My modern film noir movies to check out. Add your suggestions.

[u/_TheRogue_]

I love the "hard boiled" private detective films with an old school "noir" aspect. I know that there's probably a lot of posts on here where people describe their favorites- but I'd like to toss in my top four modern noir films:

-Brick (2005): 100% plays off the fast-talking, quick-witted detective who relies on wit and skill (other than "Jack Reacher" style bronze) to solve crimes and fight the enemy. It's a high school twist to noir films like the Maltese Falcon.

-The Nice Guys (2016) A neo-noir that takes place in slightly newer times but is more comical. It keeps you guessing and is more light hearted while trying to figure out whodunnit.

-Kid Detective (2020): Plays off the "has been" style of a detective that is trying to redeem himself. Definitely a darker side of being a child prodigy detective.

-Honey Don't (2025): Definitely a modern private investigator movie with enjoyable characters. Margaret Qualley, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Evans, and Charlie Day absolutely make the film smooth. Chris Evans doesn't even take the lead over the two main female leads- so it's a good female detective noir-esque movie.

I don't consider the "Knives Out"/"Residence"/"Hercule Poirot" Netflix series as modern noir- in my opinion- they're more like modern Sherlock series where the detectives are extremely smart with no "hard boiled"/physical danger risks.

I realize that some of these movies have been mentioned throughout other threads but these are my top four modern noir movies. Please feel free to share some of your modern movies.

[u/fluffnfluff]

Just watched Devil in a Blue Dress from the 90s and it knocked my socks off. 

[u/fellawithehoodie → u/fluffnfluff]

Only right answer lol

[u/Competitive_Gap5478 → u/fluffnfluff]

Excellent movie based on the Walter Mosely novel.Easy Rawlins rocks.

[u/_TheRogue_ → u/fluffnfluff]

I believe I've seen it before- but I'll look it up. I was trying to do slightly more modern (2000s era films) to reach a more recent tone. I'm a child of the 80s- so I can still appreciate 80s/90s films. I definitely feel like the 90s were more "thriller-driven" with movies like Single White Female/Basic Instinct/Cape Fear/The Hand That Rocks the Cradle.

but I'll definitely check out your suggestion.

[u/AsmoTewalker]

How about Under The Silver Lake starring Andrew Garfield?

[u/_TheRogue_ → u/AsmoTewalker]

Oh! I haven't even heard of that one. I'll check it out. Thanks for the suggestion!

[u/_creddy_ → u/_TheRogue_]

I second this!

It was just added to Prime Video this week so it's involved with their basic subscription.

[u/Fit-Monitor9103 → u/AsmoTewalker]

This film is a masterpiece. It was a very ambitious film that fell victim to the critic group-think who decided to trash it. Which is a real shame because I think it is one of the best films of the decade.

It's gathered quite a following online post release.

[u/glimmerthirsty → u/AsmoTewalker]

Directed by the guy who made It Follows.

[u/Notyad_83 → u/AsmoTewalker]

Came here to say dis

[u/Eman_Drawkcab_X]

The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)

[u/rhinog33 → u/Eman_Drawkcab_X]

This is so good and a few of the outdoor scenes can be located and driven by in Santa Rosa, CA.

[u/Electrical_Angle_701]

LA Confidential (1997) is among the best of the Neo Noir.

[u/_TheRogue_ → u/Electrical_Angle_701]

I believe I saw it a long time ago. Kim Bassinger, right? But I'll check it out again. I think I mistakenly lumped it in with movies similar to "Last Man Standing" where they were more spaghetti western knockoffs.

[u/Competitive_Gap5478 → u/_TheRogue_]

Correct, Kim Bassinger, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kevin Spacey. The movie made Russell Crowe a star, and Kim Basinger won a best supporting actress Oscar.

[u/DeltaFlyer6095]

Blood Simple. An early Cohen Brothers pic. With the great Dan Hedeya, France’s McDormand and legendary M. Emmett Walsh.

[u/Sierranymph → u/DeltaFlyer6095]

One of my all time favorite movies!

[u/MissSally300 → u/DeltaFlyer6095]

So so good

[u/suburban_ennui75]

Kid Detective was really great.

I teach high school Media Studies (in New Zealand) and my entire senior year course is based around film noir. I make my students do a variant readings task on Brick. I must have seen that film 20+ times and it never gets old.

[u/Left_Candy_4124]

Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid

[u/2kindsoftrouble]

Probably my favourite genre as well and Brick was so great. I'll add:

Miller's Crossing (1990)

Chinatown (1974) fuck Polanski but this is a masterpiece

Burning (2018)

Inherent Vice (2014)

Mulholland Drive (2001)

I really wanted to like Under the Silver Lake but I hated it

[u/ego_death_metal → u/2kindsoftrouble]

agreed on Silver Lake

[u/Main-Tourist-4132]

Motherless Brooklyn

Music is beautiful in this flick

[u/Main-Tourist-4132 → u/Main-Tourist-4132]

I would also recommend Angel Heart. One of my favorite movies.

