Matt Smith’s “powerful” forgotten drama about notorious killer Charles Manson gets new UK streaming home

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The unsettling drama starring Matt Smith as Charles Manson is now available to stream in the UK.

In the 2018 film *Charlie Says*, the actor known for *Doctor Who* plays the notorious leader of a cult responsible for some of the most shocking crimes in Hollywood during the 1960s and 70s, including the murder of Sharon Tate.

You can now watch *Charlie Says*, directed by Mary Harron (who also directed *American Psycho*), for free in the UK on Tubi, a streaming service with ads.

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Smiths act with Hannah Murray, known for her roles in *Game of Thrones* and *Skins*, who plays Leslie “Lulu” Van Houten, a member of the Manson Family.

I just finished watching this movie, and it’s seriously intense. It centers around Karlene Faith – Merritt Wever plays her, you might recognize her from *Severance* – and her work trying to help people escape the influence of Charles Manson. Specifically, it shows her efforts to deprogram Van Houten, and two other members of the ‘Family,’ Katie Krenwinkel (played by Sosie Bacon) and Sadie Atkins (Marianne Rendón). It’s a really deep dive into the psychology of it all.

Written by Guinevere Turner, who previously collaborated with Mary Harron on *American Psycho*, *Charlie Says* received a mixed reception from critics. Rotten Tomatoes reports a 59% critics score based on 73 reviews, with many praising the film’s sensitive and thoughtful portrayal of the women involved in the Manson Family.

When *Charlie Says* came out, *Refinery29* pointed out that the film explores a difficult idea: these women could be both victims *and* responsible for terrible crimes. It’s a disturbing thought, but a fresh one, especially compared to the way the media often romanticizes serial killers like Ted Bundy.

Both *The New York Times* and *Rolling Stone* praised the film. *The New York Times* described it as “powerful and deeply affecting,” highlighting its focus on the stories of the women drawn into the Manson cult. *Rolling Stone* specifically noted that the film gave Van Houten a central role in telling her own experience.

Charlie Says is far from the only film chronicling the crimes of the Manson Family.

Besides Quentin Tarantino’s popular take on the Cielo Drive murders in *Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood* (which you can find on Netflix), the story of the killer was also explored in the second season of David Fincher’s highly praised, but short-lived, series *Mindhunter*.

If you’re interested in films about Charles Manson, the 2014 biopic *House of Manson*, starring Ryan Kiser, is available on Prime Video. Also, the exploitation horror film *The Manson Family*, originally released in 1997 and receiving mixed reviews, is currently streaming on Plex in the UK.

Charlie Says is available to stream on Tubi.

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2025-10-17 02:19