: Save over $30
SAVE $33.01: The Insta360 Flow 2 Pro foldable gimbal is on sale at Amazon for $126.98, down from the list price of $159.99. That’s a 21% discount that matches the record low at Amazon.
$126.98
at Amazon
$159.99
Save $33.01
These days, you don’t have to be a professional content creator to share great clips on socials. We have tons of free tools that help us capture video to share on our feeds, whether it’s your dog being silly or your latest trip to Europe. If you’ve been grabbing these videos by holding your phone in your hand, it might be time for an upgrade. Check out this deal at Amazon.
As of Feb. 4, the Insta360 Flow 2 Pro foldable gimbal is on sale at Amazon for $126.98, marked down from the list price of $159.99. That’s a 21% discount that shaves $33.01 off the normal price. It also matches the record low at Amazon.
Insta360 packed the Flow 2 Pro with features that make filming much more convenient. For starters, there’s the active zoom tracking, which can follow subjects even at 15x zoom. The multi-person tracking is also great for filming several subjects, and the 360-degree Infinite Pan Tracking is a standout highlight. This function allows for continuous rotation. Of course, it can also serve as a tripod for still recording.
Mashable Deals
While it’s still at a record-low price at Amazon, upgrade to the Insta360 Flow 2 Pro foldable gimbal for under $127. Your content will look smooth and pro-level with this added accessory.
Entertainment
A Fully Loaded Potato Salad for Dinner
I love potato salad. I love the creamy kind, the vinegar-y kind; I’ll take a warm one with dill, whatever you’ve got. And yet, I’m about to make a bold claim: this potato salad might be my favorite. Why? Because it’s decidedly not a side dish. It’s the whole damn meal.
This recipe comes to us from Melina Hammer, who calls it a “Niçoise-ish” potato salad, because it’s souped up with tuna, eggs, and other classic Niçoise elements. “You get those bright, bold flavors,” says Melina. It adapts easily for the season, she adds, suggesting winter radishes — like purple daikons or watermelon radishes — if you make it this month. “You can also swap the green beans for two cups of chopped escarole or Napa cabbage, and I’m always a fan of thawed frozen peas. No need to cook them any further — just toss ’em in!”
Here’s the full recipe, plus some pointers from Melina:
Niçoise-ish Potato Salad
by Melina Hammer
Serves 4
3 eggs
salt
1 dry quart small red potatoes (approximately 2 lbs), any larger ones sliced in half
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp (or more) freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp capers, strained
2 1/2 oz thin green beans, stem ends trimmed and sliced into 1 1/2-2 inch segments on a diagonal (or swap for peas, cabbage, etc)
1 5-ounce can albacore tuna
3 radishes, ends trimmed and sliced in halves, then thinly sliced
2 tbsp finely sliced chives
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Bring a medium saucepan with enough water to cover the eggs by an inch to a boil. Lower refrigerator-cold eggs into the water and cook them on a simmer for 8 minutes, then plunge the eggs into an ice bath until they are cool enough to handle. Peel and then slice the eggs into six wedges apiece and set aside.
Bring the potatoes to a simmer in well-salted water. Cook for 8 minutes or until they yield easily when pierced with a sharp knife. Strain them into a colander with a slotted spoon, reserving the cooking liquid. Transfer the potatoes to a mixing bowl and add the oil, mustard, black pepper, and capers. Gently toss to fully coat.
Blanch the green beans in the potato water for 30 seconds to 1 minute — just long enough for them to turn bright green. Strain, and add to the potatoes. Add the tuna, flaking the fish into the bowl, followed by the radishes and chives. Toss to incorporate, then add the eggs and lemon juice. (Note: “If you’re making this a day or more in advance, hold the lemon juice and add it just before serving,” says Melina. “Otherwise, it will dull the color of the green beans.”) Gently toss once more. “I like to use a silicone spatula and work up from the bottom of the bowl, folding the ingredients together with a light hand so the yolks remain mostly intact.”
As you serve the potato salad, make sure to scoop up all the last bits of custardy egg, straggler chives, and mustardy goodness clinging to the sides of the bowl. Enjoy.
Melina Hammer is a chef, food stylist, recipe developer, and the award-winning author of A Year at Catbird Cottage. Her recipes have appeared on Bon Appétit, Food52, and Edible. You can follow her newsletter, Stories from Catbird Cottage.
What other dinner salads do you love? And do you have a house salad?
P.S. Five ways to upgrade a regular green salad, and white bean soup, because it’s February.
(Photos courtesy of Melina Hammer.)
Entertainment
Streaming deal alert: Get 3 months of MUBI for only $1
SAVE $43.97: Through Feb. 9, new and returning subscribers can get three months of streaming on MUBI for only $1. Usually $14.99 per month, that’s nearly $44 in savings.
If you’re looking to venture away from Netflix and its extravagant costs, MUBI is an excellent choice — especially if you’re a movie lover. There are never any ads, it’s brimming with hand-picked quality cinema, and for a limited time, it’s just a buck.
Through Feb. 9, new and returning subscribers can get three months of streaming on MUBI for just $1. It typically costs $14.99 per month (or $9.99 per month with an annual membership), which means you’ll save nearly $44 total across 90 days. After the promotional period, of course, the price will jump back up to $14.99 unless you cancel first.
MUBI is made for cinephiles, as it prides itself as a place to “discover ambitious films and series by visionary filmmakers — from iconic directors to emerging auteurs.” You’ll find mainstream and independent films, classics and new releases, award winners, and even Mubi originals. That includes one of our favorite movies from 2025, Die My Love, and one of our favorites from 2024, The Substance. It’s also where you can watch Lili Reinhart‘s new show Hal & Harper, as well as Twin Peaks in its entirety.
Mashable Deals
Streaming deals this good don’t stick around long — be sure to secure your $1 subscription by Feb. 9.
The Insta360 Flow 2 Pro gimbal is back at a record-low price at Amazon: Save over $30
SNAK Venture Partners raises $50M fund to back vertical marketplaces
