31 Best Crime Movies with Great Plot Twists: Must Watch list for US Audience!

I always find myself captivated by Crime movies’ intricate plots and dark allure. They draw us into a world with high stakes, and every move could be the last. It’s where the thrill of the chase and the complexity of the human psyche come together in a symphony of suspense.

I’ve scoured multiple platforms to bring you a curated selection of the best crime movies for US viewers. These films provide gripping entertainment and feature jaw-dropping plot twists that leave you reeling.

From the underbelly of organized crime to the cunning of individual masterminds, these movies showcase the full spectrum of criminal ingenuity. So, if you’re keen to immerse yourself in tales of heists, investigations, and the pursuit of justice, join me as we explore the best that the genre has to offer.

Best Crime Movies: Classic Capers To Modern Thrillers

Explore the best crime movies, from classic heist films to contemporary thrillers. Dive into tales of cunning criminals and masterful detectives that keep you on the edge of your seat.

1. Bitconned (2024)

“Bitconned” is a true-crime documentary that delves into the rise and fall of Ray Trapani and his fraudulent cryptocurrency venture, Centra Tech.

Set against the backdrop of the 2017 Bitcoin boom, the film explores how Trapani, alongside his friends, exploited the freewheeling cryptocurrency market, creating a fake debit card for crypto. Utilizing fake LinkedIn profiles and celebrity endorsements, they deceived investors and amassed millions.

2. Anatomy of a Fall (2023)

This French legal drama centers around the mysterious death of a wealthy patriarch. His wife, played by Sandra Hüller, becomes the prime suspect. As the investigation unfolds in the courtroom, the film delves into the complexities of family dynamics, hidden resentments, and the pursuit of truth.

This movie is a good choice for those who enjoy character studies and courtroom dramas. The film explores crime, family dysfunction, grief, and the ambiguity of truth.

3. Reptile (2023)

This crime thriller follows a hardened detective who uncovers a complex web of deceit and corruption while investigating a brutal murder. As he delves deeper, he faces personal and professional challenges that test his resolve and moral compass.

The narrative is tightly wound, with each discovery leading to more questions than answers. It’s a suspenseful journey that explores the dark underbelly of a seemingly peaceful community where nothing is as it seems. It is undoubtedly one of teh best Crime movies out there!

4. Sleeping Dogs (2023)

In a dystopian future, a former detective is drawn back into his old life when he’s asked to investigate a series of brutal crimes. The lines between right and wrong blur as he navigates a world filled with danger and intrigue.

The film captures the essence of a gritty, near-future society where the protagonist must confront his past to unravel a conspiracy that threatens the fabric of his reality.

5. The Guilty (2021)

Set over the course of a single morning in a 911 dispatch call center, The Guilty follows a demoted police officer assigned to dispatch duty. When he receives a distressing call from a kidnapped woman, he must race against time to save her with limited resources and mounting personal issues.

The film is a tense and claustrophobic thriller, capturing the urgency and desperation of a man trying to rectify his mistakes while navigating the moral complexities of his profession. If you are looking for top rated crime movies, watch this one!

If I’m in the mood for high-stakes drama and intense action, I turn to the best movies like Underworld that capture the same thrilling essence.

6. The Little Things (2021)

Two detectives, one a seasoned veteran and the other a rising star, team up to hunt down a serial killer terrorizing Los Angeles. Their investigation brings to light unsettling truths and dark secrets that blur the line between justice and retribution.

The film is a psychological thriller that delves into the minds of its characters, revealing the personal toll that the pursuit of justice can exact on those sworn to uphold it.

7. Prisoners (2013)

When his daughter and her friend go missing, a desperate father takes matters into his own hands while the police pursue multiple leads. The search for the children uncovers a maze of twists and turns, pushing everyone involved to their limits.

The movie is a harrowing exploration of the lengths one will go to in the name of family, with intense performances and a storyline that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats.

8. Zodiac (2007)

Based on the true story of the Zodiac killer, the film follows a cartoonist, a journalist, and a police inspector as they become obsessed with solving the mystery of the elusive murderer. The hunt consumes Their lives, leading to personal and professional consequences.

Zodiac meticulously recreates the fear and paranoia that gripped San Francisco during the killer’s reign, offering a compelling and detailed look into one of America’s most infamous unsolved cases.

9. Wrath Of Man (2021)

A new security guard for cash trucks moves millions of dollars around L.A. every week. It’s not long before they get ambushed by skilled robbers.

However, he shows how professional he is as he handles the situation by killing all the robbers involved in the heist. His crew members are shocked and now start to question his background.

10. Black and Blue (2019)

A rookie police officer with a webcam records a video of rogue police officers shooting and killing a young drug dealer. After noticing her presence in the scene, they start hunting her down.  Unfortunately for her, it turns out that the neighborhood doesn’t welcome cops, so she struggles to find refuge.

