Who doesn't love a good mystery? Following World War II in the 1940s, an onslaught of crime movies came out of Hollywood as moody stories were on the minds of filmmakers and audiences, popularizing the noir genre. Often in black-and-white, or at least with an intense atmospheric tone, noirs tend to feature a cynical, frustrated hero, a femme fatale or a woman with a questionable past, and an intricate narrative, that amounts to a twist ending. These murder mystery movies also ask big questions—and modern noirs, including some of the all-time best thrillers, have continued to play with all of these elements.
As the clues indicate, Hollywood and moviegoers can't get enough of noirs, so we've rounded up 32 of the very best in cinema history. From true must-see classics to memorable '90s hits to more recent detective movies, these are the best noir movies.
'Blue Velvet' (1986)
This eerie, provocative David Lynch film takes the noir and dials it up to 11. In particular, the main antagonist Frank Booth (a nightmarish Dennis Hopper) regularly tops the list of most evil characters to grace our screens—if you don't know what we're talking about, go watch.
'Bound' (1996)
If you've never watched this highly sexy LGBTQ+ movie (released in 1996 by the Wachowski sisters in their feature film debut), it's worth a watch. It plays on the classic "ex-con falls in love with femme fatale" noir trope by making both characters women. Spoiler alert: It's also one of the few noirs to have a sort of happy ending.
'Brick' (2005)
A noir—but set it in high school! That brilliant premise was Rian Johnson's directorial debut (before he'd later go on to direct major blockbusters like The Last Jedi and the Knives Out movies). Brick is an homage to hardboiled detective films, complete with code words and a mysterious underworld.
'Cape Fear' (1962)
If you're a fan of the remake, why not give the original a try? An attorney (Gregory Peck) is stalked by a psychopath he testified against who has just been released from prison (Robert Mitchum). Terror ensues.
'Cape Fear' (1991)
In this 1991 Scorsese remake, an attorney (Nick Nolte) represented his guilty client (Robert De Niro) badly, so when the convict is freed, he comes for the lawyer and his family. De Niro is often cited as one of the scariest characters that audiences have ever seen.
'Chinatown' (1974)
This 1974 Roman Polanski neo-noir was rightfully nominated for a whopping 11 Oscars (and won for Best Original Screenplay). It's thought to have revitalized the genre, from its throwback style (Faye Dunaway's Evelyn is one of the film's best-dressed characters and inspired many modern trends) to its gruesome twist and almost unbearable ending.
'Collateral' (2004)
While Collateral could more appropriately be called an action-thriller film, it's also classified as a neo-noir: occurring mostly at night, with a jaded hero and a seemingly all-powerful foe. Specifically, a cab driver (Jamie Foxx) is taken hostage by a hitman (Tom Cruise), who proceeds to enact a bloody plan.
'The Departed' (2006)
This Oscar-winning Martin Scorsese crime thriller has a cool, twisted plot that firmly pushes it into noir territory (even though the film also features some high-octane action). One spy is in the police academy, another is in a crime gang—and they're after each other.
'Drive' (2011)
This extremely stylized crime drama helped further establish Ryan Gosling as a serious, intensely talented actor. He's a driver-for-hire for some intensely shady people; without giving much away, something goes wrong and threatens the fragile stability he has going on in his life.
'Double Indemnity' (1944)
This 1944 noir set the bar for the genre—it was nominated for seven Oscars and often makes the list of best-ever films. An insurance salesman and an unhappy housewife have ideas about how to trigger "double indemnity"—an insurance clause that doubles the payout if a person dies mysteriously.
'Gilda' (1946)
Rita Hayworth is the titular Gilda in this classic 1946 noir film. It's considered a cult classic, in part because it's lush, vivid, and expertly designed (including the costuming). The film follows a gambler as he starts working for a casino owner whose wife is the gambler's ex. Drama!
'In Cold Blood' (1967)
This noir is based on Truman Capote's book of the same name, which covered a true-crime event that happened. Told in flashback, it fictionalizes the story of two convicts who—spoiler alert—rob and murder a family of four. The film delves into the psychology behind such an act.
'The Killer' (2023)
This 2023 David Fincher film tracks the perspective of a professional killer (Michael Fassbender) after he botches a hit. The camera literally never leaves his side as he plans, strategizes, and increasingly loses his grip on the situation—and Fassbender is all in.
'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang' (2005)
This was the movie that launched writer/director Shane Black (Iron Man 3) and re-launched Robert Downey Jr.'s career. The dialogue is styled like a classic, fast-talking detective novel, and the plot is quite twisty—even by the genre's standards. But taking the concept and setting it in modern-day L.A. is a stroke of genius.
'L.A. Confidential' (1997)
This 1997 neo-noir takes the setting back to the 1950s as three policemen who face corruption from both outside and inside their organization attempt to untangle an intense mystery. It's incredibly stylish and features a scene-stealing performance from Kim Basinger as a high-class call girl.
