To be inspired is one thing and to be inspired to manifest the actual events through the cinematic lenses is another story, one that is enthralling and very complex in itself. To recreate the actual real-life events in movies takes a great team of visionary directors, an expressionist cast, creatively inclined writers, and excellent co-workers.
Crime is a genre that has been there for a long time but has only risen in popularity in the last decade. The popularity has risen to such that there are now fan clubs dedicated to fictional characters, police officers, and even detectives. People sit around and make conspiracy theories together and alternative endings to crime movies. These groups add to the popularity of the genre and movies, making them even more hyped!
Crime movies are not just a way to hook the viewer into solving a crime along with the investigator and keep them guessing till the very end to try and understand who is the killer or the main criminal. But they are also an excellent means to create awareness and raise tributes to people who have been victims of unpredictable unfortunate causes and also to warn the viewers in many ways.
Some crime-based movies are creations of a writer’s mind, and some of them are the actual narration of the real-life stories of people who faced the plot of the film in real life. Most of the time, the names and locations are changed, but the theories are investigated most kept as authentic as they can be and are allowed to keep legally. Following the schemes of organized crimes, schemes, trials, investigations, and potting and planning.
So if you love to keep yourself intrigued and to guess till the end, then these crime genre-based movies should make it into your next weekend’s watch list!
Also Read: 31 Japanese Crime Dramas To Watch in 2022
39 Crime Genre-Based Movies That Are Based On Actual Crimes
A great criminal movie is a collection of a well-devised plot and storyline, less distracted directions, clear interpretations, confusing twists and turns, factual information, and, most importantly, a motive. Since these movies are based on the actual incidents, turning them into dramatized versions must have been sweat breaking task.
Keeping the dialogues authentic, with a consistent screenplay, is essential at the end, and not forgetting a climax that makes a person’s heart race. After all, what is a thriller without a great climax? So here we have a list of 39 crime movies that are based on real-life events and inspired by those incidents!
1) My Friend Dahmer
The movie was directed and screenplay by Marc Meyers and was released in 2017, firstly at Tribeca Film Festival in April and later on in November 2017 for all. This movie stars Ross Lynch, Anne Heche, Alex Wolffe, Dallas Roberts, and Tommy Nelson. The movie can be watched on Amazon Prime Video.
This 2017 film is based on America’s one of the most brutal serial killers Jeremy Dahmer, who was convicted of murdering about 17 men and boys. The film is adapted from the graphic novel that was created by the cartoonist John “Derf” Backderf, who was one of his friends of Dahmer when he was a high schooler.
The movie is based upon the perspective and life of Dahmer that is played by Ross Lynch, in the year 1974 when he was living with his parents in Bath, Ohio as a high school freshman. The movie portrays the story of how Dahmer went from being an obsessive and problematic high schooler to a killer from the opinion of Derf, who was almost one of the first victims of Dahmer before he began on a killing spree.
2) All the Money in the World
This movie is based on the 1995 book by John Pearson titled Painfully Rich: The Outrageous Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Heirs of J. Paul Getty, which was later on, turned into a movie in 2017. The movie is directed by Ridley Scott and written by David Scarpa. The movie stars Michelle Williams, Christopher Plummer, and Mark Wahlberg.
This biographical crime-thriller film is based on the life of J. Paul Getty III in 1973, who is the grandson of J Paul Getty, who was once America’s richest man and an oil tycoon. This case was highly publicized and media recorded back in the day. Getty III was kidnapped, who was 16 at that time, in the hopes of retrieving money from his grandfather, who on the other hand, denied all the requests and demands of the ransom of $17 Million by the kidnappers and refused to accept their terms and conditions at any cost.
The movie entails a thrilling investigation and the survival of Paul, who was held hostage for weeks, and the movie’s twists and turns make it more enthralling for the viewer to see what’s next and how Paul will be saved from the dangerous kidnappers.