Luckily for her, she teams up with the only person in the whole community willing to help her, as vengeful criminals and corrupt police are desperately looking to destroy the footage.

11. The Devil All the Time (2020)

The Devil All the Time is a film with strange and sinister characters. The story writer set it at the end of World War 2.

Here, a young man keen to protect the people he cares about the most must face off against corruption, sinister characters, and a spider-obsessed pastor. The Devil All the Time is among the best crime thriller movies available.

12. Knives Out (2019)

Knives Out is a star-studded movie. It revolves around Harlan Thrombey being found dead after his 85^th birthday in his estate.

Detective Blanc (Daniel Craig) is given the role to lead the investigations. Here he tries to uncover the truth behind Harlan’s death. Will justice prevail?

13. Legend (2015)

Reggie and Ronnie Kray are twin brothers and London’s most dangerous gangsters. The film is set in the 1960s. There, both twins have already begun to leave their mark on the underworld of London as the most notorious gangsters around. Violence is the tool they use to get what they want.

They own businesses in the town and plan for robberies and murders, especially if they see you as a threat. Though being investigated, they continue to rise in power.

14. Den of Thieves (2018)

“Den of Thieves” is a gripping heist thriller set in Los Angeles, centering around an elite unit of the LA County Sheriff’s Department led by the determined and gritty Detective Nick “Big Nick” O’Brien (Gerard Butler).

The film opens with a violent armored car robbery orchestrated by Ray Merrimen (Pablo Schreiber), a former Marine and the cunning leader of a notorious gang of bank robbers.

Nick and his team begin to close in on Merrimen’s crew; they uncover an audacious plan to rob the Federal Reserve Bank of downtown Los Angeles, a feat deemed impossible due to its high security and strategic design. Den of Thieves is one of the best crime movies of all times.

15. The Whole Truth (2016)

A defense attorney, Richard Ramsey (Keanu Reeves), finds himself in a difficult case where he is defending Mike (Gabriel Basso), who has been charged with murdering his father.

Richard has vowed to the widowed friend Loretta Lassiter (Renée Zellweger) that he will do everything in his power to keep her son away from the bars. The Whole Truth is one of the best crime movies that you shouldn’t miss!

16. EL Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019)

Aaron Paul is best known for his part in the award-winning series Breaking Bad as Jesse Pinkman. In this film, he continues his role as a criminal.

Jesse is finally free after going through hell caused by Mr. White and Tod’s uncle, Jack. He must now deal with his past to have a future, but it won’t be as easy as the police want him.

17. The Hateful Eight (2015)

Racing towards the town of Red-Rock is John Ruth (The Hangman) and his prisoner Daisy Domergue. Daisy has a bounty on her head of ten thousand dollars; she’s wanted dead or alive.

John encounters another bounty hunter whose horse couldn’t make it on the road to Red Rocks and asks for a ride. O.B., a character played by James Parks, spots another fellow on foot who comes to claim he’s the new Sheriff of Red -Rock.

Now John starts to doubt the two, considering Daisy is a Domergue gang leader. Will they get to Red Rock to hang Daisy?

18. BlacKkKlansman (2018)

The first African-American to serve in the Colorado Springs Police Department is Ron Stallworth. He’s determined to prove himself and make a name for himself.

Naturally, therefore, he’s not scared to go on dangerous missions. One of the missions is to expose the Ku Klux Klan, which won’t be easy, especially when receiving racial insults from his coworkers.

19. The Informer (2019)

“The Informer” follows the story of Pete Koslow (Joel Kinnaman), a reformed criminal working undercover for the FBI. His mission to infiltrate the Polish mob goes awry, leading to his re-incarceration in a maximum-security prison.

Koslow must navigate the dangerous world of the prison and the mob while trying to protect his family. His situation becomes even more precarious when he is betrayed by his handlers and targeted by the mob, forcing him to devise a plan to escape and expose the corruption surrounding him.

20. No Sudden Move (2021)

Set in 1950s Detroit, the movie consists of a convoluted heist that starts with the team getting rounded up because they are pulling a classic heist.

The team includes Don Cheadle (Curt Goyne) and Benicio Del Toro (Ronald Russo).  The team has to work together to succeed, as they find it hard to complete a simple heist.

21. The Gentleman (2019)

Looking for the best classic movies? Watch this one! Mickey Pearson, an American graduate of Oxford, is a businessman who sells marijuana, making a lot of profit doing so.

However, he soon wants to quit the role, and when the people realize the decision he wants to make, bribery and blackmail begin to bloom, especially from fellows who want to take his domain.

