The 20 best crime movies on Netflix right now

22 July (2018)

Based on true events, 22 July reconstructs one of the worst days in Norwegian history when a white nationalist terrorist killed 77 people via explosives and gunfire. Director Paul Greengrass, who helmed such pulse-pounding thrillers as United 93 (2006) and The Bourne Ultimatum (2007), delivers another tense experience here as we follow the terrorist, Anders Behring Breivik (Anders Danielsen Lie), as he shows no mercy to his victims. Be warned, though, EW's critic notes: "22 July is exceptionally choreographed," but "tough to sit through." The film is a harrowing look at the banality of evil in its most dangerous form. —Kevin Jacobsen

Where to watch 22 July: Netflix

EW grade: B– (read the review)

Director: Paul Greengrass

Cast: Anders Danielsen Lie, Jon Øigarden

Related content: How Paul Greengrass filmed Norway's 'disturbing' 2011 terrorist attacks for 22 July

Baby Driver (2017)

Described by EW's critic as a "candy-colored action movie opera," Baby Driver is a propulsive genre mashup presented with panache. Ansel Elgort plays "Baby," a music aficionado who serves as a getaway driver for a criminal organization. After meeting and dating Debora (Lily James), a local waitress, he is eager to leave his criminal life behind, only to be met with the rude awakening that he can never fully escape it. Like many of writer-director Edgar Wright's past films, Baby Driver plays with genre conventions with giddy flair, though, as EW noted, he also sticks to tropes that have worked for decades, infusing the film with "a little humor, a little heart, and some really kickass action scenes." —K.J.

Where to watch Baby Driver: Netflix

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: Edgar Wright

Cast: Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Lily James, Eiza González, Jon Hamm, Jamie Foxx, Jon Bernthal

Related content: Speed of Sounds: Edgar Wright's 20-year journey to make Baby Driver

Boyz N the Hood (1991)

John Singleton's seminal coming-of-age drama remains as impactful as it was in 1991. The film follows Tre Styles (Cuba Gooding Jr.), a young Black man growing up in South Central L.A. with college on his mind. Tre's childhood friend Doughboy (Ice Cube) is now a member of the Bloods gang, and after the rival Crips provoke Ricky (Morris Chestnut), the conflict between the gangs spirals out of control. But the film is well-balanced enough to also make room for joy, with EW's critic noting, "The movie is most enjoyable — and perceptive — when it's content to be a slice of urban life." With Boyz N the Hood, Singleton made history at the Oscars not only as the first Black director nominated for Best Director but also the youngest, at just 24 years of age. —K.J.

Where to watch Boyz N the Hood: Netflix through May 31

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: John Singleton 

Cast: Cuba Gooding Jr., Ice Cube, Morris Chestnut, Laurence Fishburne, Nia Long, Angela Bassett, Regina King

Related content: Boyz N the Hood director, stars look back on the groundbreaking drama

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019)

Sure, this sequel film following Jesse Pinkman's struggle to leave his criminal past behind (after escaping those neo-Nazis in the Breaking Bad finale) might be little more than another few episodes of the hit series. But who's complaining about that? Especially as Aaron Paul returns to his career-making role, and series creator Vince Gilligan returns as writer and director. As Gilligan proved with his equally showstopping spinoff series Better Call Saul, he's adept at fleshing out his characters' pasts and futures with equal skill. Returning shattered to an Albuquerque reeling from his meth-cooking work, Paul's Pinkman is as weighed down by guilt over his actions as he is by the gathered forces hunting him. Seeking out old allies and accomplices (among others, this marked the last on-screen appearance of Robert Forster as criminal "disappearer" Ed Galbraith) as he plots his next move, Pinkman must contend with the damage he's done to himself and everyone in his life, all while contemplating whether he deserves a fresh start at all. Paul has never been better than as the tortured Pinkman. —Dennis Perkins

Where to watch El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie: Netflix

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Vince Gilligan

Cast: Aaron Paul, Jesse Plemons, Krysten Ritter, Charles Baker, Matt Jones, Robert Forster, Jonathan Banks, Bryan Cranston

Related content: Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan breaks down El Camino — and how he decided which characters to revive

