The Best Crime Movies on Netflix Right Now (April 2023)

Run Time: 1 h 30 min | Director: Antoine Fuqua

Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Riley Keough (voice), Peter Sarsgaard (voice)

Based on Den Skyldige, the Danish film written by Gustav Möller and Emil Nygaard Albertsen, The Guilty is a situational thriller set in a 911 dispatch center. Joe Baylor (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a police officer, demoted to an operator role. Baylor is in the midst of some type of investigation, and he views this temporary assignment as more a punishment than a job. But when Baylor takes a seemingly innocuous call, his night, and the direction of his entire life, changes in ways he never could imagine. Where once Baylor doubted his instincts, those very same instincts could be all that stands between a family and certain death. Shot in just 11 days with director Antoine Fuqua directing from a van, The Guilty is a stunning showcase of Gyllenhaal’s acting prowess, alongside an excellent voice cast including Riley Keough, Peter Sarsgaard, and Ethan Hawke. – Monita Mohan

Run Time: 2 hrs 9 min | ​​Director: Jamie Payne

Cast: Idris Elba, Cynthia Erivo, Andy Serkis

Idris Elba throws on his signature overcoat and revisits his beloved character, brilliant detective John Luther, in Luther: The Fallen Sun — an exciting film continuation of the award-winning series Luther. Directed by ​​Jamie Payne, Luther: The Fallen Sun watches the disgraced London detective break out of prison in order to finally hunt down a villainous psychopath. Co-starring Cynthia Erivo and Andy Serkis, Luther: The Fallen Sun is a feature-length chapter of Luther, albeit one with a simple plot and expectant mystery. However, it effortlessly and energetically revitalizes the franchise that audiences know and love. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 2 hrs 3 min | Director: Harry Bradbeer

Cast: Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill, Sam Claflin

Enola Holmes is an adorably sweet movie about the secretive Holmes family that focuses on Sherlock’s baby sister Enola, played delightfully by Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown. When her mother (Helena Bonham Carter) disappears, Enola sets off on a journey to find her, forging allies and uncovering a dangerous conspiracy along the way. Enola Holmes cleverly fuses mystery and adventure with a hint of romance and a whole lot of heart. Co-starring Henry Cavill (Man of Steel) and Sam Claflin (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire) as the more famous Holmes detectives, Enola Holmes allows the youngest of the family to blossom and shine with her own endearing charm. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 35 min | Director: Liz Garbus

Cast: Amy Ryan, Thomasin McKenzie, Gabriel Byrne, Miriam Shor, Oona Laurence

Inspired by horrific true events, Lost Girls is a suspenseful mystery directed by Liz Garbus and starring Amy Ryan (Only Murders in the Building) as a determined mother investigating the disappearance of her teenage daughter. Lost Girls begins with a single missing girl in a gated community, venturing into the discovery of over a dozen unsolved murders and shining a light on ill-equipped police departments that overlook cases involving the unsolved deaths of young sex workers. Talented supporting actors Gabriel Byrne, Miriam Shor (Younger), Oona Laurence (Bad Moms), and Dean Winters (Law and Order: Special Victims Unit) revolve around Ryan as she drives Lost Girls. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 2 hrs 2 min | Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

Cast: Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas

An action-packed spy thriller, The Gray Man stars Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans as highly skilled CIA operative rivals in a big-budget caper. This intricate game of cat and mouse is an explosive feast for the eyes with a ridiculously attractive all-star cast and massive set pieces that allow for colossal stunts. Gosling and Evans are truly exceptional in these fast-paced and meticulous roles. Their comfort with the material, as well as the creative team behind the camera, comes through. Anthony Russo and Joe Russo (Avengers: Endgame) excel in directing large-scale operations, as highlighted in The Gray Man. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 50 min | Director: Brian Andrew Mendoza

Cast: Jason Momoa, Isabela Merced, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo

Sweet Girl is a father-daughter action flick starring Jason Momoa (Aquaman) and Isabela Merced (Dora and the Lost City of Gold). Set in our glib reality where pharmaceutical companies profit off the deaths of sick patients, Sweet Girl stems from that anger and devastation, transforming into a fantasy where the fight for family and justice is literal. Juxtaposed with the car chases, gunfire, and hand-to-hand combat is a conversation starter about societal inequalities and the corruption of politics, leading to a compelling couple of hours. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 32 min | Director: Charlie McDowell