3) Molly’s Game
This biographical crime/drama film is directed by Aaron Sorkin and Mark Gordon, and Amy Pascal. The movie was released in 2017 and is based on a memoir by Mary Bloom, the same name that was published in 2014. The movie is inspired by the real-life action of a mogul skier of great skill and competency, Mary Bloom. The movie stars Jessica Chastain, Idris Alba, Kevin Costner, and Michael Cera.
In the earlier days of her work as a bottle waitress, she gets a chance to run a successful illegal poker lounge named “The Cobra Lounge,” which quickly gains popularity, and she independently runs the games. The longe was mainly filled with rich people, celebrities, Business tycoons, and Russian tycoons.
The movie follows the plot when Bloom comes under the pinpoint of an FBI investigation when her illegal Poker lounge gets discovered. Along with the lounge, all the illegal activities and mobs are also exposed that landing Bloom in legal trouble.
4) Zodiac
This American mystery crime thriller movie was released in 2007, directed by David Fincher, and the screenplay is credited to James Vanderbilt. The movie stars Robert Downey Jr, Mark Ruffalo, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Anthony Edwards. This suspenseful movie is based on the non-fictional books by Robert Graysmith that keep the audience stuck to their screens from start to end.
The story follows the years of the 1960s to 1970s when a serial killer with the pseudonym name of Zodiac killer is on the loose in San Francisco Bay Area. An elaborative manhunt is on the move to search for the dangerous fugitive, but even after years of search, their investigation is unfruitful.
The movie shows the struggle and the elaborative theories of search that took place, along with the findings about the killer and the murders conducted by him. The serious tones of the movie make it a chilling experience, and indeed this movie is worth the watch.
5) I, Tonya
This amazingly thrilling criminal is based on the figure skater Tonya Harding who was stuck in an attack scandal in 1994 on her sport rival Nancy Kerrigan. Tonya, under the negative passion and pressure of qualifying for the Olympics, plans and plots to injure her rival before the prequels.
The movie is based on the real-life interviews and transcripts of Tonya and her then-husband, Jeff Gillooly, making the unreliable narrators as they place almost contradictory statements about what happened. The movie was appreciated by the critics for its screenplay and consistency of the movie.
The movie is directed by Craig Gillespie and written by Steven Rogers. The movie stars Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, Allison Janney, and Bobby Cannavale. The movie was released in December 2017.
6) Talwar
This Indian-Hindi language movie was released in 2015 and was directed by Meghna Gulzar. The movie was released under the name “Guilty” internationally and received both critical and commercial appreciation. The movie is based on the real-life double murder case in Noida that took place in 2008. This movie was appreciated for its Rashomon effect as it displayed the opinions and perspectives of three points of view.
In the Tondon house, the family servant and the teenage daughter of Tondon named Shruti were found dead under mysterious circumstances, and the investigation was held in three different ways and perspectives, making this case even more, messier and more confusing.
The film stars Irrfan Khan, Konkona Sen Sharma, and Neeraj Kabi in the lead roles, and this movie is indeed a twisted and thrilling experience all packed in one.
7) The Wolf of Wall Street
This movie is for all the enthusiasts of the trading world and course, Leonardo DiCaprio. This movie was released in 2013 and was directed by Martin Scorsese, and was greatly commercially successful. This biographical movie is based on the memoir of Jordon Belfort, who climbed his way to the top as a stockbroker with his firm Stratton Oakmont.
The movie portrays his rise and how his rich life influenced his behavior from leaving his first wife to becoming an addict, living an extremely obnoxious life as he collects money by scamming people by making them invest in companies that are fraudulent, unprofiting, and even in some cases unreal.
He builds a team of similarly minded stockbrokers who along with him, lead a similar life and face the consequences when they are placed under a magnifying glass for their suspiciously rising profits and becoming number one in the world street in no time.
The movie has been conceptualized in the black-comedy genre and is filled with rollercoasters of emotions and highly intensive themes.
8) Casino
This 1995 film is an epic crime film that follows the story of Sam “Ace” Rothstein, an expert handicapper and also a mafia member who gets an opportunity to oversee the day-to-day casino and hotel operations for an Italian organized crime syndicate Chicago Outfits. He takes charge of the Tangiers Casino.