Emily the Criminal (2022)

This is what happens when student loan debt is so insurmountable that it causes you to take drastic action. Aubrey Plaza plays Emily, a woman working as a delivery driver for a catering service whose minor criminal record prevents her from attaining a better job. With crippling debt, she turns to a life of credit card fraud, which provides fast money and she soon finds herself having a knack for the business and her ambitions inevitably grow larger. Plaza pulls off one of her best performances yet, with a distinct New Jersey accent to boot. "She makes Emily's tumble into the underworld believable — and more importantly, interesting," hails EW's critic. "She may be a wanton criminal, but she's also a woman very much for these times: Not the antiheroine we knew we needed, maybe, but one that we deserve." —K.J.

Where to watch Emily the Criminal: Netflix

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: John Patton Ford

Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Theo Rossi, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Gina Gershon

Related content: Aubrey Plaza on why her new thriller Emily the Criminal felt like pulling off a scam

The Gentlemen (2020)

Early in his career, Guy Ritchie established himself as one of the go-tos for twisty crime comedy, and this well-received saga full of backstabbing and double-crossings proved he still had the goods. Cannabis tycoon Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey) is looking to sell his massively profitable business to an American billionaire (Jeremy Strong), but outside forces take great pains to acquire the business for themselves. EW's critic calls The Gentlemen "slick, silly fun — a giddy exercise in freewheeling nihilism, played to the hilt." You can also watch the spinoff TV series on Netflix, the first season of which was released in March. —K.J.

Where to watch The Gentlemen: Netflix 

EW grade: B– (read the review)

Director: Guy Ritchie

Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam, Henry Golding, Michelle Dockery, Jeremy Strong, Eddie Marsan, Colin Farrell, Hugh Grant

Related content: The Gentlemen star Charlie Hunnam talks reuniting with Guy Ritchie, flirting with Hugh Grant

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)

A crime is afoot, and, once again, Benoit Blanc suspects foul play. Daniel Craig reprises his deliciously fun role as the private detective in this standalone sequel to 2019's Knives Out, as he joins a murder mystery party hosted by tech billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton). When a guest ends up actually dying, fingers are pointed among the group of friends and Blanc goes about trying to solve the murder. But this is just the tip of the iceberg, as there are so many more layers to this onion than one could even predict. Featuring gasp-worthy twists and a committed ensemble (particularly Kate Hudson and Janelle Monáe), Glass Onion is an entertaining mystery with a healthy dose of social satire. As EW's critic writes, writer-director Rian Johnson has "no shortage of ammunition for his rat-a-tat takes on pop-culture ephemera and the navel-gazing delusions of wealth and fame." —K.J.

Where to watch Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery: Netflix

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Rian Johnson

Cast: Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline, Kate Hudson, Dave Bautista

Related content: Why director Rian Johnson is 'pissed off' about the title of Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

The Good Nurse (2022)

This slow-burn crime drama is all the more chilling knowing it's based on a true story. Jessica Chastain plays Amy Loughren, an ICU night nurse who discovers that her friend and colleague, Charlie Cullen (Eddie Redmayne), has been secretly killing patients. A pair of police detectives on the case convince Amy — who is also dealing with a heart condition — to find a way to get Charlie to reveal the truth. The Good Nurse drew praise particularly for its central performances by Chastain and Redmayne. "Chastain, tremulous yet determined, brings something gratifyingly grounded to her everywoman hero," EW's critic writes, "and an eerie, pitch-perfect Redmayne, wearing Charlie's nice-guy drag like a battering ram, lets his mask slip so incrementally that the final scenes feel like a true terrifying rupture." Redmayne earned nominations at the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and BAFTAs for his performance. —K.J.

