If you love an action-packed movie with an intense scene, you must check out these classic crime movies. From the edge-of-your-seat suspense to even more action-packed scenes, these movies will keep you guessing until the very last minute. Whether you go for the classic film noir or a more modern approach, there is a movie for every kind of crime enthusiast. Here are some of the best crime movies to watch.
The Godfather is arguably one of the greatest movies of all time, not just in the crime genre. It follows a powerful Italian-American crime family led by Don Corleone (Marlon Brando). Many of the iconic scenes and quotes are forever engrained in pop culture, making it an all-time classic.
Taxi Driver is a 1976 classic starring Robert De Niro and Jodie Foster. It follows an insomniac taxi driver who works odd hours and meets some of New York City’s seediest characters. The movie was a powerful commentary on the state of urban decay in the 70s, and De Niro’s iconic performance earned him an Oscar nomination.
Pulp Fiction is perhaps the quintessential modern crime movie. Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, Pulp Fiction follows two hitmen as they go around completing odd jobs for criminals in Los Angeles. Notable for its classic dialogue and non-linear narrative, the movie revamped the way action movies were approached.
The Silence of the Lambs
The 1991 classic The Silence of the Lambs stars Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins in one of the greatest crime thrillers of all time. It follows a FBI agent tasked with tracking a serial killer dubbed “Buffalo Bill” with the help of a brilliant psychiatrist, Hannibal Lecter, also a cannibalistic serial killer. The movie is often credited with reshaping the genre and it won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
Se7en is an excellent thriller directed by David Fincher. The movie stars Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman as two cops investigating the “Seven Deadly Sins” murders in Philadelphia. It features strong performances from Pitt and Freeman, as well as a dark and twisted plot, and some of the most iconic scenes in crime movie genre.
An often-overlooked Neo-noir from Joel and Ethan Coen, Fargo stands out for its stark display of brutal violence and black comedy. It follows a small-time car salesman who plots to hire two criminals to kidnap his wife. The movie is a masterwork in editing, cinematography and scriptwriting, earning the Coen brothers seven Academy-Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director.
The Departed
Widely regarded as one of Martin Scorsese’s best movies, The Departed follows an undercover cop and a mole in the police attempting to identify each other in the middle of an undercover operation against the Irish Mob in Boston. The movie features an impressive cast, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg and Martin Sheen. It won four out of its five Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director.
If you are looking for a classic heist movie, The Thomas Crown Affair is the perfect choice. The movie starred Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway in the lead roles, and pitted a rich playboy against an insurance investigator. The movie is known for its artful direction and editing and for its stylish cinematography and score.
Another classic crime movie that should not be overlooked is Heat. Directed by Michael Mann, the movie stars Robert De Niro and Al Pacino as, respectively, a seasoned thief and a cop in pursuit of him. The movie is notable for its epic bank robbery sequence and its tense confrontation at the end. Its iconic pairing of Pacino and De Niro is still considered one of the best in cinematic history.