The Casino is suspected of criminal activities and is heavily drowsed in the same. The movie is based on a no-fiction book by Nicholas Pileggi titled Casino: Love and Honour in Las Vegas. Nicholas was a reporter who extensively researched this event. The movie entails the events that led to the eventual downfall of the mafia and the syndicate due to the conduct of raids during that time.
The movie is directed by Martin Scorsese, who is also the director of Wolf of the Wall Street. The movie stars Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone and Loe Pesci. Stone’s performance was particularly acclaimed critically, and later on, she was awarded a Golden Globe Award.
9) Memories of Murders
This movie is a South Korean thriller movie that was released in 2003, and till today is one of the most insanely thrilling and realistic movies. The movie is titled Sarinui Cheuok in Korean and is directed by Bong Joon Ho. The movie is based on the Korean play Come to See Me. The movie stars Song Kang Ho, Kim Roi-Ha, Kim Sang Kyung and Park Hae-ik.
The movie is truly based on the first confirmed serial killers and murders in South Korea that were conducted in the late 190s. The movie is based on the perspective of the police officer in charge, Park Doo-Man, who is known to be able to know who the killer is by looking into the eyes of the convicts.
The officer and his team go through various suspects and alternatives as they exhaust every possibility of the murderer. The movie ends on an interesting turn as Park, years later, when the crime is still unsolved, misses the killer almost by chance.
Also, Read 40 Disaster Korean Drama That You Want to Watch In Your Mood Off!
10) Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
This movie is based upon the life sketch of Nomadic serial killer Henry who is on a brutal crime spree under psychotic mental conditions that makes him murder people with next to no remorse. He kills several people as he travels through America, without any particular pattern, as seen in all the serial killings.
Henry’s character is shown to be guiltless, and he acts on his impulses to kill people without any halt. Even at the end of the movie, he kills his love interest without any explanation. His erratic and unpredictable behavior pattern makes this movie chilling and even uncomfortable at many points.
The movie is directed by John Mc Naughton and written by him and Richard Fire. This 1986 movie stars Michael Rooker, Tom Towles, and Tracy Arnold in the leading roles.
11) Extremely Wicked, Shocking and Vile
This 2019 movie is based on the life sketch of the infamous Ted Bundy, the man behind a series of crimes and murders. Most importantly, the terror that he spread during the 1970s, involved the kidnapping of women, murders, and petty thefts.
Ted was even arrested after being identified by Carol DaRonch, who managed to escape before he could kill her. But Bundy was later released on bail and again arrested for another murder. The movie follows the irrational killings by Ted Bundy after he escaped prison and also the unreasonable fan-following that he developed during that time, with some women even claiming that they love him.
The movie follows up on his execution in 1989 after he confessed to murdering over 30 people. The movie was directed by Joe Berlinger and stars Zac Efron, Lily Collins, Jim Parsons, and Kaya Scoldelario. The movie is available on Netflix and can be streamed there.
12) No Man of God
This 2019 mystery crime thriller movie is directed by Amber Sealey that follows the story of America’s most notorious serial killer Ted Bundy. This movie is based on the perspective of the transcripts of the actual conversations that took place between Ted Bundy and FBI Agent Bill Hagmaier.
The movie is purely based on the most unnatural friendship built between the duo, which leaves Bill almost emotionally destroyed when Ted confesses his murders and all the killings he conducted and how he did the same. As disturbing are the details of the case, the movie showcases the final days of Ted Bundy before his execution and justice for the people.
The movie stars Elijah Woods, Luke Kirby, and Robert Patrick.
13) The Irishman
This epic gangster movie was released in 2019 and is indeed a rush of adrenaline to one’s heart. This movie is both directed and produced by Martin Scorsese and is inspired by the non-fiction book I Heard You Paint Houses by Charles Brandt. The movie stars Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Jane Rosenthal, and Irwin Winkler.
De Niro plays the role of Frank Sheeran, who is a normal truck driver who soon finds himself in the world of mobsters as he becomes a trusted hitman for a mobster and his family, Russell Bufalino. As he dives deeper into the underworld as a hitman, he soon starts working for the extremely powerful American teamster named Jimmy Hoffa, along with whom he rises to another level of work.
