32 Underrated Crime Movies You Need To See ASAP
Your next list of must-watch films, solved.
We asked members of the BuzzFeed Community what some of the best underrated crime films are. Here are some of their best suggestions.
1. Prisoners (2013)

"It's amazing. Just creepy enough to keep you on your toes, but not bad enough to give you nightmares." –Anra
"I have no clue how more people have not seen that movie." –devonc4b47dddb8
2. Blue Ruin (2013)

"Jeremy Saulnier's Blue Ruin is a masterpiece if you love slow, tense, subtle crime movies. It's about a homeless man who sets off a chain of violent events when he tries to avenge the murder of his parents after their killer is freed from prison on a technicality. It's perfectly constructed with all these little mind-blowing details and, to this day, it's the only movie I've ever watched and then immediately rewatched afterwards." –Matt Graupman, Facebook.
3. Running Scared (2006)

"A low-ranking thug is entrusted by his crime boss to dispose of a gun that killed corrupt cops, but things get out of control when the gun ends up in wrong hands. Super underrated. Paul Walker's best movie without a doubt and Vera Farmiga is a BAD ASS." –juliaj43e44eaca
4. Bronson (2008)

"It may not be your classic crime movie but it's a biopic about the insane life and incarceration of Britain's most violent prisoner. And it's a half naked Tom Hardy the whole time. 10/10 would totally recommend." –audreyk44ca5f9d3
5. The Asphalt Jungle (1950)

"The Asphalt Jungle (1950) is surely underrated. Especially among younger movie enthusiasts these days. Ahead of its time for a: 'One last job and I'm out of the game for good' type of crime flick. Especially during the vault seen when there is absolutely no music being played while the would-be-thieves try and break in to steal the jewels. Which adds to the tension for the viewer. Definitely worth a watch." –timewizard512
6. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)

"One of the many great Robert Downey Jr films when he was on one of his career upswings on the roller coaster ride that was his life pre-Iron Man. Just a great, witty movie." –PHM8
7. Heavenly Creatures (1994)

"Heavenly Creatures is the story of two schoolgirls in 1950s Christchurch, New Zealand, whose intense relationship leads to murder. It's an excellently cast movie, one of Peter Jackson's earliest." –mrsandman29
8. The Place Beyond the Pines (2012)

"Great movie with a great cast that not too many people know about. It shows that it doesn't take a criminal mastermind to pull off a heist while at the same time shows you the dark unglamorous side of an individual who chooses that route. It stars Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes." –SnOwRiDe1080
9. Frailty (2001)

"It keeps you on your toes the whole time, even when you think you know what's going on you don't, and the plot twist at the end is phenomenal." –olivialag
10. In Bruges (2008)

"It's the tale of two Irish hitmen who, after a tragic, botched assignment, are sent to Bruges to await further instructions. It's a black comedy, but also a beautiful travelogue that highlights the charming Belgian city of Bruges." –mrsandman29
11. Suicide Kings (1997)

"Some dudes kidnap a Mafia boss. You'll see lots of familiar faces. And some pretty wicked, dark humor." –bethramseya
12. I Saw the Devil (2010)

"Whoa buddy. This movie is fracking intense. A notorious serial killer has been taunting police and escaping capture for years. His latest victim is the daughter of a retired police chief and fiancé of a special agent. Her fiancé decides to track the killer down and exact revenge, pushing himself to become as much a monster as the man he's chasing. So damn good." –tedp4f2055d5e
13. A Prophet (2009)

"The French film A Prophet is on par with The Godfather." –Michael Lightfoot
14. M (1931)

15. Human Capital (2013)

"Human Capital is one of the best movies of all time. It's in Italian, so there are subtitles, but it's totally worth it. It's about one crime (a hit-and-run) told from three perspectives. Last I checked it's on Netflix so I highly, highly suggest it!" –klythrs
16. Inside Man (2006)

"Clive Owen is great in this movie! It's an Ocean's 11-esque thriller that keeps you on your toes and guessing how they pulled it off to the very end! Such a great film that never gets mentioned!!" –abbyb4a17487c5
17. Double Jeopardy (1999)

