Crime backdrop

Crime movies

A deep dive into the underworld of gangsters, detectives, and heists where the line between right and wrong blurs.

Subgenres include: Organized Crime, Heist, Con Artist Crime.

Just Mercy

591. Just Mercy

Drama Crime History Legal Drama Biographical History
7.6

20192h 17min

United States

Director: Destin Daniel Cretton

The powerful true story of Harvard-educated lawyer Bryan Stevenson, who goes to Alabama to defend the disenfranchised and wrongly condemned — including Walter McMillian, a man sentenced to death despite evidence proving his innocence. Bryan fights tirelessly for Walter with the system stacked against them.

Themes

Racial injustice under law, Coercion-driven testimony reversal, Appeal and retrial pressure, Advocacy confronting system bias, Disenfranchised seeking equality, Media scrutiny shaping juries

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Line of Duty

592. Line of Duty

Thriller Crime Action Kidnapping & Captivity Thriller Police Procedural
5.3

20191h 38min

United Kingdom, United States

Director: Steven C. Miller

Frank Penny is a disgraced cop looking for a shot at redemption. When the police chief's 11-year-old daughter is abducted, Frank goes rogue to try and save her. But to find the girl, Frank will need the help of Ava Brooks, whose live-streaming news channel is broadcasting Frank's every move.

Themes

Moral ambiguity in policing, Time pressure in crises, Live-streamed accountability, Revenge as motivator, Deadly force consequences, Ex-partner complicates decisions

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Sheep Without a Shepherd

593. Sheep Without a Shepherd

Crime Mystery Thriller
6.8

20191h 52min

Director: Sam Quah

Li and his wife A Yu run a small business in Thailand and enjoy a happy home life with their two daughters. When their eldest daughter is violently assaulted, blackmailed and left traumatised by another student, her parents intervene, leading to a dead body which needs to be hidden, and every trace of the boy buried to cover up the accident.


Lupin III: The First

594. Lupin III: The First

Adventure Animation Comedy Crime
6.9

20191h 33min

Director: Takashi Yamazaki

The iconic "gentleman thief" Lupin III returns in an action-packed, continent-spanning adventure, as Lupin III and his colorful underworld companions race to uncover the secrets of the mysterious Bresson Diary, before it falls into the hands of a dark cabal that will stop at nothing to resurrect the Third Reich.


Code 8

595. Code 8

Science Fiction Action Crime Dystopian Sci-Fi Epic Action
6.1

20191h 39min

Canada, United Kingdom

Director: Jeff Chan

In Lincoln City, some inhabitants have extraordinary abilities. Most live below the poverty line, under the close surveillance of a heavily militarized police force. Connor, a construction worker with powers, involves with a criminal gang to help his ailing mother. (Based on the short film “Code 8,” 2016.)

Themes

Loyalty under coercion, Economic marginalization of powers, Drug economy and crime, Surveillance driven policing, Regulation of powers, Family duty under illness

Available on

Netflix
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

The Immortal

596. The Immortal

Crime Drama Thriller Organized Crime Revenge Thriller
6.8

20191h 55min

Italy, Germany

Director: Marco D'Amore

After reuniting with his first mentor Bruno and receiving his latest mission, an exiled Ciro is left to fearlessly confront whatever comes his way, navigating a new chapter of gang warfare while grappling with devastating memories of loss and trauma. Weaving between his past as an orphan in Naples' cruel underworld and present as a hardened, cunning assassin with nothing left to lose, Ciro is plunged into the cold, dark depths of a world where immortality is just another form of damnation.

Themes

Loyalty and betrayal, Trauma and memory, Orphan to operative, Survival under criminal code, Mentor influence and control, Factional violence and coercion

Available on

HBO Max
HBO Max Amazon Channel
HBO Max  Amazon Channel
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

The Legacy of the Bones

597. The Legacy of the Bones

Thriller Crime Mystery Investigation Suspense Detective Mystery Crime
6.4

20192h 1min

Spain

Director: Fernando González Molina

Inspector Amaia Salazar must return to the Baztan valley in order to solve a series of suicides that seem to follow a similar pattern.

Themes

Duty under pressure, Family past violence, Community secrecy and harm, Hidden lineage memory, Pregnant investigator burden, Rituals and power

Available on

Netflix
Netflix Standard with Ads
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Only the Animals

598. Only the Animals

Drama Crime Detective Mystery Crime Psychological Drama
7.1

20191h 56min

France, Germany

Director: Dominik Moll

On the frozen highlands of southern France, Evelyne Ducat’s polished, secretive life vanishes into a blizzard, while insurance agent Alice believes she’s merely tending to a routine claim and a stolen affair on Michel’s sheep farm. As a body behind a barn, a maze of hay bales, and a sinkhole emerge, their quiet deceptions spiral into an inescapable reckoning.

Themes

Deception in relationships, Crime and consequence, Secrecy and betrayal, Social and moral tensions, Dual lives and performance, Online scams and crime

Available on

Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Knives Out

599. Knives Out

Comedy Crime Mystery Satire Detective Mystery Crime
7.9

20192h 11min

United States

Director: Rian Johnson

When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc is mysteriously enlisted to investigate. From Harlan's dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind Harlan's untimely death.

Themes

Family pressure, Dependency leverage, Privilege manipulation, Inheritance obligation, Reputation leverage, Household authority

Available on

Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Queen & Slim

600. Queen & Slim

Crime Drama Romance Tragic Drama Dark Romance
7.1

20192h 11min

United States, Canada

Director: Melina Matsoukas

While on a forgettable first date together in Ohio, a black man and a black woman are pulled over for a minor traffic infraction. The situation escalates, with sudden and tragic results.

Themes

Racial bias in policing, On the run under surveillance, Media amplification of crime, Solidarity under threat, Survival under systemic violence, Protest and policing dynamics

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.