One of the tensest movies of the last 10 years is on TV tonight

Holding a 96% Rotten Tomatoes score, the film makes for an unforgettable watch.

A French film, it stars Denis Ménochet (Beau is Afraid, Inglourious Basterds) and Léa Drucker (The Bureau, War of the Worlds) as a married couple who have gone through a bitter divorce, with the story detailing the fallout of this and how it impacts their young son (Thomas Gloria).

The plot synopsis reads: “Miriam and Antoine Besson have divorced, and Miriam is seeking sole custody of their son Julien to protect him from a father she claims is violent.

“Antoine pleads his case as a scorned dad whose children have been turned against him by their vindictive mother. Unsure who is telling the truth, the appointed judge rules in favour of joint custody.

“A hostage to the escalating conflict between his parents, Julien is pushed to the edge to prevent the worst from happening.”

The feature debut of writer-director Xavier Legrand, Custody begins as a social realist drama – in which the viewer is unsure which of the parents is in the right.

That is before it gradually – through its powerful performances and a string of profoundly unnerving parent-child scenes – ratchets up the tension, eventually culminating in an unforgettably distressing thriller climax.

This ending hits all the harder because you believe in the characters at the centre of the chaos.

Holding a 96% Rotten Tomatoes score, Custody is airing on TV tonight/tomorrow morning on Film4 at 1.30am, so we’d advise recording the movie or checking it out later via Channel 4's website.