Where to watch The Good Nurse: Netflix

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Tobias Lindholm

Cast: Jessica Chastain, Eddie Redmayne, Nnamdi Asomugha, Kim Dickens, Noah Emmerich

Related content: The Good Nurse director hails Jessica Chastain's character as a 'female superhero'

The Harder They Fall (2021)

Against the backdrop of the Old West, outlaw Nat Love (Jonathan Majors) is ready for revenge. Having witnessed his parents' murder at a young age by the villainous Rufus Buck (Idris Elba), Love and his gang seek out the dastardly criminal, recently freed from prison. Together with his gang and his lover, Stagecoach Mary (Zazie Beetz), Love prepares to finally seek justice for his childhood trauma. Propelled by kinetic energy, committed performances, and a dynamic soundtrack, The Harder They Fall also made headlines as one of the only mainstream Westerns to feature an all-Black cast among its principal characters. The film assembled newer stars like Majors and Beetz with familiar favorites like Elba, Regina King, and Delroy Lindo, and the cast earned numerous ensemble award nominations among critics' groups. —K.J.

Where to watch The Harder They Fall: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Jeymes Samuel

Cast: Jonathan Majors, Idris Elba, Zazie Beetz, Regina King, Delroy Lindo, LaKeith Stanfield, RJ Cyler, Danielle Deadwyler

Related content: Nominated for nothing: The good, the bad, and the ugly truth of The Harder They Fall

The Highwaymen (2019)

Bonnie and Clyde stunned audiences when it premiered in the summer of 1967, revolutionizing cinema with its casual broadcasting of gratuitous sex and violence. The Highwaymen (2019), the story of the two Texas rangers charged with hunting down the bank robbers, doesn't take the same guns-blazing approach, but remains a worthy follow-up to one of Hollywood's best-known crime stories. Less of an action film than a character study with occasional stunt sequences, The Highwaymen stars Woody Harrelson and Kevin Costner as past-their-prime patrolmen, pulled out of their desultory retirements and returned to the job — and their old partnership — by a put-upon Texas governor (Kathy Bates). Directed by John Lee Hancock with an eye towards authenticity — the crew filmed the climactic showdown on the same stretch of road where the outlaws were ambushed in May of 1934 — Costner says the experience of shooting the final scene was "haunting." A slow-burn Depression-era buddy cop film with historical roots, EW critic writes, "The Highwaymen is a leisurely ride with a pair of actors who know how to do a lot by not doing too much." —D.P.

Where to watch The Highwaymen: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: John Lee Hancock

Cast: Kevin Costner, Woody Harrelson, Kathy Bates, John Carroll Lynch, Kim Dickens, Thomas Mann

Related content: The Highwaymen director originally hoped to cast Paul Newman and Robert Redford in lead roles

Holy Spider (2022)

Based on true events, this harrowing Persian-language film tells the story of Saeed Hanaei, the serial killer who murdered multiple sex workers in Iran in the early-2000s. Here, the investigation is told from the perspective of a fictional journalist, Arezoo Rahimi (Zar Amir Ebrahimi), who faces deep-seated sexism on her path to the truth and puts her own life in danger to get a confession out of Hanaei. Operating as both a gripping crime thriller and a trenchant social commentary about systemic misogyny, Holy Spider was a favorite when it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2022, with Amir Ebrahimi winning the Best Actress prize. —K.J.

Where to watch Holy Spider: Netflix

Director: Ali Abbasi

Cast: Mehdi Bajestani, Zar Amir Ebrahimi

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Inside Man (2006)

A Wall Street bank heist leads to a game of cat and mouse between the scheme's ringleader (Clive Owen) and an NYPD hostage negotiator (Denzel Washington). Complicating matters is the bank's founder (Christopher Plummer), who hires a fixer (Jodie Foster) to procure secret documents he doesn't want people to know about, which are hidden away in one of the bank's safe deposit boxes. Acclaimed filmmaker Spike Lee directed the tense action thriller, which was seen as a slight departure from his provocative dramedy style. But don't be alarmed: Inside Man still has plenty on its mind, especially as a portrait of post-9/11 New York. "Inside Man is a hybrid of studio action pic and Spike Lee joint," writes EW's critic. "Or else it's a cross between a 2006 Spike Lee joint and a 1970s-style movie indictment of urban unease." —K.J.

