In 1958, Orson Welles‘ Touch of Evil hit theaters. It was dark, violent, deeply subversive, and ultimately the end of the noir movement that began in the early 40s. Across those nearly two decades, plenty of filmmakers (Welles, Billy Wilder, Jacques Tourneur, and many more) used the crime genre to plunge into humanity’s darkness without violating the Hays Code. Then, in the late 50s, the light ceased seeping through those Venetian blinds. The noir was dead.
But not for long. The 1970s New Hollywood movement reinvigorated and re-imagined noir into a new genre, which was called – you guessed it – neo-noir. Since then, movie fans on Reddit (and across the world) have argued about the best neo-noir films of all time, with some movies rightly getting mentioned more than any others.
Updated on May 22, 2023, by Hannah Saab:
Recent neo-noir movies like Decision to Leave and The Batman highlight the enduring influence of and interest in the genre. And although they haven’t been dubbed the best of the best by audiences on Reddit, there’s no shortage of the best neo-noir films that have received the Reddit seal of approval and should be considered essential viewing by fans of the genre.
12 ‘Brick’ (2005)
What if Philip Marlowe was in high school? That’s about the long and short of it in Rian Johnson‘s underrated neo-noir film Brick, which follows a young Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a teenager investigating his girlfriend’s disappearance. Even in his first time out, Johnson showed early talent for placing the camera, redefining character archetypes, and writing killer dialogue. For example: “You better be sure you wanna know what you wanna know.” And “Maybe I’ll just sit here and bleed at you.”
It’s understandable why so many people mention Brick as one of the great neo-noirs. Canther even describes it as “a solid definition of neo noir,” as it includes so many aspects that make the genre so great.
11 ‘Body Heat’ (1981)
In the 1944 noir classic Double Indemnity, a wife and her insurance agent lover concoct a plot to murder her husband and collect the insurance payout. In 1981, writer-director Lawrence Kasdan presented his own take on the iconic story – Body Heat – with a touch more sex and a lot more sweat.
Kathleen Turner and William Hurt starred as the aforementioned lovers in the film, which a now-deleted Redditor mentions – simply saying “Body Heat” – in a thread about the “best neo-noir movies.” As the couple’s plan takes shape, so too does it also unravel. Such is the nature of crime in Kasdan’s near-perfect screeplay: “Any time you try a decent crime, you got fifty ways you’re gonna f**k up. If you think of twenty-five of them, then you’re a genius – and you ain’t no genius.”‘
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10 ‘Collateral’ (2004)
Cab driver Max Durocher (Jamie Foxx) just wants to make enough money to open up a limo service. One night, he picks up Vincent (Tom Cruise) who offers him an exorbitant fee to drive him around town all night. There’s just one little issue – Vincent is an assassin.
Among Michael Mann‘s best works, the action film is one of the great depictions of L.A, and KcKilla151 includes “Collateral” in their list of the “best neo-noir movies” on Reddit. The steady pace creates a sense of complacency and then ever-nearing danger, as Vincent’s brutality reveals itself. Soon, no moment and no person feels safe.
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9 ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’ (2005)
Possibly the funniest neo-noir ever made, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang stars Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer as a thief-turned-actor and a detective training him for his next role, respectively. But after finding a body in a trunk, the two become embroiled in a murder plot.
A Redditor mentions the film alongside “Chinatown,” which is a testament to just how iconic it really is. With metafictional and self-referential humor, fantastic chemistry between its leads, witty dialogue that pays homage to old-school noir, and a twisty plot that keeps viewers guessing, there’s no questioning that it’s among the best the genre has to offer.
8 ‘The Long Goodbye’ (1973)
Robert Altman‘s The Long Goodbye is an adaption of Raymond Chandler‘s 1953 novel of the same title that satirizes and updates the noir genre. The movie features Chandler’s famous P.I. Philip Marlowe, but in many ways, the similarities stop there. He called the detective “Rip Van Marlowe” and instructed Elliot Gould to play him as if he’d only recently woken up from a 20-year hibernation. Then, he infused his own cynicism in the story. He wanted the audience to see how violent and punishing the world could be.
Today, it’s considered a classic, thanks to Altman’s vision, Leigh Brackett‘s script, Gould’s nonchalance, and a haunting supporting performance from Sterling Hayden. It’s unsurprisingly popular on Reddit, with the user ThaMac praising the camerawork before calling it “one of [their] all-time favorites.”
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7 ‘Minority Report’ (2002)
Directed by Steven Spielberg, Minority Report is a dystopian, sci-fi, and neo-noir movie set in a distant future where the technology to predict crimes before they happen exists. Leading the specialized department called PreCrime, John Anderton (Tom Cruise), has unshakable faith in the “precogs,” the three psychics who provide them with predictions to interpret. That is until he’s seemingly about to commit a crime of his own.