Cast: Jason Segal, Lily Collins, Jesse Plemons

If you don’t immediately recognize the name Charlie McDowell, you should. McDowell is making a name for himself as a creative independent filmmaker who is able to make the most out of isolated environments. McDowell’s latest film, Windfall, is one of the best thrillers of the year so far. The 92-minute feature follows a nameless robber (Jason Segel) who breaks into the home of a wealthy CEO (a scenery-chewing Jesse Plemons) and his illustrious girlfriend (Lily Collins). Segal turns in another stellar dramatic performance following McDowell’s previous film, The Discovery. Raw, violent, and darkly amusing, Windfall is another winner for McDowell. –Liam Gaughan

Run Time: 1 hr 52 min | Director: Nora Fingscheidt

Cast: Sandra Bullock, Viola Davis, Vincent D ‘Onofrio, Jon Bernthal

If you’re used to seeing Sandra Bullock in projects like The Proposal, Miss Congeniality, and The Lost City, then buckle up. Based on the British miniseries Unforgiven written by Sally Wainwright, the intense crime drama The Unforgivable follows the life of Ruth Slater (Bullock), a woman newly released from prison after serving several years for a deadly crime. As she tries to piece together a normal life, she quickly finds that reintegrating into society is far harder than she expected. Haunted by her past and worried for her future, Ruth connects with new owners of the home (Viola Davis and Vincent D’Onofrio) where the horrific crime took place. Will she ever find closure? –Emily Bernard

Run Time: 2 hr 20 min | Director: ​​​​​​​Aaron Sorkin

Cast: Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, Michael Cera, Jeremy Strong

It’s all fun and games until the FBI gets involved. Based on the book of the same name by the real-life Molly Bloom, Molly’s Game tells the true story of Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain), a skier training for the Olympics whose future is jeopardized once she suffers a career-ending injury. While working as a waitress, she meets real-estate developer Dean (Jeremy Strong), who takes her under his wing and introduces her to his secret, high-profile poker games at The Cobra Lounge. From there, she learns the basics of poker and organizes her own exclusive poker games with some of the world’s wealthiest actors, athletes, and businessmen. Watch Aaron Sorkin’s directorial debut to find out exactly how Bloom went from “Poker Princess” to FBI target. –Emily Bernard

Run Time: 2 hr 19 min | Director: ​​​​​​​Antonio Campos

Cast: Tom Holland, Bill Skarsgård, Riley , Robert Pattinson, Sebastian Stan

Who isn’t in The Devil All the Time? This star-studded adaptation of the Donald Ray Pollock novel is unexpected and unpredictable in so many ways. This is an immersive story set deep in the heart of the American backwaters and littered with a combination of morally ambiguous and vile characters. Though Tom Holland is the film’s lead, he doesn’t enter the picture till partway through. This is more of an ensemble cast and each character is fully realized in their own way. There’s a corrupt deputy played by Sebastian Stan, a dodgy couple played by Riley Keough and Jason Clarke, and the mysterious new priest, brought to life by Robert Pattinson. Be prepared for a dark and intense crime thriller that will leave you hyperventilating! – Monita Mohan

Run Time: 1 hr 39 min | Director: ​​​​​​​Brian Kirk

Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Sienna Miller, J.K. Simmons

In 21 Bridges, the late Chadwick Boseman plays an embattled NYPD detective, Andre Davis, who finds himself embroiled in a conspiracy. While the plot of this action-thriller may sound familiar, 21 Bridges elevates the story with a gripping tale and unpredictable twists. The story, much of which is told through the eyes of the central character played by Boseman, hints at the underlying politics that plague law enforcement in America. The ensemble cast is littered with recognizable faces who all give great performances. But Boseman is the star of the show. While the role of a morally grounded detective whose belief system is shaken is hardly a novelty, Boseman adds depth and nuance to his character which makes every scene he’s in compelling to watch. – Monita Mohan

Run Time: 1 hr 58 min | Director: ​​​​​​​Rawson Marshall Thunder

Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot, Ryan Reynolds

It may not inspire a lot of critical thought, but Rawson Marshall Thunder’s modern take on the caper movie is a good way to kill two hours if all you’re looking for is good-looking movie stars, lots of action, and some of the most ridiculous one-liners you could imagine. Dwayne Johnson and Ryan Reynolds are hardly cast against type, but their engaging chemistry keeps this international heist thriller moving at a pleasant pace. There’s a hint of self-awareness to the whole thing; when he’s delivering a tragic monologue about his relationship with his father, Reynolds looks like he’s barely keeping a straight face. — Liam Gaughan

