Movies

“Nail-bitingly exciting” Tom Hanks thriller based on a true story finds new free UK streaming home

BBG News

Tom Hanks’s real-life film Captain Phillips has found a new streaming home in the UK.

First released in 2013, the film “Captain Phillips,” directed by Paul Greengrass, is a biography about Richard Phillips, an American ship captain. In 2009, he was kidnapped by Somali pirates while working on his merchant vessel.

As a devoted fan, I find myself excitedly sharing that Tom Hanks takes on the role of Phillips, while Catherine Keener brings Andrea to life on-screen. The ensemble is completed by Barkhad Abdi, who brilliantly portrays the pirate leader Abduwali Muse. Additionally, Michael Chernus, David Warshofsky, and John Magaro all contribute their talents in supporting roles.

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In the United Kingdom, you can currently stream the movie for free on BBC iPlayer. As for viewers in the US, “Captain Phillips” can be found on both Netflix and AMC’s streaming platform, but it will no longer be available on Philo by the end of July.

If you’re still uncertain about watching Captain Phillips, it’s important to know that this film has a high rating on Rotten Tomatoes. In fact, at the time of writing, it was Certified Fresh with an impressive 93% approval rating based on 279 reviews. The critical consensus praises it as both “smart” and “powerfully acted”.

Critics were thrilled by the suspense in the movie, with The Spectator describing it as “unbearably thrilling” and expressing that they were on the edge of their seat throughout.

Their review expressed exhilaration, declaring that the movie kept them on edge from start to finish. Despite knowing the ending, they found it gripping, and they confidently asserted that it surpassed their initial expectations for a superior cinematic experience.

In a similar vein, The Observer commended the movie’s narrative for delving deeper into the pirates’ history, stating: “Beneath its action-packed scenes and edge-of-your-seat suspense lies a film that explores the concept of globalization.

According to Little White Lies, this maritime adventure thriller was brutally intense, drawing on real-world headlines, and Tom Hanks delivered a nostalgic performance. Empire Magazine described it as both emotionally deep and exceptionally smart.

The movie titled “Captain Phillips” performed exceptionally during the award season. It was nominated for six Oscars, one of which was in the category Best Picture, and another for Best Supporting Actor (Abdi). Notably, Abdi emerged victorious at the BAFTA Awards for his remarkable performance.

Captain Phillips streams on BBC iPlayer in the UK.

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2025-07-28 18:20

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