With its twisty story and visuals that hold up surprisingly well, Minority Report manages to raise crucial questions about free will and how far governments and authorities should be allowed to meddle with personal choices. It’s a remarkably complex masterpiece from Spielberg, and a film that time has been kind to, so much so that a Redditor considers it among the “best neo-noirs of the 21st century.”
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6 ‘Mulholland Drive’ (2001)
Another frequently mentioned neo-noir is David Lynch‘s iconic mind-bending psychological thriller Mulholland Drive, which is almost impossible to describe in just a few short sentences.
Many people (like some Redditors) mention “Mulholland Drive” as being among the “best neo-noir movies” and Lynch’s finest work, a complex portrait of dreams – those of the people who come to Hollywood, even those of people in general. It might not always make narrative sense, but it’s not supposed to. It’s the sweet drip of cynicism in a town that peddles false hope – the stuff dreams are made of.
Watch on The Criterion Channel
5 ‘Fargo’ (1996)
An ordinary man invents a criminal scheme to lift him out of the misery of his humdrum day-to-day. His sin isn’t just his downfall though. It brings Hell down on everyone around him. Many noirs follow that basic plot, but the Coen Brothers exploit it in their Best Picture-nominated film about a Minnesota car salesman who hires two criminals to kidnap his wife and hold her for ransom from his wealthy father-in-law.
Obviously, the plan falls apart. Disaster ensues. And local police officer (Frances McDormand) is left to ask the salesman: “For what? For a little bit of money?” The user georgieramone calls Fargo one of “[his] favorites,” and numerous others on the platform share the same opinion.
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4 ‘Oldboy’ (2003)
Park Chan-wook‘s Oldboy is a classic of the genre. After being imprisoned for fifteen years, a recently released man goes on a mad hunt to get revenge on those who wronged him. But as noirs have shown audiences for years, vengeance has a price. A terribly high price.
A now-deleted Redditor places “Oldboy” first in their list of the “best neo-noir movies” ever made, which is echoed by several other users on the platform. With flawlessly choreographed action sequences, well-written characters, and a truly jaw-dropping and legendary twist to cap it all off, the masterpiece is a must-see that highlights the very best of the genre.
3 ‘Blade Runner’ (1982)
Neo-noir or neon-noir? Ridley Scott‘s legendary film adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, is a mainstay of any neo-noir list. Set in the distant, dystopian future of 2019, Blade Runner follows a hard-boiled detective (Harrison Ford) as he tracks down a gang of rogue androids.
Though set in the “future,” the film may have been more influenced by Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett than by the sci-fi masters, though GregThePrettyGoodGuy playfully describes it as the perfect pick if “you want some sci-fi with your neo-noir.” The grime, the overcoats, the German expressionism, Ford’s cynicism – it all adds up to noir. But it’s Dick and Scott’s commentary on humanity’s complicated relationship with technology that twists the genre and elevates it to an all-time neo-noir classic.
2 ‘No Country for Old Men’ (2007)
A spellbinding neo-noir masterpiece from the Coen brothers, No Country for Old Men follows the intersecting stories of three morally complex characters. Set in Texas in 1980, it revolves around Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin), a veteran who unwittingly finds himself entangled in a treacherous web of violence and greed after stumbling upon a large sum of money from a botched drug deal. This discovery sets off a relentless pursuit led by the spine-chilling hitman Anton Chigurh (portrayed with mesmerizing intensity by Javier Bardem). Meanwhile, Sheriff Ed Tom Bel (Tommy Lee Jones), grapples with his own sense of morality and the evolving nature of crime in a world he struggles to comprehend.
The user thewalruscandyman considers No Country for Old Men among the “few very good ones out there” in the neo-noir genre. The Coen brothers’ impeccable eye for detail makes every frame of the sprawling landscapes complement the film’s profound story about change and humanity. It’s already a beloved classic that has marked its place in cinematic history.
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1 ‘Chinatown’ (1974)
Any discussion about the greatest neo-noir films is bound to include Chinatown. This is precisely why a Redditor simply responds with “Chinatown” on a thread about “the best neo-noir movies.” Robert Towne‘s screenplay is widely considered the greatest ever written and not just for its final line.
Towne’s original script has all the elements of classic noir – the down-on-his-luck P.I., the femme fatale, the insidious Los Angeles underworld. But Towne pushes further, pressing on the genre’s bones until they break. Chinatown isn’t just about a corrupted man or a crime or a case. It’s about a city, a system, the wealth gap, and the unthinkable things men do – because they can and will. It’s not just an essential neo-noir. It’s a flat-out masterpiece.
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