Run Time: 2 hr 2 min | Director: ​​​​​​​Vince Gilligan

Cast: Aaron Paul, Jesse Plemons, Scott Shepard, Robert Forster

Breaking Bad already had a pretty excellent ending with the season five finale “Felina,” so the prospect of a continuation was a risky one. Thankfully, series creator Vince Gilligan delivered a satisfying follow up that continued the tragic story of Jesse (Aaron Paul) without giving him a definitive conclusion. Although El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie features just as much creative problem solving as the series, it was a more intimate story. Paul gives one of his best performances as the character, and shows Jesse’s complex healing process. El Camino is also notably the final screen performance of the late great Robert Forster. — Liam Gaughan

Run Time: 1 hr 50 min | Director: ​​​​​​​Joe Berlinger

Cast: Zac Efron, Lily Collins, Kaya Scodelario, Haley Joel Osment, Jim Parsons, John Malkovich, James Hetfield

With Extremely Wicked Shockingly Evil and Vile, Zac Efron perfectly captures what made real-life serial killer Ted Bundy become a celebrity in the U.S., gathering a legion of female fans while being on trial for murdering dozens of women. Efron’s Ted Bundy is charming, funny, and confident, and during the entire duration of Extremely Wicked Shockingly Evil and Vile, we can even start to cheer for him if we are not cautious. There’s a wolf wearing Efron’s handsome sheep skin, but it’s not until the final moments of the film that we can see a glimpse of the monster hiding behind Bundy’s eyes. While many films explored the life and trial of Ted Bundy, only Extremely Wicked Shockingly Evil and Vile was capable of explaining how such a hideous figure could be cherished while on trial for brutal murders. — Marco Vito Oddo

Run Time: 1 hr 41 min | Director: ​​​​​​​Zak Hilditch

Cast: Thomas Jane, Molly Parker, Dylan Schmid

1922 is one of the many original movies that Netflix just quietly releases on its streaming service without much fanfare. I had no idea this movie was even in production until the day it suddenly appeared in my “Movies You May Like” category, an area of Netflix that is generally about as hit-or-miss as blindfolded brain surgery. But the presence of a significantly overalls-clad Thomas Jane and the fact that it was based on a story by Stephen King made me check it out, and I was rewarded with a delightfully creepy supernatural murder story. It’s sort of like A Simple Plan, only it takes place in the pre-Depression American heartlands and features actual ghosts.

Jane plays a farmer at the end of his life writing a full confession of a truly unforgivable crime, with the movie told primarily in flashback. Within the opening 60 seconds, you will be slapped in the face with the realization that Thomas Jane is Doing A Thing. His performance is absolutely batshit in the best possible way, and, if I’m being totally honest, he’s really quite good. It’s a tense slow-burn thriller, with a central character so despicable that you almost don’t mind seeing the taint of what he’s done corrupt everything around him. Almost. — Tom Reimann

Run Time: 2 hr 1 min | Director: ​​​​​​​Timo Tjahjanto

Cast: Joe Taslim, Iko Uwais, Zack Lee, Hanna Al Rashid, Julie Estelle, Salvita Decorte, Abimana Aryasatya

If you’re a fan of The Raid films – or action films period, for that matter – and haven’t seen The Night Comes for Us yet, what are you waiting for? Stop everything and watch this mesmerizing display of fight choreography brilliance! Joe Taslim leads the ensemble as Ito, an agent for the South East Asian Triad, also known as the Six Seas, who betrays the crime syndicate in order to protect a young girl. Ito opts to head back to his hometown of Jakarta where a group of old associates help him protect the girl from a slew of invading Triad enforcers including Iko Uwais as Arian. Are the set-up and plot points anything unique? Nope, but the movie is better off because the more screen time devoted to the insanely creative and ultra-violent set pieces, the better. The Night Comes For Us is basically two hours of masterful martial arts and visionary bloodshed. Just when you think you’ve seen it all, Tjahjanto unveils yet another shockingly violent use for an everyday object or knocks the wind out of you with even more super stylish combat. – Perri Nemiroff

