If you’re a fan of Crime Movies, then Netflix is your first stop as it’s currently streaming some of the best ever made.
Even a casual perusing on Netflix reveals an absolute “Murderer’s Row” of crime movies available right now. These are the sort of movies you wish you could erase from your memory just so you could have that first-time experience again. From Brad Pitt‘s “What’s in the box?!” to Joe Pesci’s “Funny how?” … all the great moments are here. So settle in and get ready for a marathon of crime movie mayhem with this list of the best on Netflix.
![]()
Godfather Pt 1
Godfather Pt 1Francis Ford Coppola’s masterpiece follows the lives of several members of the Corleone family. We see the aging head of the family and the business, Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando), and the struggles that he deals with including those from his competition, as well as the local police. He operates with two of his sons, Sonny (James Caan) and Michael (Al Pacino), and under the advisement of his Consigliere, Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall). It’s a film that gives us a violent look at the inner workings of the American mafia, while showing the importance of family and the cost of betrayal.
WHY YOU NEED TO WATCH
This movie essentially wrote the book on mob movies. Asides from being the number 2 rated movie on IMDb, it was also nominated for a slew of Academy Awards and took home the Oscar for Best Picture, Actor in a Leading Role, and Screenplay. It’s the epitome of a must watch, and shows how well storytelling can be done in film. It’s Brando’s (arguably) most famous role, Caan at his absolute best, and one of Pacino’s finest performances.
Godfather Pt 2
In the follow up to Pt 1, Coppola went on to direct another all-time classic with The Godfather Pt 2. The film starts off with Pacino at the helm of the Corleone crime family, as we see how he deals with assassination attempts on his life, betrayal from those closest to him, and a deteriorating family life. Throughout the movie we also see flashbacks to Don Vito’s (Robert De Niro) upbringing, how he wound up in America, and how he comes into power in New York.
WHY YOU NEED TO WATCH
What makes Pt 2 such a special film is that it tells two different but fascinating stories. Following Pt 1, everyone is curious about the future and fate of the Corleone family now that Pacino has taken the reigns. Having said that, Pt 1 had many thinking about Don Vito, the character so engaging we all wanted to learn more about his background and how he came into power. Fortunately, we get just that with powerful performance from a young De Niro in Pt 2, detailing that story. Although the film doesn’t quite have the same impact of Pt 1 (it being a sequel), it deserves equal praise as it quite possibly might be the greatest sequel of all time.
![]()
Heat
HeatKeeping with masters of the crime genre, Pacino and De Niro, we’re led to the movie that pitted them against one another, Heat. Here we follow Neil McCauley (De Niro) and his heist crew (including the likes of Val Kilmer and Tom Sizemore) as they carry out multiple “scores.” Meanwhile, veteran officer Lt. Vincent Hanna (Pacino) obsesses over tracking down the crew and stopping them before their next heist.
WHY YOU NEED TO WATCH
The premise of the movie is simple enough, cop vs robber, but the performances are stunning and the action is top notch. In an all-time great movie moment, we see De Niro, Kilmer and crew in a blazing shoot out against what seems like the entire LAPD in the middle of downtown. If you’ve not seen it, you’ll most likely be holding your breath. Choreographed to perfection, a police academy showed footage of Kilmer reloading his assault rifle to dictate proper form. Michael Mann does an amazing job at getting us deeply involved in the backstory of all the main characters so we have trouble figuring out who to root for. It’s one of the greatest crime films ever made and redefined the genre, and one that should not be missed. Read our breakdown of one great moment here.
![]()
Se7en
Se7enThis, in my opinion, is damn near a perfect movie. It’s a film chock full of grisly and horrific images that you can’t tear your eyes away from. The story follows detectives Somerset (Morgan Freeman) and Mills (Brad Pitt) as they hunt down a John Doe serial killer who is punishing his victims who’ve committed one of the seven deadly sins. It’s a race against time to try and stop the killer before he finishes his work, and it has an explosive ending you won’t soon forget.
WHY YOU NEED TO WATCH
The writing in this movie is the thing. It’s one of those stories so well put together it’s hard to believe that someone came up with the concept at all. Despite the level of gore and visuals that may turn your stomach, it nonetheless hooks you until the credits role. Freeman and Pitt have a sort of Holmes and Watson vibe going on, forming an appreciation and respect for one another as they get deeper into their case. David Fincher directs, a man who RARELY strikes out, and the ending is one that left most speechless.
![]()
LA Confidential
LA ConfidentialHere we have the star studded neo-noir classic about interconnected crimes that lead three officers down a dangerous and deadly path. Brutal police enforcer, Officer Bud While (Russell Crowe) is tracking down the men responsible for killing his friend, while the straight-laced career climber Lieutenant Ed Exley (Guy Pearce) is just out for his own personal gain. Last, we have the sleazy and slightly corrupt, Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey), trying to right his wrongs. As their cases begin to blend the danger continues rising, leaving them mixed in corruption they never saw coming.
WHY YOU NEED TO WATCH
Character arcs are huge in LA Confidential. Spacey tries to give up his corrupt ways, Pearce realizes there are more important things than his career, and Crowe tries to break his archetype of being muscle to be an actual detective. The stories behind their characters and the paths they take are developed to near perfection. As in any good neo-noir crime thriller LA Confidential has plenty of plot twists and turns to keep the audience guessing throughout. The writing is terrific, every performance is phenomenal, and it’s got a nail-biter of an ending.
![]()
Scarface
ScarfaceNext we come to Brian De Palma’s drug thriller that gives us a look into how ludicrous the 1980’s cocaine business was. No shocker that Pacino is once again involved in this one, starring as the kingpin, Tony Montana, who started at the bottom as a Cuban refugee. After getting into the drug business he was able to kill and work his way to the top until he gained so much money he didn’t know what to do with it. Such a climb didn’t come without making a few enemies along the way, and it leads to a climactic ending and shootout in which Pacino utters one of the most famous lines in cinematic history.
WHY YOU NEED TO WATCH
What’s not to love here? Pacino is an eccentric loose cannon. He survives getting mauled by a chainsaw; he shows us how lavish the lifestyle of drug kingpins was; then he sets off a rocket launcher in his mansion. This movie has it all. It feels so ridiculously over the top that you might not remember that very similar, if not more unbelievable events, were taking place in South America daily during that time period from the likes of Pablo Escobar.
![]()
Goodfellas
GoodfellasLast, but certainly not least, we have Martin Scorsese’s classic true story about gangster Henry Hill. We follow how Hill got involved in his life of crime with people such as Paul Cicero (Paul Sorvino), James Conway (Robert De Niro), and Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci). We get an idea of how mobsters operated in America, and see the amount of crime, drug usage and murder that was apart of Hill’s life.
WHY YOU NEED TO WATCH
What makes this movie so great is that it pairs a great story with a great storyteller. Hill’s tale in and of itself is fascinating, but when you pair it with the talented Scorsese and his knack for witty dialogue, you’re going to have a hit on your hands. On top of that, we get a performance from Pesci that many would put at the top of any genre. The “funny how?” scene was well-written but in Pesci’s hands, made iconic. He crushes every part of it. Not to mention, Goodfellas also gives us Liotta’s best performance, as well as another classic Scorsese/De Niro collaboration. It’s not quite as epic as The Godfather, but it mixes in more humor and could easily be considered a more enjoyable watch.