22. The Irishman (2019)

The Irishman is a story about a hitman for the mob who learned the skill of killing in Italy during World War 2.  He’s involved with Russel Bufalino and his crime family in Pennsylvania. Sheeran is seen as a top hitman, so he quickly climbs the ranks.

He gets seen as a great asset and is assigned a new task to work with a powerful teamster recognized for organizing crimes.

23. Law Abiding Citizen (2009)

Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler), a family man, comes home only to find out there was a home invasion and his family got murdered. He starts looking for justice, as he can’t rest knowing that the man responsible for the death of his wife and daughter is free.

One rising prosecutor successfully strikes a deal with one of the guys involved in the killing in exchange for testimony. But, on the other hand, Clyde wants to take justice into his own hands.

24. Shot Caller (2017)

A professional white-collar businessman and a family man commit a crime that sees him arrested for the accident he caused when driving under the influence. His lawyer advises him to plead.

Doing so will see him get a jail term of 16 months, a deal which he accepts. Now, he must adjust to life in prison. While behind bars, he struggles to make good decisions for his family.

25. Lawless (2012)

The Lawless storyline is based on the Bondurant family recognized for the distillery and bootlegging business. Mason Wardwell, a district attorney, arrives in Franklin, where the Bondurant family resides.

He’s believed to be a corrupt attorney, and it is evident by the bribe he asks for the bootlegging business, one that the family is not willing to pay.

26. Joker (2019)

Arthur Fleck works as a comedian and a clown, though he has mental issues detected by his uncontrollable laughter. Unfortunately, society doesn’t help Arthur in any way as he’s ignored and mistreated.  Being treated that way causes him to go on a downward spiral of revolution. The path that now makes him the Joker.

27. Wind River (2017)

In a snowy Wyoming on an Indian reservation, Cory Lambert, a wildlife officer, discovers the body of an 18-year-old lady. Soon they come to realize that she got raped.

Jane Banner, an FBI agent, arrives to investigate the case. There she teams up with Cory to guide her through the investigation.  But they come to realize that their lives are in great danger as they try to solve the teenager’s death.

28. The Accountant (2016)

Christian Wolff is a mathematical genius attraction with numbers that he has with people. He uses a CPA office as his cover, where he works as a freelance accountant for the world’s most dangerous criminal organizations.

There Wolff takes on a state-of-the-art robotics company as a client as a treasury agent investigates him. As Wolff searches for the truth of the inconsistency that involved millions, the number of deaths starts to rise.

29. Crooked House (2017)

Charles Hayward, a former diplomat, has returned to London to take a role as a private detective. A wealthy tycoon has been poisoned in his home. Detective Hayward gets invited to solve the case.

But, as the investigation starts to gather pace, he must share the unfolding shocking realizations, leading to the prime suspect. If you are interested in Family movies, you must check out my guide on best family movies.

30. Training Day (2001)

A rookie officer named Jake was assigned the first day as LAPD to a veteran officer. Alonzo, the veteran officer, wastes no time as he immediately shows Jake the dangerous parts of L.A. Alonzo’s way of handling things is questionable even in the eyes of Jake.

Training Day is one of the best movies available to leave the US audience with questions to think about.

31. The French Connection (1971)

“The French Connection” follows New York City narcotics detectives Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle (Gene Hackman) and Buddy “Cloudy” Russo (Roy Scheider) as they attempt to intercept a massive heroin shipment coming from France.

The film begins with Doyle and Russo stumbling upon a lead that connects a local drug ring to a French kingpin, Alain Charnier (Fernando Rey). The investigation takes the detectives through a series of high-stakes chases and gritty encounters as they try to outmaneuver Charnier and his associates.

Expand Your Crime Film List: Reddit’s Top Picks

Been combing through the classics like “Joker” and “Legend” but craving a fresh crime fix? Dive into the dark underbelly of Reddit’s recommendations! This community of film enthusiasts has unearthed hidden gems and cult favorites alongside established masterpieces.

Crime films
byu/AcanOfSuperLager inMovieSuggestions

Get ready for gritty neo-noirs, pulse-pounding thrillers, and international mob epics – all vetted by your fellow cinephiles. So, grab your popcorn, dim the lights, and prepare to be surprised by the depth and diversity of Reddit’s favorite crime films.

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FAQs

Take Away:

That’s the tea! I’ve spent countless hours indulging in the world of crime cinema, and I must say, the journey through the best crime movies has been nothing short of exhilarating. These films offer a captivating look into the minds of criminals and the intricate dance between them and the law.

Each movie on the list, packs a punch with its unique storyline and compelling characters, providing an escape into a world that’s both thrilling and thought-provoking.

Whether it’s the methodical genius of a heist or the raw intensity of a chase, these films have left an indelible mark on the genre. I personally recommend giving these titles a watch; they’re sure to leave you on the edge of your seat, pondering the moral complexities of crime and justice.