101 Best True-crime Movies to Watch (Page 5)

Find the best true-crime movies to watch, from our mood category. Like everything on agoodmovietowatch, these true-crime movies are highly-rated by both viewers and critics.

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61. American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders, 2024

The so-called “Octopus,” that is the eight powerful but sketchy individuals journalist Danny Casolaro believed to be in control of the entire country, is already a complex topic. Crazy, but impressively complex. Equally interesting is the series of mysterious deaths allegedly committed by the Octopus, which includes what looks to be Casolaro’s framed suicide. This four-part documentary by Netflix efficiently dives into all of that with the added bonus of duo Zachary Treitz and Christian Hansen’s perspectives. The former is the director who expertly weaves all the tangles into a coherent web, while the latter is our guide into it, a researcher who wishes to follow in Casolaro's footsteps despite the multiple signs that he should maybe stop, if not out of fear of what lurks in the shadows then out of fear of insanity. Not only do Treitz and Hansen relay the information in an accessible and intriguing way, they also effectively reproduce that paranoid feeling of falling deep into a conspiracy rabbit hole. If you’re not a fan of true crime, this is worth the watch if only for that feeling.

Genre: Crime, Documentary

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62. Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street, 2023

Bernie Madoff, the former financier turned fraudster, is a monster. As the mastermind of the largest Ponzi scheme to date, he stole billions from unwitting investors and almost singlehandedly contributed to the economic downturn of the late aughts. But before he was discovered and committed for his crimes, Madoff was beloved and brilliant—a living legend not just on Wall Street but in the world. Using a mix of reenactments, archival footage, and expert testimonies, this four-part docuseries dissects Madoff to reveal and even explain the history and possible motivations behind the man.

As true-crime series go, Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street is riveting and enlightening, paced in such a way that will have you gasp intermittently even if you’re no stranger to his story. Madoff is humanized here but never romanticized or lauded, making it a fair but moving watch at once.

Genre: Crime, Documentary

Rating: TV-MA

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63. How to Rob a Bank, 2024

With Netflix producing countless true crime documentaries, you’d be forgiven for dismissing How to Rob a Bank as usual, forgettable fare. But the documentary ever so slightly curbs cliches by focusing on a theme—in this case Hollywood, in honor of Scurlock’s pseudonym and love of movies—without losing sight of the bigger picture. Which is to say, directors Seth Porges and Stephen Robert Morse go all in the movie theme without giving way to cheesiness, mostly by honing in on Scurlock’s favorite films like Heat and Point Blank and effectively replicating the thrill of those action classics. It uses fine, storyboard-like illustrations that are mostly entertaining and nostalgic but occasionally quite beautiful, and borrows the same synth soundtrack from the said films. But it even though it initially sets Scurlock as the anti-hero, a Robin Hood of the times, its sympathies lie with the victims, the traumatized bank tellers and goers. It’s a smartly made and engaging film, complete with the quintessential shootouts and elaborate heists, and it thankfully doesn’t let the talking heads do all the work.Genre: Crime, Documentary
Actor: Chezca Vega, Gavin Langelo, Jordan Burtchett, Kurt Ostlund, Lesley Mirza, Scott Patey, Tristan McKinnon
Director: Seth Porges, Stephen Robert Morse
Rating: R

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64. Everybody Knows, 2018

Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem star in this mystery by Asghar Farhadi, the Iranian Oscar-winning director of A Separation and The Salesman. When Laura returns to her small Spanish hometown with her two daughters, she is greeted with the warm welcome worthy of someone who once was a loved member of the community. However, when an event concerning one of her daughters happens at a wedding, secrets come to the surface about her history that threaten the fabric of the whole village. Laura is masterfully played by Penélope Cruz, who seems to shift gears in this Spanish-language movie. Farhadi is outside of his usual territory, but he does what he does best: deliver a rich, thrilling family drama.

Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller

Actor: Barbara Lennie, Carla Campra, Eduard Fernandez, Elvira Minguez, Inma Cuesta, Iván Chavero, Jaime Lorente, Javier Bardem, Jordi Bosch, Jose Angel Egido, Mar del Corral, Penélope Cruz, Ramon Barea, Ricardo Darín, Roger Casamajor, Sara Salamo, Sergio Castellanos, Vicente Vergara

Director: Asghar Farhadi

Rating: R

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65. Capturing the Friedmans, 2003

This documentary... man, where do I even begin? It captures the lives of the Friedmans and how their world turned upside down when their father, Arnold, and brother, Jesse, were both convicted of sexually abusing children. The filmmaker interviews victims, family members, and experts to strike you with the two sides of the story. The Oscar nominated film shows real footage from the family which makes it even more of an authentic experience. I won't tell you much more about it- but let me just say, this documentary will leave you speechless.Genre: Crime, Documentary
Actor: Arnold Friedman, David Friedman, Elaine Friedman, Jesse Friedman, Seth Friedman
Director: Andrew Jarecki
Rating: Not Rated

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66. The Ringleader: The Case of the Bling Ring (2023)

As a psychological profile of its subject, this documentary about the so-called “mastermind” behind the Bling Ring burglaries isn’t as rigorous as it should be — but as a portrait of that hyper-materialistic era and our never-ending obsession with fame, it fares much better. Rachel Lee was identified as the “ringleader” of the teenagers’ crime spree by some of her accomplices but had never spoken in public until this documentary. That suggests a juicy exposé; in line with this impression, Lee initially presents as starkly self-aware. However, our trust in her ability to give us a truly honest account soon crumbles as she lists off rather weak reasons for her crimes: her middle-class upbringing and parental divorce (though her teenage experiences with drug abuse are more plausible explanations).

Though the film points out the logical flaws and inaccuracies in Lee’s account, it never really takes her to task for them, compromising the rest of her contributions. What is more incisive is its treatment of ancillary figures in the scandal (a fame-obsessed investigating officer and a Bling Ring victim-influencer) — examples which, coupled with the doc’s examination of the flashy excess of the ‘00s, lay out a much clearer picture of the kids’ motivations than much of what Lee offers.

Genre: Documentary

Actor: Allen Salkin, Amy Kaufman, Christine Kee, Rachel Lee, Sarika Kim

Director: Erin Lee Carr

Rating: PG-13

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67. The Ringleader: The Case of the Bling Ring (2023)

Erin Lee Carr, the director of Britney vs Spears, returns with a scoop. Ringleader is not just another pop culture doc, because it features a first-time interview with the young woman at the center of The Bling Ring robberies in Hollywood, Rachel Lee. But this is not the kind of film that tries to pick the brains of a perpetrator. Instead, the director positions herself as a journalist in front of her subject and questions her frankly, an approach resulting in amusing frankness. However, the rest of the doc feels too formulaic in the way it stitches together personal archive footage that is more or less neutral. Banking too much on exclusivity when it comes to the interview, already clouds it with expectations. One is led to ask whether Lee is good, bad, repentant or sociopathic and project onto her such qualities—a move which invites a similar fascination with celebrity life the film tries to untangle.

Genre: Documentary

Actor: Allen Salkin, Amy Kaufman, Christine Kee, Rachel Lee, Sarika Kim

Director: Erin Lee Carr

Rating: PG-13

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68. The Infiltrator, 2016

Bryan Cranston, best known for his role as Walter White in the Breaking Bad series, stars as Robert Mazur, a federal agent, who goes undercover to infiltrate the trafficking network of Colombian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar. With the film based on Mazur’s memoir, Bryan Cranston gives an impressive lead performance that captures the intense distress that deep cover can bring. Besides Cranston, co-stars Benjamin Bratt, Diane Kruger, Amy Ryan, and an exceptional John Leguizamo are entirely persuasive and make the film experience enjoyable and intense. The Infiltrator is entertaining and maintains a good pace, with a great cast that makes it a true joy to watch, especially for those who enjoy stories based on real criminals.

Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller

Actor: Amy Ryan, Andy Beckwith, Art Malik, Benjamin Bratt, Brad Furman, Bryan Cranston, Carsten Hayes, Daniel Mays, David Horovitch, Diane Kruger, Dinita Gohil, Ekaterina Zalitko, Elena Anaya, Georgia Braithwaite, Gino Picciano, Jasmine Jardot, Jason Isaacs, John Leguizamo, Jordan Loughran, Joseph Gilgun, Juliet Aubrey, Lara Decaro, Leanne Best, Matthew Stirling, Michael Pare, Natalie Davis, Niall Hayes, Olympia Dukakis, Richard Katz, Rubén Ochandiano, Saïd Taghmaoui, Tim Dutton, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Yul Vazquez

Director: Brad Furman

Rating: R

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69. Just Another Love Story, 2007

This Danish thriller is about a man who gets into a car accident with a woman and, upon visiting her at the hospital, gets mistaken for her boyfriend by her wealthy family.

The man in question is Jonas, a family guy with two cheerful children who is also going through a text-book case of mid-life crisis. So when he realizes that Julia lost her memory and that she shows interest in him, he steps into the role of her boyfriend.

Things escalate very quickly, both as Julia starts to get some of her memory back and her actual boyfriend arrives. If you like Scandinavian noirs like Headhunters, you will love this.

Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller

Actor: Anders W. Berthelsen, Bent Mejding, Charlotte Fich, Dejan Cukic, Ditte Hansen, Ewa Fröling, Fanny Leander Bornedal, Flemming Enevold, Jannie Faurschou, Josephine Raahauge, Karin Jagd, Karsten Jansfort, Lin Kun Wu, Niels Anders Thorn, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Rebecka Hemse, Rolf Rasmussen, Rune Klan, Thomas Chaanhing, Timm Vladimir

Director: Ole Bornedal

Rating: Not Rated

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70. Based on a True Story, 2023

A parody of the true crime industry, Based on a True Story is as dark as a comedy can go. It follows Ava and Nate (Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina), a couple who, in an attempt to save their marriage and bank accounts, partner up with serial killer Matt (Tom Bateman) to create a podcast about Matt’s killing sprees. It proves to be a hit in murder-obsessed America, but Ava and Nate soon realize that their success comes with a bloody price.

Based on a True Story is the type of show that has a lot of fun trying on different hats—all at once, it's a satire, thriller, horror, and romance—and though it’s not always successful at balancing them out, there’s something addictive about watching it try. Even when the constant tonal shifts and murky morals threaten to tear the show down, you can't bring yourself to look away. This is mostly thanks to Cuoco and Messina, whose dynamic chemistry and live-wire performances all but prove their status as sitcom veterans. Bateman is also effectively terrifying, able to maintain his killer guise amidst ever-shifting genre backgrounds.

Often, the show treads the fine line between making light of and shedding light on violence in modern-day America. But the risk pays off, making it a killer watch for anyone willing to give it a try.

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Actor: Alex Alomar Akpobome, Annabelle Dexter-Jones, Chris Messina, Kaley Cuoco, Li Jun Li, Liana Liberato, Natalia Dyer, Priscilla Quintana, Tom Bateman

Rating: TV-MA

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71. Till Murder Do Us Part: Soering vs. Haysom, 2023

While it’s becoming increasingly difficult to stand out among a throng of Netflix True Crime specials, Till Murder manages to hold its own by squarely and concisely centering on the main conflict: Soering vs. Haysom. It’s his word and against hers, his show of love and logic versus her natural charm and charisma. Was he a hopeless romantic who was manipulated into slaying the two people he thought tormented his beloved? Or was she the victim of a murderous and obsessive boyfriend who couldn’t stand the thought of anyone else owning her? The framing, while simplistic and a tad sensational, helps in quickly grabbing your attention and holding it for all four hours.