The screenplay and the acting of the cast were highly appreciated, and even though this movie’s development took years, in the end, the final movie was worth the wait.
14) Can You Ever Forgive Me?
This 2018 movie is a biographical confessional memoir of an American author named Lee Israel, who was accused of literary forgery. This memoir was published in 2008 by the same name and later on turned into a movie by Marielle Heller. The movie stars Melissa McCarthy and Richard E. Grant in the lead roles.
Lee, who is in a career slump and creative block, resorts to alcoholism and all the bad habits as a way to cope with her mental health. Soon she starts selling forged letters by dead celebrities to the media for a price. She even goes ahead her way to add more intimate details about their personal lives and relationships and made-up stories about them in the hope of charging higher amounts.
The movie displays one of the earliest and probably the biggest literary scam and violations of intellectual and personal rights, with McCarthy very efficiently playing the role of Israel in the movie.
15) Lost Girls
This movie is full of twists and turns and, most importantly, packed with high-intensity emotions and tensions of the characters that are easily translated from the screens to the viewer’s eyes. The movie is based on a non-fiction book and was recorded by Robert Kolker named Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery.
The movie is directed by Liz Garbus and written by Michael Werwie and was released in 2020. The movie stars Amy Ryan, Lola Kerke, Thomasin McKenzie, and Dean Winters. The movie is mysterious as it follows the search for the Long Island Serial killer who killed young women on the South Shore barrier island.
Mary Gilbert, who is on the stressful search for her daughter Shannon unpredictably discovers a set of a murderous chain of young women who were killed and gives a new direction and mission to her search.
16) The Highwaymen
This movie is based on the lives of the infamously known notorious criminals Bonnie and Clyde. This 2019 period crime movie is from the perspective of two Texas Rangers who are set out on a mission to track down Bonnie and Clyde, who are yet on the loose and untrackable in the 1930s.
The movie is directed by John Lee Hancock and written by John Fusco. The movie stars Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson. The movie has been in development hell from the year of 2005 and finally saw its release in 2019, almost 14 years later.
The movie is filled with theories and the assumptions of the rangers who through the contradictions and contrasts in their thinking style and personalities, manage to find them and plan to catch them. Much of the inspiration has been taken from the real-life tracking mission of Bonnie and Clyde in the 1930s and previous movies based on the same for the research element.
17) Goodfellas
The 1990 gem is also directed by Martin Scorsese, who is an expert in this genre of movie. In this movie, we see Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Ray Liotta in the lead roles. The movie is based on a non-fiction book by Nicholas Pileggi named Wiseguy.
The story revolves around a youngster name Henry Hill who is instantaneously attracted to the mafia and criminal life that is a part of his neighborhood in Brooklyn. He finds a way to join the Italian crime-mafia group starting from the role of a fence guy and climbing his way up the ladder in the process.
What he doesn’t know is the dangers and the stuck-up life that awaits him as he rises to power. He falls into his pit of failure as he becomes a drug addict and destroys his own life. The movie is a thrilling watch and filled with witty dialogue and an intense climax.
18) Pain and Gain
This movie is equal parts of comedy and action as it entails the story of a real-life gang that was based in Miami, Florida. In the 1990s, named Sun Gym Gang, who were bodybuilders to the people. They were convicted of murders, kidnapping, extortion, and even torture and set terror in Miami at that time.
It depicts the earlier days of the gang of its formation and the kidnapping of a man named “Kershaw,” and stealing of money from people, and spending all on themselves. It depicts the escape of Kershaw and the war that wages against him and the gang that leads to their destruction.
The movie is directed by Michael Bay and is based on Pain and Gain by Pete Collins. The movie stars Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson, Ed Harris, and Anthony Mackie. The movie was released in 2013. The movie is filled with comedy and action but was also criticized for its extreme violence by some critics.
19) All The Good Things
This movie was directed by Andrew Jarecki and was released in December 2010. The movie is written by Markus Hinchey and Marc Smerling. It is sparsely inspired by the life of a well-known real-estate agent Robert Durst who became a suspect after the disappearance of his first wife, Kathleen.
