Shubhabrata Dutta
While crime in any form should not be supported, its popularity as a film genre proves that cinephiles love it. By this, we do not mean that we love it, but to be subjected to the intricacies of a well-thought-out crime does spark interest, excitement, and catharsis (if there is any). Since time immemorial, writers and directors have given us great crime movies with endless possibilities. For lovers of the genre, HBO Max offers some of the best crime movies out there.
17. Love Lies Bleeding (2024)
Winner of the Best Indie award at the Astra Midseason Movie Awards, ‘Love Lies Bleeding’ is directed by Rose Glass and stars Kristen Stewart and Katy O’Brian. The film follows Lou (Stewart), a solitary gym manager, who falls for Jackie (O’Brian), an ambitious bodybuilder. As the two embark on a steamy relationship, their love is subjected to violence and death, thanks to Lou’s criminal family. To what extent the two are willing to go to keep their love safe is what we find out in this dark, captivating, and intimate neo-noir thriller. Both Stewart and O’Brian play their roles to the T, proving their mettle as good actors made for complicated characters. You can watch ‘Love Lies Bleeding’ here.
16. Kimi (2022)
Steven Soderbergh’s underrated crime thriller ‘Kimi’ focuses on highly-skilled tech worker Angela Childs (Zoë Kravitz), who has agoraphobia (anxiety that results from the feeling of being in an unsafe environment). Her work on a new tech invention brings to light a premeditated murder, forcing her to inform the FBI about it. Unfortunately, she not only has to face her fear of vulnerable spaces but also those who want to keep her from reporting the crime, even if it means killing her. With a dark conspiracy at its heart, ‘Kimi’ offers a satisfying watch with a gripping story and a powerful performance by Kravitz. You can watch the film here.
15. Now You See Me (2013)
The first installment of one of the best heist film franchises of all time, ‘Now You See Me’ follows the Four Horsemen, namely J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrelson), Henley Reeves (Isla Fisher), and Jack Wilder (Dave Franco). They are a group of robbers/magicians who pull off a heist as a part of their latest magic show. This gets FBI agent Dylan Rhodes (Mark Ruffalo) and French Interpol agent Alma Dray (Mélanie Laurent) after the group, but when they fail to get any evidence, they reach out to magic debunker Thaddeus Bradley (Morgan Freeman). Will the two be able to prevent another heist? Or will the Four Horsemen get away once again? It’s a very entertaining movie with great visuals; you can watch ‘Now You See Me’ right here.
14. Ricochet (1991)
A quintessential 90s crime thriller directed by Russell Mulcahy, ‘Ricochet’ follows Assistant District Attorney Nick Styles (Denzel Washington), who is targeted by psychopathic killer Earl Talbot Blake (John Lithgow). Blake has escaped prison eight years after he was put there by Styles when the latter was a rookie cop. The question is: Who will face the gun this time? To find out, you can watch ‘Ricochet’ right here.
13. Wanted (2008)
A film that made viewers believe that a bullet can be curved mid-air, ‘Wanted’ is a star-studded action thriller featuring James McAvoy, Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman, Common, Terence Stamp, and Thomas Kretschmann. The movie centers on Fraternity, a secret society of highly trained assassins led by Mr. Sloan (Freeman). Wesley Gibson (McAvoy), a frustrated 24-year-old cubicle guy, is hired by the society to be trained so that he can kill his father’s assassin, Cross (Kretschmann), before Cross kills Wesley. However, Wesley soon uncovers a conspiracy within the Fraternity that is connected to his father’s assassination and takes it upon himself to find the truth about who killed his father. Fox (Jolie), the one who first reached out to Wesley, decides to help him in his mission. Directed by Timur Bekmambetov, ‘Wanted’ is loosely based on the limited comic book series by Mark Millar and J. G. Jones, published in 2003 and 2004. Packed with fast-paced action sequences, the film is a must-watch crime thriller and can be streamed right here.
12. No Sudden Move (2021)
Directed by Steven Soderbergh, ‘No Sudden Move’ is a gripping crime drama film set against the backdrop of 1950s Detroit. It is about three gangsters recruited for a blackmailing scheme against the family of an accountant of a multinational automotive manufacturer. The guy is told to bring a document from his boss’ safe while his family is held hostage. But when the document turns out fake, the gangsters realize they are part of a larger scheme.
What follows is them trying to figure out who is pulling the strings. With a stellar ensemble that includes Brendan Fraser, Benicio Del Toro, Don Cheadle, Kieran Culkin, David Harbour, Matt Damon, Julia Fox, and Frankie Shaw, ‘No Sudden Move’ offers an unpredictable plot that is a social commentary about how only the corrupted manage to reach and stay at the top. You can watch the movie here.