Genre: Documentary

Rating: TV-MA

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72. The Outlaws, 2017

While the police haven't been getting a good rep in recent years, there were times when cops actually got the job done, and went after the gangs that we individuals can’t. Kang Yun-seong’s narrative feature debut is based on the real-life Yanbian Heuksapa Incident, and what’s interesting is that along with having Ma Dong-seok deliver some of the finest and most entertaining fight scenes, there’s a sense that these cops actually care about people, like when Seok-do urges his boss to be gentle towards their team after having to stay in the office longer, or when he reaches out and works directly with the community. The Outlaws doesn’t transform the genre, but it’s well-written, well-choreographed, and held together through the strength of Ma Dong-seok’s charisma (and arms). It’s no wonder director Kang and Don Lee managed to transform this into a sprawling franchise, something to be akin to Korea’s Fast & Furious.Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller
Actor: Bae Jin-ah, Cho Jin-woong, Choi Gwi-hwa, Geum Gwang-san, Ha Jun, Heo Dong-won, Heo Sung-tae, Hong Gi-jun, Jeong In-gi, Jeong In-kyeom, Jin Sun-kyu, Jo Jae-yun, Kim Koo-taek, Kim Sung-kyu, Lee Kyu-ho, Lim Hyung-jun, Ma Dong-seok, Min Kyung-jin, Min Moo-je, Park Ji-hwan, Uhm Ji-sung, Ye Jung-hwa, Yoo Ji-yeon, Yoon Byung-hee, Yoon Joo, Yoon Kye-sang
Director: Kang Yun-sung

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73. Rosa Peral’s Tapes (2023)

As sexy and intriguing as Rosa Peral’s case sounds, this documentary suggests that it’s just another instance of the public’s wild if harmful imagination. Both the media and prosecutors made Peral out to be a promiscuous woman out for blood, with tabloids calling her a “go-go dancer” and a “stripper,” despite being neither, and public officials recalling her sexual activities in court, despite their irrelevance to the case. Via a phone call from prison, Peral debunks these claims and tries her best to reclaim the narrative. It’s the first interview she’s given since being convicted for 25 years in 2020, and in a finely balanced move, the filmmakers contrast her impassioned testimony with interviews they’ve conducted with Peral’s critics and prosecutors, thus giving us enough to deliberate among the two sides. If the documentary ever seems biased towards Peral, it’s clear that it’s only to offset the weirdly strong vitriol she’s received among the Spanish public.

Genre: Documentary

Actor: Rosa Peral

Director: Carles Vidal Novellas, Manuel Perez

Rating: R

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74. Raël: The Alien Prophet, 2024

Stories about cults have fascinated viewers because of how absurd their ideas can get… And how easy these ideas can lure in lost and broken people. Plenty of these cults tend to stick with ideas that sound similar with the world’s major religions, but not many claim to be able to clone humans. Raël: The Alien Prophet plays out like the regular cult playbook, with a regular man suddenly amassing riches, power, and fame through charisma, and abusing his followers to obtain more, but the show keeps the viewers’ interest by primarily focusing on what sets the movement apart: the aliens and the human cloning.Genre: Documentary
Actor: Raël
Director: Antoine Baldassari, Manuel Guillon
Rating: TV-MA

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75. King of Clones, 2023

King of Clones tells the story of Hwang Woo-suk, a South Korean scientist once praised as a national hero for his pioneering work in cloning. However, Hwang's reputation was shattered in 2006 when it was revealed that he had falsified data in his research. The documentary follows Hwang's rise and fall, and it provides a fascinating glimpse into the world of scientific research and the ethical challenges that it raises. Through simplified explanations and testimonies from beneficiaries and journalists that exposed his fraudulent activities, the film remains accessible without losing its narrative. It also opens the conversation on the progress of cloning technology and the implications of not having ethics that can be agreed upon among the scientific community and the general public.

Genre: Documentary

Actor: George W. Bush, Hwang Woo-suk, Jung Ho-seok, Kim Dae-jung, Kim Jong-il, Kim Tae-hyung, Park Ji-sung, Roh Moo-hyun, Son Heung-min

Director: Aditya Thayi

Rating: PG-13

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