gritty backdrop

Movies with gritty vibe

Tracers

651. Tracers

Action Epic Action
5.6

20151h 34min

United States

Director: Daniel Benmayor

Wanted by the mafia, a New York City bike messenger escapes into the world of parkour after meeting a beautiful stranger.

Themes

Deception and manipulation, Loyalty under pressure, Illicit economies, Organized crime pressure, Debt coercion, Mentorship and belonging

Available on

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

Wild Card

652. Wild Card

Thriller Crime Action Organized Crime Revenge Thriller
5.6

20151h 32min

United States

Director: Simon West

When a Las Vegas bodyguard with lethal skills and a gambling problem gets in trouble with the mob, he has one last play… and it's all or nothing.

Themes

Money as leverage, Risk and consequence, Urban crime economy, Gambling addiction under pressure, Crime and protection dynamics, Autonomy versus coercion

Available on

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

A Most Violent Year

653. A Most Violent Year

Crime Drama Thriller Organized Crime Cover-Up Thriller
6.9

20142h 4min

United Arab Emirates, United States

Director: J.C. Chandor

A thriller set in New York City during the winter of 1981, statistically one of the most violent years in the city's history, and centered on the lives of an immigrant and his family trying to expand their business and capitalize on opportunities as the rampant violence, decay, and corruption of the day drag them in and threaten to destroy all they have built.

Themes

Immigrant ambition vs exploitation, Capitalism and corruption, American dream under pressure, Financial leverage and ethics, Risk management and deception, Law and business tension

Available on

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

Taken 3

654. Taken 3

Thriller Action One-Person Army Kidnapping & Captivity Thriller
6.0

20141h 49min

France, United States

Director: Olivier Megaton

Ex-government operative Bryan Mills finds his life is shattered when he's falsely accused of a murder that hits close to home. As he's pursued by a savvy police inspector, Mills employs his particular set of skills to track the real killer and exact his unique brand of justice.

Themes

False accusation and pursuit, Protective father figure, Deception and exposure, Loyalties under pressure, Family safety versus risk, Restraint and justice

Available on

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

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

655. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Action Adventure Fantasy Epic Action Adventure Epic
7.4

20142h 24min

New Zealand, United States

Director: Peter Jackson

Following Smaug's attack on Laketown, Bilbo and the dwarves try to defend Erebor's mountain of treasure from others who claim it: the men of the ruined Laketown and the elves of Mirkwood. Meanwhile an army of Orcs led by Azog the Defiler is marching on Erebor, fueled by the rise of the dark lord Sauron. Dwarves, elves and men must unite, and the hope for Middle-Earth falls into Bilbo's hands.

Themes

Leadership under crisis, Deception in negotiation, Uneasy alliances under pressure, Treasure as motive and burden, Greed versus responsibility, Unity across factions

Available on

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

Wild

656. Wild

Drama Coming-of-Age Drama
7.1

20141h 55min

United States

Director: Jean-Marc Vallée

A woman with a tragic past decides to start her new life by hiking for one thousand miles on the Pacific Crest Trail.

Themes

Trauma and resilience, Grief and memory, Divorce and rebuilding identity, Reconciliation with the past, Self-reinvention through challenge, Endurance in isolation

Available on

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

Black Sea

657. Black Sea

Adventure Drama Thriller Treasure Hunt Survival Thriller
6.4

20141h 55min

United Kingdom, United States

Director: Kevin Macdonald

A rogue submarine captain pulls together a misfit crew to go after a sunken treasure rumored to be lost in the depths of the Black Sea. As greed and desperation take control on-board their claustrophobic vessel, the increasing uncertainty of the mission causes the men to turn on each other to fight for their own survival.

Themes

Trust under pressure, Betrayal and manipulation, Risk and consequence, Greed vs survival, Cross-cultural crew dynamics, Isolation and claustrophobia

Available on

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

The Connection

658. The Connection

Thriller Crime Action Narcotics Crime Investigation Suspense
7.1

20142h 15min

Belgium, France

Director: Cédric Jimenez

Newly transferred to the bustling port city of Marseille to assist with a crackdown on organized crime, energetic young magistrate Pierre Michel is given a rapid-fire tutorial on the ins and outs of an out-of-control drug trade. Pierre's wildly ambitious mission is to take on the French Connection, a highly organized operation that controls the city's underground heroin economy and is overseen by the notorious —and reputedly untouchable— Gaetan Zampa. Fearless, determined and willing to go the distance, Pierre plunges into an underworld world of insane danger and ruthless criminals.

Themes

Underground drug economy, Corruption within law enforcement, Loyalty and defection, Personal cost of duty, Illegal surveillance, Organized crime vs justice

Available on

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

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1

659. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1

Science Fiction Adventure Thriller Dystopian Sci-Fi Adventure Epic
6.6

20142h 3min

United States

Director: Francis Lawrence

After surviving the Quarter Quell, Katniss finds herself in the hidden stronghold of District 13, where the rebellion against the Capitol is gaining momentum. Struggling with the weight of becoming the symbol of resistance, she must navigate fragile alliances while trying to protect those she loves. As propaganda battles rage and Panem moves closer to full-scale war, Katniss is forced to confront the true cost of revolution.

Themes

Leadership under crisis, Propaganda and manipulation, Resistance and revolt, Female agency under oppression, Class prejudice and subjugation, Collective action and sacrifice

Available on

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

Skin Trade

660. Skin Trade

Thriller Action Drama Crime Martial Arts Action
5.6

20141h 36min

Canada, Thailand

Director: Ekachai Uekrongtham

After his family is killed by a Serbian gangster with international interests. NYC detective Nick goes to S.E. Asia and teams up with a Thai detective to get revenge and destroy the syndicates human trafficking network.

Themes

Trafficking and exploitation, Moral ambiguity in justice, Transnational crime networks, Duty versus vengeance, Revenge and personal loss, Corruption and manipulation

Available on

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