Where to watch Inside Man: Netflix

EW grade: N/A (read the review)

Director: Spike Lee

Cast: Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster, Christopher Plummer, Willem Dafoe, Chiwetel Ejiofor

Related content: Best Spike Lee movies, ranked

The Irishman (2019)

Now that Netflix has cited this Martin Scorsese Mob movie as one of the "expensive vanity projects" the streamer will no longer be producing, it's about time to check out the old-timer filmmaker's collaboration with longtime muse Robert De Niro. Based on a biography of supposed Mafia hitman (and self-professed murderer of Teamster head Jimmy Hoffa), Frank Sheeran, The Irishman sees Scorsese once more returning to that specific criminal underworld, legendary stars in tow. In addition to De Niro's Sheeran, Hoffa himself is played by Al Pacino, Harvey Keitel plays mobster Angelo Bruno, and Joe Pesci (lured out of retirement by De Niro) plays mob boss Russell Bufalino. And if you're wondering how those septuagenarian stars can play middle-aged, 1950s–1970s versions of their real-life characters, you can thank that Netflix money. The streamer allowed Scorsese to experiment with groundbreaking (and mostly successful) de-aging tricks as De Niro's elderly assassin looks back on his improbably eventful life of crime. So, does The Irishman qualify as a "vanity project?" Possibly. But it's not vanity when you're Martin Scorsese, continuing the career-long exploration of the links between power, violence, greed, and the American dream. —D.P.

Where to watch The Irishman: Netflix

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Martin Scorsese

Cast: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, Harvey Keitel, Anna Paquin, Ray Romano, Stephen Graham, Bobby Cannavale

Related content: Martin Scorsese explains why The Irishman wouldn't have worked as a TV series

Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)

This bloody tale remains one of Quentin Tarantino's most entertaining efforts. The first of a two-part saga, Kill Bill: Vol. 1 centers on a character known only as "the Bride" (Uma Thurman), an assassin who is nearly killed on her wedding day by her former squad. After slipping into a coma, she awakens after four years and makes a list of targets as she goes down a path of revenge that ends with killing the squad leader, Bill (David Carradine) — who also happens to be the father of her baby. Tarantino fully embraces his influences, blending martial arts with the low-budget exploitation films that proved formative for his love of movies, and also gives Thurman a marvelous showcase as an action star. Thankfully, Netflix is also streaming the second half of the Kill Bill series. —K.J.

Where to watch Kill Bill: Vol. 1: Netflix

EW grade: N/A (read the review)

Director: Quentin Tarantino

Cast: Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Fox, Michael Madsen, Daryl Hannah, David Carradine

Related content: Kill Bill: Vol. 3 with Uma Thurman's daughter Maya Hawke would be 'f---ing exciting,' says Quentin Tarantino

Lost Girls (2020)

Based on true events, Lost Girls focuses on the aftermath of unspeakable crimes rather than the crimes themselves. Amy Ryan stars as Mari Gilbert, the real-life mother who pressured investigators to find her missing daughter, leading to the uncovering of several murders by the still-unknown Long Island serial killer. The mystery drama, directed by Oscar-nominated documentarian Liz Garbus, drew raves for its humanizing of the victims. "To the people who love them," writes EW's critic, "they're still daughters and sisters, mothers and friends. And Garbus, a much-awarded documentarian...works hard to make them seen in her narrative-feature debut." —K.J.

Where to watch Lost Girls: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Liz Garbus

Cast: Amy Ryan, Thomasin McKenzie, Lola Kirke, Oona Laurence, Dean Winters, Miriam Shor, Reed Birney, Kevin Corrigan, Gabriel Byrne

Related content: Amy Ryan is ready to take over Sundance

Molly's Game (2017)

Based on the true story of entrepreneur Molly Bloom, this crime drama biopic is a riveting rise-and-fall saga. Jessica Chastain stars as Bloom, a former athlete who got involved in the underground poker scene, eventually running high-stakes games that attract a wealthy clientele and dangerous mafia organizations. The film recounts Bloom's story as she is eventually indicted and put on trial. Oscar-winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkin made his feature directorial debut with this film, and his fingerprints are all over it, particularly his signature snappy dialogue. EW's critic raves, "Molly’s Game is a cool, crackling, confident film that appeals to your intelligence instead of insulting it." —K.J.