The movie stars Ryan Gosling, Kirsten Dunst, and Frank Langella in the leading roles. Gosling plays the role of David Marks, the son of a wealthy real-estate tycoon played by Langella.
Marks develops a very unusual and disturbing relationship with his wife, played by Dunst, that eventually leads to her disappearance. He slowly becomes associated with a series of murders that took place around that time in the investigation going for his wife. The movie is filled with suspense at every bit of the movie, which keeps you guessing from the very start all through the end.
20) Catch Me If You Can
This American biographical movie is based on true events that are depicted in a comical way to amuse the viewers as they narrate the Frank William Abagnale Jr. He claims to have committed many workplace frauds by going around as a pilot of Pan American World Airways, Doctor from Louisana and even a parish persecutor. He earned millions through the methods of his cons, and the movie is an autobiography of his.
The movie was released in 2002 and was directed by Steven Spielberg, and the screenplay was by Jeff Nathanson. The movie stars Tom Hanks, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christopher Walken, and Nathalie Baye. The movie shows how Abagnale, in his young days, learned various ways to con people.
As he grew older, he used his cunning sense of deceiving people to extort money from them and even got caught in the end. The truth of the claims by Abagnale is questionable at times as today he leads a successful life as an expert in Bank Fraud and Forgery, living with his wife and three sons.
21) Munich
The movie was released in December 2005 and, after its release, received five oscar nominations but didn’t garner much commercial success. The movie is directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Tony Kushner and Eric Roth. The movie stars Eric Bana, Daniel Craig, Hanns Zischler, and Geoffrey Rush.
The movie is a spy-thriller drama that is based on the real massacre that took place in the 1972 Summer Olympics that took place in Munich. In that massacre, a Palestinian terrorist group named “Black September” killed 11 team members of the Israeli Olympic Team that came to participate in the Olympics.
The movie is based on the strategic retaliation plan that was planned by the Israeli government to take revenge on the terrorist group, and the mission was named ” Operation Wrath of God”. The inspiration for the events and the actions that took place were taken from the book Vengeance by George Jonas.
22) Public Enemies
This 2009 film is directed by Michael Mann, and the screenplay is co-written by Ronan Bennett and Ann Biderman. Based on the book Public Enemies: America’s Greatest Crime Wave and The Birth of the FBI written by Byran Burrough, published in 2004. The movie stars Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Billy Crudup, Stephen Lang, and Stephen Dorff.
The movie entails the story of John Dillinger, who is a bank robber during the period of the Great Depression in America. He was very well sought after by the police, the detective, and all the local officers. The movie displays the run-and-chase between Dillinger and an FBI agent Melvin Purvis.
The movie was set in 1930 makes based on the beginning of the era when technology began being used in the criminology reports like fingerprint posters, tapping phone lines, and retrieving calls. The movie is thrilling to experience, with Dilinger being caught and escaping and again deciding to rob a bank.
23) Dog Day Afternoon
This movie is an old 1975 gem that has taken plenty of people by surprise with its intriguing plotline and the fact that this is a biographical crime drama and is based on true events. The fans of older classics will definitely find this movie amusing. The movie was directed by Sidney Lumet, and the screenplay is by Frank Pierson. The movie stars Al Pacino, John Cazale, and James Broderick in the lead roles.
The movie is based on the article published by P.F Kluge in Life Magazine, which was named “The Boys in The Bank” which described the big robbery that took place in Brooklyn in 1972 that was led by John Wojtowicz. The plot follows the inspired character by John named Sonny Wortzik, who tries to attempt his first robbery at Salvatore Naturaile but fails.
The struggle that Soony faces as he is left alone in a deplorable condition as he holds people hostage, is portrayed in the movie along with the complex turns of the movie.
24) The Iceman
This 2012 American crime thriller is a must-watch as it is loosely inspired by a dangerous American hitman Richard Kuklinski who was convicted of several murders. It is based on the non-fiction book by Anthony Bruno The Iceman: The True of a Cold-Blooded Killer. The movie is directed by Ariel Vroman and the screenplay is written by her and Morgan Land.
