Crime has long been a central focus of cinema, with many of the film industry's greatest directors establishing themselves through gangster movies and detective sagas. From the origins of film Noir in the 1940s to modern-day crime stories, the genre has proven incredibly versatile and houses some of cinema's greatest performances. Through stories centered around deceit, scandal, and violence, audiences have been given some brilliant and acclaimed tales of vengeance and justice.

Crime movies typically buck some of Hollywood's favorite tropes and cliches, avoiding the expectation of a happy ending, exploring morally ambiguous protagonists, and showcasing the sleazier side of society. For this reason, the genre has an impressive ability to keep audiences guessing in a way few genres can, and is responsible for several of cinema's greatest twists. However, not every crime movie has to be about the organized side of illicit activities, and some of the best films in the genre explore random, disconnected, and even accidental crimes.

10 The Big Lebowski Is A Dark Comedy Thriller

The Big Lebowski takes place in Los Angeles, and introduces the world to the laid-back, easygoing bum of a protagonist, Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski. When the Dude comes home one day, he's attacked by a pair of thugs, who have mistaken him for a wealthy philanthropist who shares his name. When he goes to meet the Lebowski in question, the Dude gets roped into a kidnapping case after the elite's wife gets taken and held for ransom. Enlisting his bowling buddy, Walter, the Dude sets out to save the woman.

The Big Lebowski takes the basic structure of a Noir crime film and twists it into a dark comedy case of mistaken identity, as the Dude stumbles his way through an elaborate kidnapping plot. From the word go, everything that can go wrong for the Dude does go wrong, from his car getting stolen and a visit from some nasty nihilists to Walter messing things up along the way. The film is a testament to the talents of the Coen Brothers, spinning a yarn of deceit, humor, bowling, and miscommunication.

9 The Usual Suspects Features An Iconic Twist

The Usual Suspects opens with the aftermath of a criminal double cross aboard a ship, which is subsequently blown up. After the incident, Verbal Kint, a man involved in the case, is questioned by a detective in his office. Through Kint's narration, viewers are taken back to the meeting of five criminals, each rounded up for a line-up by the police. After getting out, the five form a criminal enterprise, using their respective expertise to commit heists around the country.

The Usual Suspects is a great thriller that explores the enigmatic figure Keyser Söze, a shadowy crime lord with a penchant for extreme violence. The film draws nearer to the inevitable deaths of Kint's compatriots, explaining what happened on the ship -- at least, according to Kint. The film is iconic for several reasons, but its twist ending remains a cinematic touchstone, challenging everything viewers think they know about the story.

8 Sin City Is Hard-Boiled Action In A City Of Corruption

Set in a hopelessly corrupt city, Sin City tells the story of a variety of questionable antiheroes, each of whom gets roped into their own missions of revenge. Beginning with Detective Hartigan, a vengeful cop framed for heinous crimes against young girls, who set out to protect Nancy, whom he saved from the true criminal. Then, viewers are introduced to Marv, an ultra-violent thug who avenges Goldie, a prostitute murdered in his bed after the pair spent the night together.

Sin City is based on Frank Miller's comic book universe of the same name and adapts his three best stories. Directed by Miller himself, it's one of the most accurate adaptations of a comic book in film history, with a cavalcade of memorable, over-the-top characters. From the corrupt Roark family's strange hold over the city to Dwight helping the prostitutes of Old Town take on the mob, the movie brings some heroism to its otherwise bleak setting.

7 No Country For Old Men Showcases The Genre's Scariest Villain

Based on Cormack McCarthy's novel of the same name, No Country For Old Men begins when a Texas hunter, Llewelyn Moss, stumbles across the scene of a shootout, where he finds a bag full of cash. However, before he can get away undetected, Moss is spotted by a group of gangsters and flees into the night. He is then pursued by Anton Chigurh, a sociopathic assassin who uses a captive bolt stunner as a weapon, picking off anyone he chooses, whether they're a target or not. He even leaves the fate of perfect strangers up to the chance of a coin toss.

Above all else, No Country For Old Men is one of the greatest modern examples of tension in cinema, with Javier Bardem's performance as Anton Chigurh turning a great film into a masterpiece. Arguably the best film in the Coen Brothers' career, the movie is full of unexpected and shocking twists, and the star-studded cast turns in memorable performances.

6 Chinatown Is As Bleak As It Is Brilliant

Chinatown revolves around Jake Gittes, a Los Angeles private eye with a reputation for uncovering affairs. When a woman hires him to investigate a wealthy engineer, Hollis Mulwray, Gittes pursues him but, along the way, begins to suspect that his target is being set up for a crime -- and that he may be a victim too. Much of the film revolves around discovering the identity of the mystery woman with whom Mulwray is believed to be having an affair. However, when the man turns up dead, things only get worse.

Chinatown has a brilliant but bleak story, one that follows Gittes falling deeper into a web of lies and a truly horrifying scandal. The film borrows from classic film noir to craft a complicated detective movie, one that delivers a gut punch of an ending. The film is iconic for all the right reasons, and Jack Nicholson turns in one of his best performances as Gittes, growing increasingly frustrated and hopeless as each secret is exposed.

5 Sicario Explores America's War With Drug Cartels

Sicario follows FBI Agent Kate Macer who, after a raid on a cartel safe house, gets recruited to a CIA task force dedicated to disrupting the Central and South American drug cartels. After she participates in a chaotic mission into Mexico, the young agent begins to feel used, realizing that she's being kept in the dark on the full significance of the operation. Working alongside CIA agent Matt Graver and a shady operative, Alejandro Gillick, the agent struggles to navigate the increasingly unethical work of the task force.

To say that Sicario is the best crime movie of the 2010s is no understatement, thanks to Villeneuve's signature style, great acting, and a shocking ending. The movie feels designed to explore the harsh, demoralizing reality of the drug trade from America's Southern border, with the CIA seeking to control, not destroy, the cartels of Mexico.