Where to watch Molly's Game: Netflix

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: Aaron Sorkin

Cast: Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, Michael Cera, Jeremy Strong, Chris O'Dowd, Bill Camp

Related content: Jessica Chastain shows her cards on Molly's Game, poker, and Idris Elba

The Mule (2018)

Clint Eastwood has directed and starred in many a crime drama, and this well-received late entry in his career proved he still had it. Based on a real-life story, Eastwood plays Earl Stone, a Korean War veteran whose financial troubles lead him to accept an offer from a cartel to transport cocaine across Illinois. He's seemingly undetectable due to unconscious perceptions about his demographic, but doesn't know a special agent is on his trail. It's a powerful vehicle for Eastwood, telling an earnest story of desperation and regret, without getting too bogged down in misery. "With a lean and economical script by Nick Schenk... that refuses to judge Earl as harshly as some in the audience will no doubt want," writes EW's critic, "The Mule fits the 88-year-old Eastwood perfectly." —K.J.

Where to watch The Mule: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Clint Eastwood

Cast: Clint Eastwood, Bradley Cooper, Laurence Fishburne, Michael Peña, Dianne Wiest, Andy García

Related content: Clint Eastwood: 12 key influences on my life in movies

Oldboy (2003)

Long unavailable on official streaming services, the cult classic Oldboy was remastered for its 20th anniversary and now finally has a streaming home on Netflix — where unsuspecting viewers will be met with Park Chan-wook's warped yet masterful storytelling. Businessman Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik) is kidnapped for unknown reasons and confined to a hotel room for 15 years. Finally released, he sets out on a dangerous path of revenge against his captors, one that’s filled with bloody violence, body horror, and a sickening twist that may just leave you speechless. As EW's critic quips, "The filmmaker who can dream such creepfest fantasies is the man to whom Quentin Tarantino, a declared Park Chan-wook admirer, can tip his Kangol cap in awe." —K.J.

Where to watch Oldboy: Netflix

EW grade: N/A (read the review)

Director: Park Chan-wook

Cast: Choi Min-sik, Yoo Ji-tae, Kang Hye-jung

Related content: How the iconic Oldboy hallway fight influenced a generation of Hollywood action

The White Tiger (2021)

An enterprising Indian man does whatever he can to break free of a life of servitude in this sprawling crime drama. Young Balram (Adarsh Gourav) works as a chauffeur for a rich couple (Rajkummar Rao and Priyanka Chopra Jonas), who treat him with respect but still keep the boundaries of their different classes in place. One night, a deadly accident leads to Balram having to take the blame for it, which sends him down a path of exploiting his boss and trying to find a way out so that he can be his own boss. The White Tiger earned huge critical acclaim, with EW's critic praising the central performance by Gourav, "whose soulful combination of sheer will and vulnerability should, in a just world, win him the kind of accolades that helped make Slumdog's Dev Patel a star." Gourav received a BAFTA nomination for his turn, while writer-director Ramin Bahrani earned an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. —K.J.

Where to watch The White Tiger: Netflix

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Ramin Bahrani

Cast: Adarsh Gourav, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Rajkummar Rao

Related content: Meet The White Tiger's Adarsh Gourav, one of the first breakout stars of 2021

Wild Things (1998)

This wild crime thriller may start with shocking allegation, but, as the film soon proves, nothing is quite as it seems. Denise Richards plays wealthy high schooler Kelly Van Ryan, who accuses her guidance counselor, Sam Lombardo (Matt Dillon), of raping her; her case is then reinforced when outcast Suzie Toller (Neve Campbell) comes forward with her own allegation against Sam. Numerous twists and turns unfold from there, to the point that even the end credits contain revelations. While lurid and silly to some, there's an odd appeal to Wild Things that is simply irresistible. As EW's critic writes, director John McNaughton "achieves a sweat-and-champagne atmosphere that sucks you right in." —K.J.

Where to watch Wild Things: Netflix 

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: John McNaughton

Cast: Kevin Bacon, Matt Dillon, Neve Campbell, Theresa Russell, Denise Richards, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Robert Wagner, Bill Murray

Related content: Pervy or priceless? Revisiting Wild Things on its 20th anniversary