Run Time: 3 hr 29 min | Director: ​​​​​​​Martin Scorsese

Cast: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci

Don’t be daunted by the 3.5-hour runtime on The Irishman. Martin Scorsese’s epic about the life of Teamster and hitman Frank Sheeran flies by as it morphs from entertaining mob story to a powerful mediation on life, age, and regret. Sheeran (Robert De Niro) tells us his life story of being friends with mobster Russell Bufalino (Joe Pesci) and Teamster leader Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino) and how these friendships converged into deadly consequences with Frank stuck in the middle. The movie discards the glamour of films like Goodfellas and Casino and instead focuses on the slow decay of a man who has always seen himself as a good soldier when really all he has to offer is violence and selfishness. Far from “just another mob movie” from Scorsese, The Irishman is a powerful look at your twilight years and reflecting on the choices you’ve made in life. It’s among Scorsese’s best. – Matt Goldberg

Run Time: 1 hr 30 min | Director: ​​​​​​​Jesse V. Johnson

Cast: Scott Adkins, Craig Fairbrass, Thomas Turgoose, Nick Moran, Kiersten Wareing

The main draw here is watching Scott Adkins get into all kinds of brawls. Bar brawls, prison brawls, any ol’ brawl will do, really. If that sounds good to you, then settle in for Avengement, the latest collaboration between DTV action champion Adkins and his Savage Dog and Accident Man director Jesse V. Johnson. This time around, Adkins and Johnson are clearly riffing on the Guy Ritchie/Matthew Vaughn brand of British crime thrillers, with a lot more roundhouse kicks. The film’s structure is at first confounding and ultimately pretty satisfying, following Adkins’ Cain Burgess, fresh out of prison, to a local pub where he holds the men responsible for his horrifying prison term to task for their bad deeds, jumping from flashback to flashback while he holds them at gunpoint. Few action performers can match the physical prowess Adkins brings to the table and with veteran stuntman Johnson, Adkins gets plenty of steadily shot scenes, montages, and set-pieces to show off his skills. If you’re a fan of DTV actioners, this one’s a gem with some genuinely surprising moments of violence. — Haleigh Foutch

Run Time: 2 hr 5 min | Director: ​​​​​​​J.C. Chandor

Cast: Ben Affleck, Oscar Isaac, Charlie Hunnam, Pedro Pascal, Garrett Hedlund

If Triple Frontier isn’t your dad’s favorite movie, that just means your dad hasn’t seen Triple Frontier yet. Directed by J.C. Chandor (A Most Violent Year) from a script he co-wrote with Mark Boal (Zero Dark Thirty), Triple Frontier is basically the man-cave of movies; part military drama, part action-packed heist, and all the story of men who have mad bro-love for each other. Oscar Isaac stars as Santiago “Pope” Garcia, a DEA agent who gets the old Special Forces band back together to rob a drug lord’s jungle hideaway. Joining Isaac is the similarly strong-jawed crew of Ben Affleck, Charlie Hunnam, Pedro Pascal, and Garrett Hedlund. The kicker of Triple Frontier is that there’s actually a good amount of brains under all that brawn; it’s an explosions-and-helicopters flick first, yeah, but it also has a lot to say about what happens to professionally violent men once the gunfire stops. — Haleigh Foutch

Run Time: 1 hr 27 min | Director: Michael Showalter

Cast: Issa Rae, Kumail Nanjiani, Paul Sparks, Anna Camp, Kyle Bornheimer, Andrene Ward-Hammond

You’ll feel the color return to your cheeks as you watch 2020’s The Lovebirds — it is that good. The Lovebirds was originally set for theatrical release by Paramount Pictures, eventually getting scooped up by Netflix for a May release. This delightful 2020 movie arrived just in time to reaffirm there is still some life left in big studio comedies and romantic comedies — especially when there is a healthy dose of action mixed in.

Directed by Michael Showalter (Wet Hot American Summer), The Lovebirds stars Issa Rae (Insecure) and Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick) as our titular romantic duo, Leilani and Jibran. When the movie opens, Leilani and Jibran have hit an uncomfortably comfortable point in their long-term relationship. They know each other well enough to keep a debate on whether they’d want to do The Amazing Race together spicy, but it’s clear there is something amiss. Things take a wild turn out of romantic drama and into romantic comedy-meets-action-movie when, as Leilani and Jibran debate breaking up on their way to a friend’s house for dinner, an injured man (Paul Sparks) hijacks their car and chases down a bike messenger as the couple getting a front-row view of this carjacker killing the biker in an alleyway. From here, Leilani and Jibran find themselves propelled headlong into an action-packed mystery that will take them all over their hometown of New Orleans and force them to re-examine their relationship. If you’re in need of a strong comedy pairing making a case for why they need to star in every rom-com from here on out or you’re in need of an action movie with plenty of delightful twists, The Lovebirds is absolutely the movie for you. — Allie Gemmill