The Movie stars Michael Shannon, Winona Ryder, James Franco and Chris Evans. Kuklinski leads a normal life in front of his wife Deborah and kids but in actuality has a problematic past and family and works as a dubbing artist for explicit content. Slowly and steadily his work deviated from merely being a dubbing artist and becoming one of the most wanted and demanded hitmen.
He was known for his sadistic nature and always completed his assigned tasks and targets efficiently making him popular with the mafias, clubs and underworld associations and was later known famously as The Iceman. All three main leads were also nominated for the Academy Awards for their exceptional acting in the movie.
25) American Gangster
This biographical crime film is based fictionally based on an American gangster named Frank Lucas, who worked in the area of La Grange, North Carolina, and it is about the criminal activities that he conducted during his lifetime. The movie is directed by Ridley Scott and is written exceptionally by Steven Zaillian.
He was the person who, after the end of the Vietnam War, smuggled heroin into American service planes but was caught and detained by the American authorities. He was detained and questioned extensively, and this was led by detective Richie Roberts. He plans to work with Frank Lucas to expose all the corrupt police officers that were involved in organized crime for an exchange of some leniency in return for his punishment.
The movie starred Rusell Crowe, Denzel Washington, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Josh Brolin and was released in the year 2007.
26) The Trail of Chicago 7
This 2020 movie also draws its inspiration from the events of the Vietnam War, making it more historical in nature. The movie is directed by Aaron Sorkin, and the screenplay is also written by him back in 2007. The movie is an exhilarating experience for the viewers with the screenplay and the delivery of experienced acting by the cast.
Chicago 7 is an anti-Vietnam war seven-membered protester group that worked actively during the war to prevent the war at any cost. The movie follows the story of them being accused of intentions to incite riots among the public after crossing the state lines and conspiracy at the Democratic National Convention held in Chicago in 1968.
The movie stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Sacha Baron Cohen, Daniel Flaherty, and Micheal Keaton. The depicts their trial and the judgment that was passed upon them during the trial, and the statements and support that they garnered during that time regarding their views of the Vietnam war. The movie can be watched on Netflix and is available in many languages.
27) The Stanford Prison Experiment
In 1971, Stanford University undertook a secret experiment based on human psychology wherein a batch of students was selected to be either prison inmates or police wardens, gearing them and making sure they were under the supervision of the psychologists and their leader Philip Zimbardo who recorded their actions.
The experiment was based on the ideology that humans behave according to their social situations and not based on their individual traits. They are kept at a mock prison, but things take an uneventful turn when things get harsher, and the fourteen-day-long experiment is cut short to only a six-day-long experiment and then discontinued.
The movie was released in 2015 and was directed by Kyle Patrick Alvarez and written by Tim Talbott. The movie stars Billy Crudup, Ezra Miller, Michael Angarano, and Tye Sheridan.
28) Fruitvale Station
This is Ryan Coogler’s feature directional debut, and the movie was released in 2013. The movie entails one of the most prominent crimes in America is the discriminatory crime against the black community. One of its victims was Oscar Grant, who was killed by two police officers without any offense. The movie begins with the actual videos and footage of Oscar Grant before he was shot on January 1st, 2009.
The movie depicts the last few hours of Grant’s life and the fights with his girlfriend, and his interpersonal life with his friends. Grant was shot by the police officers who claimed that they mistook his taser to be a gun, and later on, the officers were suspended and sentenced to eleven years in prison.
The movie stars Michael B. Jordon, Melonie Diaz, Kevin Durand, and Chad Michael Murray in the lead roles, and the movie was seen to the life of Grant and the people who were falsely fallen as victims.
Also Read: 14 Crime Anime Shows To Watch That Will Blow Your Mind!
29) Snowtown
This is an Australian film that’s based on the true events of the Snowtown Murders. The snow town murders took place between 1992 and 1994, and they were the reason for terror and fear among the locals. The murders were conducted by John Justin Bunting, Robert Joe Wagner, and James Spyridon.
