11 Best Movies Based on True Crimes
True crime has been an obsession with audiences long before podcasts and shows about Jeffrey Dahmer and the Menendez brothers captured our collective attention. In fact, stories of real-life serial murders, kidnappings, and wrongful convictions have inspired numerous cinematic works. If you’ve finished binge-watching the next Ryan Murphy series and are looking for your next fix, here are 11 movies that will get you there.
In Cold Blood (1967)
Based on Truman Capote’s non-fiction masterpiece, director Richard Brooks wanted the film, which depicts the quadruple murder in Holcomb, Kansas, home of the Clutter family, to be as realistic as possible, so he filmed almost everything in the same locations where the murder took place in documentary style. The result is a tense, authentic drama that reflects the senselessness of the crimes of Perry Smith and Richard Hickok, as well as their eventual execution.
Where to watch: digital rental.
Zodiac (2007)
David Fincher’s masterpiece isn’t actually about the series of murders that took place in San Francisco in the late ’60s and ’70s, although it does depict them in the Seven 7 director’s typically stylish manner. This is a character study about the labor-intensive and ultimately futile search for the killer who called himself the Zodiac, and the toll it took on the people who investigated him. Do yourself a favor and find the director’s cut of the film, which restores an extra five minutes to the nearly three-hour saga, giving the investigation a little more depth.
Where to watch: Paramount+ with Showtime , digital rental.
Bernie (2012)
When the nicest guy in the small East Texas town of Carthage pleads guilty to murdering the meanest woman in town, the town’s residents can’t believe he’s capable of such a heinous crime. What’s even more incredible is that they don’t want him to go to jail for this crime. Richard Linklater, director of Dazed and Confused and School of Rock , might not seem like the right man to tackle a true crime story. But he handles the theme deftly – just when the story begins to seem outlandish, the independent writer inserts interviews with those who knew the main killer and his victim in real life, showing that this dark comedy is (almost) free of embellishment.
Where to watch: Prime Video , Peacock , The Criterion Channel, Tubi, Kanopy, Hoopla, Pluto TV, Plex, digital rental
Chicago (2002)
This award-winning musical is, of course, fictional, but its roots lie in the real-life murder trials of Beulah Annan and Belva Gertner , which created a sensation in the Windy City press. They inspired the characters of Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly, who became tabloid celebrities thanks to fictional lawyer Billy Flynn (Richard Gere), who told reporters that women were driven to murder by a combination of “jazz and booze.”
Where to watch: Paramount+ with Showtime , digital rental.
Conviction (2010)
Kenneth Waters served nearly two decades in prison for a horrific murder he did not commit. He was freed in large part thanks to his sister Betty Ann, who was in law school all along and working with the Innocence Project , an organization dedicated to using DNA evidence to overturn wrongful convictions and exonerate him. Hilary Swank and Sam Rockwell give brilliant performances as their siblings, elevating this film above what could be considered a typical “movie of the week”.
Where to watch: Max , digital rental
Boys Don’t Cry (1999)
Starring Swank in her breakthrough award-winning role, the film revolves around the murder of Brandon Teena in small town Nebraska and is shot in a documentary style similar to In Cold Blood . While it touches on several themes that are still relevant today, including issues surrounding sexual identity and transgender rights, at its core is a tragic love story crossed in the stars, although some people involved in the case dispute the portrayal of the relationship underlying. film.
Where to watch: Digital purchase
Foxcatcher (2014)
In this Oscar-nominated film, The Office ‘s Steve Carell plays the world’s worst boss as John du Pont, a multimillionaire convicted of murdering his employee, Olympic gold medalist and wrestling coach Dave Schultz. However, the real standout character in this film is Channing Tatum, who excels as Mark, Schultz’s brother, who is subtly portrayed in the film as the object of Du Pont’s affections, although it should be noted that Mark challenged this portrayal several times.
Where to watch: Paramount+ with Showtime , digital rental.
Monster (2003)
Aileen Wuornos has become the heroine of many books, documentaries, television films and even an opera . However, Charlize Theron’s Oscar-winning performance as a notorious serial killer likely brought Wuornos to the attention of true crime fans. The actress plays the mentally unstable Wuornos so convincingly that it seems as if she was the victim rather than the seven men she brutally murdered.
Where to watch: Pluto TV, Plex, digital rental.
Changeling (2008)
Speaking of great acting, Angelina Jolie shines as Christina Collins’ mother in this period piece by Clint Eastwood. The film chronicles the search for her nine-year-old son and her battle with police to find him. However, the case takes a turn when detectives claim to have found her son, but Collins insists it is not him. The authorities then declare that she is an unfit mother and institutionalize her. The film is undoubtedly one of Eastwood’s most exciting films and has the viewer mesmerized from the moment the opening credits roll.
Where to watch: digital rental
Badlands (1973)
Although Terence Malick’s directorial debut is a work of fiction, its plot is largely inspired by a series of murders committed by couple Charles Starkweather and teenager Caryl Ann Fugate . If the film bears any resemblance to the classic crime film Bonnie and Clyde , it’s probably not entirely a coincidence, since Malick was a protégé of Arthur Penn, who directed the 1967 film. However, Badlands is a beast in its own right, with stunning visuals and a complicated explanation for the violence the couple left behind.
Where to watch: digital rental
Memories of Murder (2003)
Before exploring the dangers of the Korean class structure in Parasite, Bong Joon Ho directed this tense thriller inspired by the first serial killings confirmed in South Korea in the 1980s. Although the film is reminiscent of an American thriller from the 90s, it reflects and satirizes the repressive, conservative culture of the country where the film is set. In the 20 years since the film’s release, it has become a cult classic.
Where to watch: Tubi, digital rental.