11. Panic Room (2002)
David Fincher’s cult classic thriller ‘Panic Room’ centers on a mother-daughter duo that is forced to hide in a customized “panic room” in their new Upper West Side mansion after a bunch of thieves break in. The room is equipped with all sorts of stuff that allows the mother to see what the thieves are up to while keeping her daughter and herself secure. But how long can she and her daughter stay in? Moreover, the thieves want something that’s inside the room and are bent on entering it by any means necessary.
Starring Jodie Foster, Kristen Stewart, Forest Whitaker, Jared Leto, and Dwight Yoakam, ‘Panic Room’ is reputed for the tension it builds. A true-to-form gloomy and well-crafted crime drama, the film successfully uses architecture to build its tense atmosphere. You can experience the thrill right here.
10. The Many Saints of Newark (2021)
Written by David Chase and directed by Alan Taylor, ‘The Many Saints of Newark’ is a prequel to the crime drama series ‘The Sopranos’ (also written by David Chase and available on HBO Max) that revolves around New Jersey mobster Tony Soprano aka Anthony John Soprano Sr. The movie shows teenage Tony learning the ways of his mobster uncle Dickie Moltisanti amidst a gang war that’s part of the 1967 Newark riots in New Jersey.
A prequel to a famous crime series is compelling only if it is able to showcase the impending events that we have already seen. ‘The Many Saints of Newark’ is spot on in this case. We get a convincing portrayal of the crime-hit Newark in which Anthony Soprano grows up while assisting his uncle. In other words, we get to see how crime shaped the very personality of the kid who would go on to become the feared mob boss, Tony Soprano. The cast includes Michael Gandolfini, Alessandro Nivola, Michela De Rossi, Jon Bernthal, Ray Liotta, Joey Diaz and Gabriella Piazza. Feel free to check out the film here.
9. The Little Things (2021)
Directed by John Lee Hancock and starring 3 Academy Award winners, namely Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, and Jared Leto, ‘The Little Things’ brings Kern County Deputy Sheriff Joe Deacon, a guilt-filled guy, to Los Angeles for what is supposed to be a case of gathering evidence. However, things take a different turn when he finds himself helping L.A. Sheriff Department Sergeant Jim Baxter track down a serial killer going around the city killing women. What makes things intriguing is that the investigation is picking at Deacon’s past, which is dark, perhaps even more than the case at hand. Is the serial killer connected to Deacon in any way? The devil is in the details, or as the title says, the ‘little things.’ You can stream it here.
8. Bad Education (2019)
Directed by Cory Finley, ‘Bad Education’ depicts the events that led to the biggest public school embezzlement in American history. Based on Robert Kolker’s 2004 New York magazine article “The Bad Superintendent,” the film shows how Dr. Frank Tassone, the school district superintendent, and Pam Gluckin, assistant superintendent, embezzled over $11 million from the funds of Roslyn Union Free School District in Long Island. Hugh Jackman plays Frank Tassone, and Allison Janney plays Pam Gluckin. Geraldine Viswanathan as Rachel Bhargava, the student reporter who found the misappropriation while doing research for her high school newspaper. Bhargava is the fictional counterpart of Rebekah Rombom, the Roslyn High School newspaper editor-in-chief, who came across the inconsistencies in the funds. ‘Bad Education’ received 5 nominations at the 2020 Hollywood Critics Association Midseason Awards, winning two, a Primetime Emmy nomination and 2 Satellite Award nominations, among other accolades. You can watch it here.
7. Blood Simple (1984)
Directed by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, ‘Blood Simple’ is an independent neo-noir crime that won the Grand Jury Prize at the 1985 Sundance Film Festival. The gripping drama revolves around Abby (Frances McDormand), whose affair with bartender Ray (John Getz) makes her husband, Julian Marty (Dan Hedaya), hire a shady private detective, Loren Visser (M. Emmet Walsh), to kill the two lovers. However, Visser, who has already provided his services to Marty, decides to do things his way, which benefits him. This is how things start getting complicated and fatal (stressed) for not just him but Marty, Abby, and Ray. Add a gun, money, and photographs to the mix, and you have a perfect crime drama. ‘Blood Simple’ can be streamed here.
