Australia loves its true crime dramas—just look at the sprawling Underbelly franchise with its seemingly countless spin-offs, sequels, prequels, and telemovies. But if that’s not enough to sate your appetite for dirty deeds, brand new crime drama Last King of the Cross is now streaming on Paramount+.
Based on the autobiography of “colourful” Sydney nightclub owner John Ibrahim, Last King of the Cross stars Lincoln Younes (Barons, Little Monsters) as Ibrahim, one of four brothers, and traces his life from his arrival in Australia in 1978 as a refugee from war-torn Lebanon to his eventual dominance of Kings Cross’ notorious nightclub scene, paying particular attention to his dealings with crime boss Ezra Shipman (Tim Roth), for whom older brother Sam (Claude Jabbour) works as an enforcer.
Now, Teflon John Ibrahim, as he’s been dubbed, has technically never been convicted of racketeering, drug trafficking, extortion, or any of the other dubious activities that King of the Cross shows him doing, but that’s okay: this is all merely based on real events, so the series really indulges itself. Heck, with Ibrahim himself on board as an executive producer, it feels like a deliberate thumbing of the nose; “Yeah, I did it, but you can’t prove it.” Which, if nothing else, demonstrates a considerable amount of chutzpah.
Reliable crime caper mainstays Matt Nable, Callan Mulvey, and Damian Walshe-Howling show up in supporting roles, but the real star is the set: a painstaking recreation of King’s Cross at its gaudy peak, complete with a recreation of the famous Coca-Cola sign.
For a country that once banned bushranger movies, we can’t get enough of this stuff. The Cross itself has calmed down significantly in recent years, but if you fancy a quick trip to the old Strip, Last King of the Cross is exactly the night in you need.
