If the number of films, documentaries, and podcasts is any indication, our culture is obsessed with true crime. From white-collar scandals and political conspiracies to murders, heists, and criminal empires, there’s no shortage of movies drawn from real life. With so many true crime films to choose from, we narrowed the field down to a shortlist of the best true crime movies of all time.
What are the best true crime movies of all time?
Before we get into it, there are so many to choose from. While we could have compiled a shortlist of only true crime movies about murders or murder investigations, we opted for a variety of stories about crime, including mob crime, pulling off incredible cons, heists, and historical crimes that have been brushed under the rug.
Honorable mentions go to some of our other favorites, including Fritz Lang’s M (1931), Terrence Malick’s Badlands (1973), and Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman (2018).
Zodiac (2007)
Kicking things off with what may be the greatest true crime film ever made about a serial killer, Zodiac takes us into the obsessive hunt for the Zodiac Killer, who terrorized San Francisco throughout the late 1960s and 1970s. Directed by David Fincher and based on Robert Graysmith’s nonfiction book Zodiac, the film meticulously chronicles the investigation from multiple perspectives.
The cast is stacked, with Jake Gyllenhaal and Robert Downey Jr. playing reporters at the San Francisco Chronicle, while Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Edwards portray the detectives tasked with stopping the killer. As the investigation drags on for years, the team is taunted as the killer sends cryptic ciphers, letters, and bloodstained evidence, all while more lives are lost. Like the real cast, we aren’t left with a satisfying resolution. If the ending leaves you wanting more, Netflix’s recent documentary This Is the Zodiac Speaking is a fitting follow-up. As an additional mention for the true crime movies about murder investigations, check out Memories of Murder (2003) and Monster (2003).
Judas and the Black Messiah (2021)
Daniel Kaluuya’s performance in Judas and the Black Messiah shouldn’t be as under the radar as it is. Unfortunately, this film was one of those released during COVID, and it took a big hit in terms of profits and press coverage. The movie grossed only $7 million against its $21 million budget. Fortunately, the film did receive six Oscar nominations. Kaluuya did bring home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
The 2021 movie is a biographical historical crime thriller that tells the story of FBI informant William O’Neal’s (LaKeith Stanfield) betrayal of Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya), the chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party in the 1960s. While there’s plenty here to lean into historical drama, the film focuses on the plans of the betrayal that led to Hampton’s assassination in 1969.
Goodfellas (1990)
Martin Scorsese could take up nearly this entire shortlist, so we narrowed his true crime output down to our favorites. Of course, The Irishman, Casino, Killers of the Flower Moon, and The Wolf of Wall Street all deserve a mention. For this list, though, we’re sticking with the one that could easily be called his best. Based on Nicholas Pileggi’s nonfiction book Wiseguy, Goodfellas chronicles the epic rise and fall of mob associate Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) within the Lucchese crime family.
The movie begins with Henry’s youth in the 1950s and barrels through the chaos of the 1980s. As the saying goes, the higher you climb, the harder you fall. This movie is a testament to that, and a reminder of what a lot of cocaine can do to your face. It’s endlessly entertaining, with standout performances from Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco, Paul Sorvino, Frank Sivero, and plenty of cameos from some of the greats.
Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
One of the greatest true-crime films ever made and easily one of the defining movies of the 1970s, Dog Day Afternoon gives us Al Pacino at his peak. Directed by Sidney Lumet, the film dramatizes the real-life 1972 robbery and hostage standoff at a First Brooklyn Savings Bank, led by inexperienced criminal Sonny Wortzik. Joined by his anxious accomplices, Sal Naturile and Stevie, Sonny attempts to keep control of the situation as the poorly planned heist quickly unravels.
What begins as a simple robbery turns into chaos as police surround the bank, the FBI becomes involved, and a swarm of media turns the standoff into a national spectacle. The film slowly reveals the deeply personal, unexpected motivation behind Sonny’s desperate actions, leading us to a tumultuous conclusion.
Catch Me If You Can (2002)
While this might raise a few eyebrows, we couldn’t have a true crime list without a film that makes crime look like a lot of fun. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as the ultra-charismatic, clever con artist Frank Abagnale Jr. Directed and produced by Steven Spielberg, Catch Me If You Can is adapted from Abagnale’s autobiography, chronicling his life as he posed as a doctor, lawyer, and airline pilot while forging millions of dollars in checks.
Tom Hanks stars as FBI agent Carl Hanratty, who is hot on Abagnale’s trail but always seems to be just one step behind. As well as being a great true crime movie, Catch Me If You Can is one of those movies that’s endlessly rewatchable. While the pace moves quickly, it’s got so much audacity, wit, and charm that it’s fun to watch just about any time.
How we picked the best true crime movies of all time
We did our best to narrow down the movies from across the subgenres. Our picks are films that have left an impact on filmmaking, are critically acclaimed, and are fan favorites.
If you’re looking for more films on the darker side of crime, check out our list of the best serial killer movies of all time.
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