Women hunting for diamonds or Harrison Ford as an ex-CIA agent: The TV tips for football fans
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Don’t feel like watching football in the evening? We recommend three worthwhile alternative programs for those who don’t like the World Cup. This time with a female gangster comedy and “Indiana Jones” star Harrison Ford as Jack Ryan.
The 2026 World Cup from the USA, Mexico and Canada will soon be over. In the second semi-final on Wednesday, July 15th, the English will meet Argentina. Kick-off is at 9 p.m. The first broadcasts from 8:15 p.m. If you don’t care, you’ll find exciting alternatives this evening – even on linear TV. We present three films.
“Ocean’s 8” (ProSieben, 8:15 p.m.)
Having just been released from prison, Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock) confidently walks into a high-end department store. As she passes by, she naturally reaches for expensive cosmetic products. How does she want to buy them? Not natural at all. She would like to return the goods that she has allegedly already paid for. But this is only possible with a receipt. Annoyed, Debbie gives in and says she’ll keep the things and see if she can at least have a bag. She’s already casually walking down the street with her bags bulging. A no-brainer for someone planning a huge coup. Because in the film “Ocean’s 8” (2018), which ProSieben is repeating at 8:15 p.m., the gangster lady and her cronies have a goal that the male team around her brother already had years ago: a spectacular robbery of millions.
It takes a little too long at the beginning to put together the team consisting of Debbie’s friend Lou (Cate Blanchett), jeweler Amita (Mindy Kaling), con artist Constance (Awkwafina), fence expert Tammy (Sarah Paulson), hacker Nine Ball (Rihanna) and fashion designer Rose Weil (Helena Bonham Carter). The seven women’s goal: to steal a necklace worth $150 million – right from the neck of the Met Gala’s star guest, Daphne Kluger (Anne Hathaway).
Eventually the heist movie from the picture book picks up speed. Although you get a lot of excitement, it sometimes becomes too much for the emphasized femininity. Does a woman really have to paint her nails during the burglary just to show that women can do that? After the debate over equal pay and #MeToo in Hollywood, it seems now is time for women to get gangster roles just like men. It would just be nicer if they had come up with a new, fresh concept instead of simply having the women repeat what the men did years ago.
“Ocean’s 8” does not deny its origins: the connections to the original “Ocean’s” series remain delicate through the narrative style, allusions and an almost identical beginning. The gangster comedy directed by Gary Ross is worth seeing, especially because of its top-class cast.
“The Forsytes – Family Obliged” (ZDF, 9:45 p.m.)
London, 1877: The members of the Forsyte family have gathered to attend the wedding of Jolyon Forsyte Jr. (Danny Griffin) to Frances (Tuppence Middleton). It quickly becomes clear that the young widow and her daughter June (Billie Joyce) are not marrying into an ordinary family: “A Forsyte is someone who knows the value of stocks, of family and reputation,” explains Ann Forsyte (Francesca Annis) to her newly wedded granddaughter: “You must never ask questions, never contradict and under no circumstances not fulfill the expectations that are placed on you.” ZDFneo shows the first two episodes of the British period romantic drama series “The Forsytes – Family Obliged” (director: Meenu Gaur, Annetta Laufer, book: Debbie Horsfield) as a German free TV premiere at 9:45 p.m., four more follow late at night from 2:55 a.m.
Ten years after this celebration, June (now played by Justine Moore) has arrived in the strictly orchestrated everyday life of the Victorian upper class. A ball in honor of her 18th birthday is now supposed to introduce the young woman to the marriage market. But of course you first need a dress. Louisa Byrne (Eleanor Tomlinson) is tasked with this. But the seamstress from Soho seems to have a secret that, as we soon discover, could threaten the Forsytes’ reputation…
“The Forsytes – Family Obliged” is strongly reminiscent of the British hit series “Downton Abbey”. Here and there, an influential family is facing major upheavals around the turn of the last century. Both the Crawleys in Downton and the Forsytes in London are led by a matriarch: Ann Forsyte, however, has less wit than Violet Crawley, played by the great and now sadly deceased Maggie Smith. You will also look in vain for the entertaining passages from the servants in “The Forsytes”. Anyone who loves costume dramas will probably still like the series. The novel trilogy “The Forsyte Saga” by the British Nobel Prize winner John Galsworthy served as a model. A second season is already in the works.
“The Hour of the Patriots” (Kabel Eins, 8:15 p.m.)
The last crack of the whip sounded in 2023: With “Indiana Jones and the Wheel of Destiny,” Harrison Ford finally said goodbye to the role of the headstrong archaeologist, whom he had played for five films. The thriller “The Hour of the Patriots” from 1992, which Kabel Eins is now repeating at 8:15 p.m., proves that the now 84-year-old doesn’t just shine in the desert sand. Like two years later in “The Cartel,” he plays ex-CIA agent Jack Ryan. In an IRA assassination attempt, he saved the life of a member of the British royal family, but killed one of the perpetrators, whose brother now vows revenge. Ryan is forced to rejoin the CIA to elude the terrorists. An action-packed, suspenseful thriller with a great lead actor.
“The Hour of the Patriots” was the second film adaptation of a Jack Ryan novel. In the first film “The Hunt for Red October” (1990), the ex-CIA agent was played by Alec Baldwin. A planned third film adaptation starring Harrison Ford never materialized. Instead, Ben Affleck took on the role of Jack Ryan in 2002. The film, directed by Phil Alden Robinson, deviated greatly from the novel. Chris Pine finally took on the lead role in “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit” (2014). Directed by Kenneth Branagh. A sixth film, “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War,” starring John Krasinski in the title role, was released on Amazon Prime Video in May. (This article was created in cooperation with teleschau.)