The movie depicts the lives of the characters and their sub-stories that led them to kill about ten people; most of them were also victims of pedophilia, voyeurism, and even homophobia. The South Australian Police later on found eight dead bodies in the abandoned bank vault in 1999.
The movie is directed by Justin Kurzel and written by Shaun Grant. The movie stars Daniel Henshall, Lucas Pittaway, and Louise Harris. The movie might be an eerie watch for some, with some gruesome details and a plot.
30) Black Mass
This 2015 American movie is directed by Scott Cooper, and the screenplay is by Mark Mallouk and Jez Butterworth. The movie is strongly based on the life of the American Mobster Whitey Bulger, who led the Winter Hill Gang.
The movie is inspired by the book by Dick Lehr and Gerald O’Neill named Black Mass: The True Story of An Unholy Alliance Between the FBI and the Irish Mob. The movie stars Johhny Depp, John Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Rory Cochrane.
After a conflict with the Angiulo Brothers, who kill one of the members of the Winter Hill Gang, Whitey decides to become an informant for Connolly, who desires to infiltrate the Anguilo Brother’s gang. Whitey, on the other hand, exploits his position as an informant, which he uses as a way to seek protection from Connoly to conceal his crimes and work under the radar.
31) The Bling Ring
This crime film is written and directed by Sofia Coppola and was released in 2013. The movie stars Emma Watson, Katie Chang, Taissa Farmiga, and Claire Julien. The movie is based on the article published by Vanity Fair that was named “The Suspects Wore Louboutins” by Nancy Jo Sales which was inspired by a real-life gang of teenagers known as the Bling Ring.
The movie depicts the start of the gang, which was comprised of young teenagers who used their technical skills and the internet to track down the locations and whereabouts of celebrities to be able to burglar them and steal away their possessions. They were obsessed with money and fame, and this led them in this direction.
They were based in Calabassas, California home to some of the well-known celebrities and stars. In the end, one of the characters Marc ends up remorsefully confessing to the police officials about the burglaries and all the details that lead to their demolition.
32) American Hustle
This is another historical movie in the genre of black comedy that took the spotlight after its release for its comical overlays and serious undertones at the same time. The movie was released in 2013 and is directed by David O’ Rusell and written by Eric Warren Singer and David himself.
It is inspired by the lives and crimes of two con artists Irving and Sydney, who have been wittingly conning people for years. The duo is now wanted by the FBI, and hence they plan to operate a secret sting mission to not only find them but also to expose the corrupt politician and people involved with them.
The movie is thrilling with an exceptional plot and realism, and the movie has a touch of dramatic comedy to enhance the viewer experience. The movie stars Christian Bale, Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, and Jeremy Renner.
33) Spotlight
This 2015 biographical crime drama is based on the investigation and teamwork of the newspaper day The Boston Globe and the team were known as the “Spotlight”. They are one of the oldest investigative journalist units in the United States.
The movie is loosely based upon the reports of child sex abuse that was happening in the Boston area and was conducted by the priests in the Roman Catholic church. The crime, by that time, was widespread and hidden from the public for a really long time till it was spotlighted by the team.
The movie was directed by Tom McCarthy, and he co-wrote this with Josh Singer. The movie stars Mark Ruffalo, Micheal Keaton, Racheal McAdams, and Stanley Tucci in the lead roles as their characters expose the scandalous crime.
34) Summer of Sam
The movie was released in the year of 1999 and is directed by Spike Lee. The movie is based on the brutal murders committed by Richard Berkowitz in 1977, and he was famously known as Son of Sam. The murders took place in the summer of 1977, hence giving inspiration for the title.
The movie is shown from the perspective of the investigation and the crimes conducted by him, but also it follows the plot of two more young characters from the neighborhood living simple lives and finding themselves in normal life situations such as following passion and infidelity.
The movie balances a perfect balance between the normalcy of the lifestyles in neighborhoods and heinous secret crimes that can happen anywhere. The movie stars John Leguizamo, Adrien Brody, Mira Sorvino, and Jennifer Esposito in the lead roles.