'Leave Her to Heaven' (1945)
In a nice twist on a classic trope, the main female lead (Gene Tierney) is also the main antagonist of the movie. That's not exactly a spoiler: It doesn't take long after she's wed to her novelist husband that she turns into a scary, paranoid, ruthless force.
'The Long Goodbye' (1973)
If you're looking for a neo-noir that's also a sharp satire, give The Long Goodbye a look. Private eye Philip Marlowe (Elliott Gould) is drawn into two cases that don't seem connected on the surface: the death of a friend and the disappearance of an author.
'Love Lies Bleeding' (2024)
This 2024 neo-noir turned heads, critically speaking, as a film that makes use of some familiar ideas while turning a lot of them on their head. A gym owner (Kristen Stewart) and a bodybuilder (Katy O'Brian) cross paths—romantically, and then in more illegal ways.
'The Maltese Falcon' (1941)
Humphrey Bogart is private investigator Sam Spade who's drawn into a plot to recover the titular Maltese falcon (a jewel-adorned statue that criminals are desperate to have). It was an enormous commercial success and critically lauded as one of the best melodramas ever made.
'The Night of the Hunter' (1955)
Robert Mitchum is utterly terrifying in this classic noir (often considered one of the best movies of all time). He plays a serial killer who, in his pursuit of some hidden money, terrorizes two small children to reveal its location. This movie, and its rumination on love and hate (tattooed on the character's knuckles), was extremely influential on future films.
'Nightcrawler' (2014)
Jake Gyllenhaal has never been creepier or more terrifying than in Nightcrawler. He plays a stringer, or a freelance journalist, who sells footage of violence—think car crashes, crime scenes, shootouts, and so on—to news stations. It's grisly, it's gory, and it's got a lot to say about glamorizing violence.
'No Country for Old Men' (2007)
This crime thriller from the Coen brothers takes a noir concept and sets it in the West. It centers around a stolen bag of money; the movie is a who's who of acting talent, but the prize for most riveting goes to Javier Bardem as the psychopathic hitman tasked with retrieving the money.
'The Postman Always Rings Twice' (1941)
While you may be more familiar with the '80s remake, this original 1946 version is a must-watch. When a drifter starts working for a diner owner and starts sleeping with his wife, the two lovers begin to scheme together.
'Primal Fear' (1996)
In case you're not familiar with this legal neo-noir, it features one heck of a twist—so, if you don't want to be spoiled, seek it out without reading further. An archbishop is murdered and a young altar boy who professes to be innocent is accused of the murder.
'Purple Noon' (1960)
If you like The Talented Mr. Ripley or its source material, great news: This is an early movie adaptation of the book. It goes in some narrative directions that subsequent adaptations do not, but the main character is as fascinating and villainous as ever.
'Se7en' (1995)
This David Fincher film sometimes gets reduced to its ending featuring Brad Pitt screaming about a box, but it's so much more than that. Two police detectives face off against a creative, demented serial killer in a grimy city that embraces the murderer with open arms.
'Shutter Island' (2010)
This sleek Martin Scorsese film based on Dennis Lehane's novel of the same name plays with noir tropes and features one hell of a twist. Leonardo DiCaprio plays a troubled, determined U.S. marshal who goes with his partner (Mark Ruffalo) to investigate disappearances occurring at a mysterious asylum. That's all you need to know.
'The Silence of the Lambs' (1991)
This Oscar-winning movie is a lot of things, including one of the few classic horror movies to be recognized by the Academy. But it also shares a lot of characteristics with noir films: a young FBI trainee (Jodie Foster) is drawn in deeply to the minds of two serial killers, one she's trying to interrogate and the other she's trying to catch.
'The Third Man' (1949)
This is considered one of the best noir films (and best films, period), in part because of its unnerving expressionist cinematography. The mystery is also worthy of the genre, with an author seeking to investigate the death of his best friend (Orson Welles).
'Touch of Evil' (1948)
This 1958 Orson Welles noir is considered a late classic noir (and one of the best examples of the genre). A drug enforcement agent (Charlton Heston) suspects corruption in a car bomb case, and he realizes that he and his new wife (Janet Leigh) are in harm's way.
'The Wrong Man' (1956)
This Hitchcock film is both a noir and inspired by true events. Centered around a case involving a man who is wrongfully accused of a crime he didn't commit, tension unfolds as several witnesses become convinced that a musician (Henry Fonda) was the person who robbed them, while he insists he has no idea what they're talking about.
'Zodiac' (2007)
This David Fincher film takes what could have potentially been a more sedate topic (the unsuccessful hunt for the Zodiac Killer) and makes it pulpy, riveting drama. By the end of the movie, we're as invested (and frustrated) as the people investigating.
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