"Such an interesting movie based on a creepy real life situation." –tainah
18. Bound (1996)

"Bound is a fantastic movie that I cannot get enough people to watch. It's written and directed by the (pre-Matrix) Wachowskis and stars Gina Gershon as an ex-con who plots with her lover, Jennifer Tilly, to steal two million dollars from Tilly's mob boyfriend Joe Pantoliano. It's extremely sexy, twisty, and suspenseful." –chris18560
19. The Long Good Friday (1980)

"Young Helen Mirren and Bob Hoskins. If you only know Bob Hoskins from Hook, he's about to kick you in the damn throat. He's amazing. This is a classic British crime flick." –tedp4f2055d5e
20. Love, Honour and Obey (2000)

"A massively under appreciated British classic. It's got everything, Jude Law, Jonny Lee Miller, Rhys Ifans, Ray Winstone. It's hilarious, there's karaoke....turf wars, shady criminal skullduggery, did I say it's hilarious? Look out for Fat Alan for some extra laughs. If you want a crime film that's going to make you laugh give it a go... I just googled it and the reviews are dreadful. Don't let it put you off though. Well worth a watch." –victoriaj49adb091a
21. Zodiac (2007)

"Zodiac is pretty underrated for some reason even though it's AMAZING, pretty historically accurate, directed by David Fincher and has an amazing cast!" –pixiesj
22. A Simple Plan (1998)

"Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton both deliver memorable performances. Bit of a noir feel to it." –mikew419319685
23. Sexy Beast (2000)

–Ayo Baker, Facebook.
24. The Nice Guys (2016)

"It was well received but I don't think a lot of people have seen it. Set in the '70s, it's about two private eyes (Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe) banding together to find a missing girl. Genuinely good mystery thriller that's less hijinx-y than that summary would imply. Great narrative and use of color! Also, if you love Ryan Gosling at all, it's my favorite role I've seen him in and some great acting." –Molly Jane Sisson, Facebook.
25. The Lookout (2007)

"Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Jeff Daniels give excellent performances, along with Isla Fisher and Matthew Goode. Simple characters who are in way over their heads, making choices with tragic consequences. Writer/director Scott Frank does a great job of ratcheting up the suspense and the final 'showdown' is executed brilliantly." –ryanleeg
26. The Maltese Falcon (1941)

"If there's ever a Humphrey Bogart film to watch (after Casablanca) it's this one. It's one of those old Hollywood film noir's that's aged so well! You're definitely kept on the edge of your seat trying to figure the whole thing out!" –stephanavich2
27. Lucky Number Slevin (2006)

"There should be no other movie on this list. The cast is great, the story is great, the acting is great, the twists are great, yet nobody has heard of this movie. And people who haven't seen it before seem not be interested, which is mind-boggling based on the cast alone! This is a one of my favorite movies ever!" –sarhamac
28. Run Lola Run (1998)

"Watching this movie as a then-8-year-old, I thought it was one of the best things ever. Honestly one of the best foreign films ever made." –Taopheeq Hassan, Facebook.
29. Mr. Brooks (2007)

"Mr. Brooks is one of the best crime movies ever. Kevin Costner is incredible. He's creepy, charming, and does his best acting job, in my opinion. His conversations with William Hurt are super intoxicating. Plus, Dane Cook gets what he deserves. Also, that final, super spooky scene blew me away." –sarahc48880d19c
30. Natural Born Killers (1994)

31. Layer Cake (2004)

"Another underrated thriller. Easy to see why Daniel Craig was picked for the role of Bond after this outing." –Bucky James Dio, Facebook.
32. The Boondock Saints (1999)

"The Boondocks Saints is absolutely the best crime movie I have ever seen. It has the perfect mixture of comedy and action and I will never get tired of watching it. Everything about the movie stands out and I wish more people would watch it so I would have more people to talk about it with! Plus their accents are amazing. 12/10." –mariahm47059955a
Note: Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.