35) Wolf Creek
This movie is very loosely based on the murders of the backpackers that were committed by a man named Ivan Milat in the 1990s and later on Bradley Murdoch, who murdered backpackers in 2001, whose details have inspired the movie but it is not directly based on it. Elements from the event have been borrowed and have seen touches of more dramatic and fictional add-ons.
The Wolf Creek is now a franchise with three parts, with the third part releasing in 2023. The movie was released in 2005, and it is an Australian movie. The movie is more inclined towards the element of horror along with crime, wherein a group of backpackers has been held hostage by a sadistic killer.
The movie is directed by Greg McLean and written by him only. The movie stars Nathan Philips, Cassandra Magrath, and Kestie Morrassi.
35) The Untouchables
The movie was released in 1986, making it one of the classics in the genre of crime. The movie was directed by Brian De Palma, and the screenplay is by David Mamet. The movie stars Robert De Niro, Andy Garcia, Kevin Costner, and Charles Martin Smith.
The movie is based on the book of the same name, and the movie borrows its muse from the book, with most of the plot being fictional and self-composed. It is based on the crime by Al Capone, who is an American gangster and also one of the most notorious illegal suppliers of liquor who rose to power during the probation period.
The movie is also set in the probation period making this more historical, as it views the drastic ups and downs of the business of Capone, who finds himself in a ruckus as he fails to pay his income tax and makes more mistakes on the way.
36) Bully
This 2001 crime film is directed by Larry Clark and is based on a real-life based group of teenagers who plan and formulate a group to kill Bobby. The reason that they decide to kill Bobby is that he is a problematic bully who has been destructing their lives by emotionally embarrassing them, humiliating, abusing, and beating them physically and mentally manipulating them.
The movie highlights the issue of bullying, which is evidently present in schools and colleges. The movie is set in South Florida. The movie is originally inspired by the book “Bully: A True Story of High School Revenge” which was written by Jim Schutze.
The movie stars Brad Renfro, Bijou Philips, Rachael Miner, and Michael Pitt. The movie can be a sensitive watch for many, and it very rightly depicts the mental and emotional state of people who have been bullied.
Also Read: 31 Japanese Crime Dramas To Watch in 2022
37) Training Day
This crime thriller film was released in 2001 and was directed by Antoine Fuqua, and was written masterfully by David Ayer. This movie is based on the perfection of two LAPD officers who deal in narcotics. They are shown in a gang-ridden area in Westlake, Echo Park, and South Central Los Angeles.
The movie stars Denzel Washington, Snoop Dogg, Ethan Hawke, and Scott Glen in the lead roles. The two LAPD officers depicted in the movie are Jake Hoyt and Alonzo Harris. The movie received a mix of positive and critical reviews from the audience and critics.
38) Monster
This Movie was released in 2003 and was directed by Patty Jenkins. She was also the writer of this biographical crime thriller as she took inspiration from a serial killer named Aileen Wuornos, who was a prostitute and later killed seven of her clients brutally.
The events took place in the year 2002 in Florida. The movie stars Charlize Theron, Christina Ricci, Bruce Dern, and Lee Tergesen. The crimes begin as an act of defense that very soon turns into a killing spree out of paranoia and the need for her support and Shelby Wall. The movie shows the intensity of crimes that increases from one victim to another.
Theron was critically appraised for her performance and was even nominated for several awards, and the movie also received great reviews from critics.
39) The Big Short
This is another comical crime film by Adam McKay, and the screenplay is by Charles Randolph and Adam McKay. The movie is based on the non-fiction book by Michael Lewis named The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine, which is about the financial crisis in America in the year 2007-2008.
This financial crisis was triggered by the housing bubble situation. The story is shown from the perspectives of three stories or lives that are very loosely connected, but each one represents how their actions led to the crash of the financial market in 2007.
The movie adds elements of humor as it uses very unconventional tools to show the financial situations to the audience. The movie stars Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Christian Bale, and Brad Pitt.
Also Read: 40 Movies Similar To Top Gun That Take You To the Battlefield