6. Goodfellas (1990)
Martin Scorsese’s cult classic crime drama ‘Goodfellas’ is based on Nicholas Pileggi’s 1985 non-fiction book ‘Wiseguy.’ Spanning decades, it tells the story of mobster Henry Hill (associated with the Lucchese crime family of New York City) from his rise to his fall. Impeccable in its depiction of mob life, the film delves deep into Hill’s (Ray Liotta) criminal undertakings, from his carjacking days for caporegime Paulie Cicero to owning a cocaine business to being involved in the Lufthansa heist, while throwing light on his personal life and how it all came to an unexpected and betraying end. Co-starring Scorsese staples Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci, ‘Goodfellas’ earned six Oscar nominations (winning one) and five Golden Globe nominations, among other accolades. If you are into crime dramas, this film is a must-watch and can be streamed right here.
5. Gangs of New York (2002)
Directed by Martin Scorsese, ‘Gangs of New York’ is a critically acclaimed movie based on Herbert Asbury’s 1927 non-fiction book ‘The Gangs of New York: An Informal History of the Underworld’ that deals with the rise and fall of the criminal gangs in 19th century New York. The movie shows young Amsterdam Vallon returning to Five Points, a dreary Lower Manhattan district, seeking revenge for the death of his father, who was killed by William “Bill the Butcher” Cutting, leader of the Protestant Confederation of American Natives, 16 years ago.
Meanwhile, Cutting is involved in a gang war, his rival being the Dead Rabbits, an Irish Catholic immigrant gang led by “Priest” Vallon. The cast includes Daniel Day-Lewis as Cutting, Leonardo DiCaprio as Vallon, and Liam Neeson as Vallon, along with Cameron Diaz, Henry Thomas, Jim Broadbent, John C. Reilly and Brendan Gleeson. The Martin Scorsese movie received 10 Oscar nominations, and this itself proves the effectiveness of the film as a true-to-form crime drama. You can stream ‘Gangs of New York’ here.
4. The Batman (2022)
Directed by Matt Reeves, ‘The Batman’ is a superhero movie that serves as an authentic crime drama as well due to its dark plot showcasing the underbelly of the fictional Gotham City. In it, Batman takes on Edward Nashton, aka Riddler, and Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot, aka Penguin. Reeves’ dark take on the character and the world separates this one from the other Batman movies and does manage to establish the gritty nature of the titular character, who, despite being a human underneath, can be a ruthless entity serving vengeance on those who deserve it. Robert Pattinson plays Bruce Wayne/Batman, while the rest of the cast includes Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman, Paul Dano as Riddler, Colin Farrell as Penguin, Jeffrey Wright as Officer James Gordon, and Andy Serkis as Alfred. You can experience this dark tale right here.
3. Reality (2023)
This compelling crime drama is based on an interrogation transcript. Read that again. Directed by Tina Satter, the film shows the events as revealed by NSA translator Reality Winner to FBI agents R. Wallace Taylor and Justin C. Garrick. Reality was charged with leaking classified information regarding the 2016 Presidential Elections in the US to an online publication and arrested on June 3, 2017. Sydney Sweeney plays Reality Winner, Marchánt Davis plays Wallace Taylor, and Josh Hamilton plays Justin Garrick. With 2 nominations at the 2023 Berlin International Film Festival, among other accolades, ‘Reality’ is a brilliantly executed drama underscored by effective detailing. You can watch it here.
2. Joker (2019)
The origin story of Batman’s arch-nemesis Joker, the Todd Phillips directorial upped the ante of crime drama in a never-before manner. Delving into the psyche of the titular character, aka Arthur Fleck, a subject of urban isolation underscored by mistreatment and abuse, ‘Joker’ shows the extent to which it can affect a person and lead him/her to an unstable point from where there is no return. Pain becomes a friend, fear disappears, judgment becomes personal, and chaos becomes order. Joaquin Phoenix won an Oscar for his role as Arthur Fleck/Joker, who takes to a life of crime because it is the only way for him to send his message loud and clear, i.e., the only way to live life is without rules. You can watch ‘Joker’ here.
1. Le Samouraï (1967)
A noir gem and a necessary addition to any crime films list, ‘Le Samouraï’ is directed by Jean Pierre Melville. It follows Jef Costello, a hitman whose latest hit gets multiple witnesses. However, he is let go after one witness identifies him. Unfortunately, he is attacked and wounded but escapes, realizing that the attacker was sent by his mysterious employer, for whom he has become a liability. Things get more and more convoluted as he tries to keep himself alive while looking for his mysterious employer. A filmmaking masterclass, ‘Le Samouraï’ seamlessly combines story, setting, and camerawork in a manner that led acclaimed film critic Roger Ebert to give it four out of four stars, a rare achievement. You can watch it here.
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