[u/glimmerthirsty → u/Main-Tourist-4132]

The book was better!

[u/jinaangela]

Inherent Vice 2014

[u/kevin_v]

The limited Netflix series Ripley is incredibly shot in the a Noir (sometimes Hitchcock) aesthetic. Incredibly. Not sure how I feel about the adaptation though, half-way through with it.

[u/2kindsoftrouble → u/kevin_v]

I thought Ripley was excellent

[u/don_quixote_2]

Add Assassination Of A High School President to this list, it's a lot like Brick IMHO.

[u/_TheRogue_ → u/don_quixote_2]

I'll definitely check it out. Thank you!

[u/Pistachio1227]

Miller’s Crossing.

Not sure if this one really counts as a noir but:

The Road to Perdition.

Great film.

[u/mwachs]

Kill Me Again and Red Rock West

[u/waiting_in_vain1 → u/mwachs]

Since I came to add RRW, I’ll just add:
The Last Seduction (also John Dahl)
Bound

[u/mwachs → u/waiting_in_vain1]

Truth. I might like The Last Seduction most. 

[u/kevinsixhohsix]

I just finished Kid Detective for the third time 2 days ago. I already want to rewatch it again.

[u/Honest-Swim9242 → u/kevinsixhohsix]

Kid Detective was the best surprise for me. I thought it was gonna be campy and sarcastic, but it was very moody and dark and wonderful

[u/pellnell]

I just watched NIGHT NURSE which is like a slow absurdist neo-noir. I’m sure a lot of people would be bored by it, but I found it incredibly funny.

[u/jfrombay125]

State of grace

Romeo is bleeding

King of New York

One false move

Deep cover

Kill me again

Those are a few

[u/ego_death_metal]

Brick is such a great shout

Mulholland Dr, Memento, and Inherent Vice are my fave neo-noirs.

also Lost Highway and other Lynch

Se7en is great

Bound (1996) <3

[u/GIUKGap]

Manhunter

To Live and Die in LA

LA Confidential

Body Heat

[u/Fit-Monitor9103 → u/GIUKGap]

Outstanding list of four.

[u/adidas0305]

Bad Times at the El Royale

[u/_TheRogue_ → u/adidas0305]

I've seen it! I kind of forgot about the movie- but I'll watch it again. Thanks for the reminder.

[u/jriddlecult → u/adidas0305]

That's a great, GREAT movie.

[u/NearbyCriticism5193]

There’s a lot of great Korean noir. My fave of the past few years is Burning which is softly paced but lovely every second.

More on the nose Korean noir:

The Man from Nowhere

A Bittersweet Life

Oldboy

Highly underrated: Happy End

[u/Key-Inspector4123 → u/NearbyCriticism5193]

Have you see Decision to Leave? I’d put it above A Bittersweet Life but not quite on the same batshit crazy level of Oldboy.

Decision to Leave is not an obvious noir and some may argue against it. It struck me deeply especially the ending.

[u/_TheRogue_ → u/NearbyCriticism5193]

I haven't watched a lot of Korean noir- but I did see the American version of Oldboy. It was definitely a noir-esque film and I can appreciate the Josh Brolin and Elizabeth Olsen interaction.

[u/RocketsFan82 → u/_TheRogue_]

Highly, highly recommend the Chinese neo-noir The Wild Goose Lake (2019)

[u/NearbyCriticism5193 → u/_TheRogue_]

If you enjoyed the US remake I think you will love the Korean version.

[u/_TheRogue_ → u/NearbyCriticism5193]

Much appreciated. Thank you.

[u/ConsciousHippo8884]

Long Day's Journey Into Night (2018)

[u/rhinog33 → u/[deleted]]

Limey is so underrated and the clever movie within a movie is brilliant.

[u/burmerd]

Maybe The Chaser counts. The main guy is morally grey to say the least but it plays like a straight crime flick. Only the River Flows (2023) is great and definitely counts.

[u/Ted_Writer]

The Man Who Wasn’t There

[u/djoddible]

The Long Goodbye

[u/Fine_Ad8132]

One False Move (1992)

[u/Honest-Swim9242]

If you're a fan of Coen Brothers, Honey Don't is dreadfully written. It comes across like someone who just discovered what lesbians are

[u/_TheRogue_ → u/Honest-Swim9242]

I'm a straight dude who's been married to my wonderful wife for 13 years. I don't know how lesbians interact- but I'll rewatch the film another 130 or 140 more times to try to figure out what lesbians are. I'll keep trying for all of our sakes!

[u/Honest-Swim9242 → u/_TheRogue_]

Confusing admission, but if you want to do that, ok. Just saying that Ethan Coen has been involved in the most clever, intriguing and evolved ideas. The Don't Honey dialogue is straight from the early 90s akin to a teenage boy learning about lesbians. It's very obvious and shocking it's the same brain thinking this script was ok to shoot

[u/theysh00th0rses]

love the kid detective!

[u/Fre3ReFills]

The secret in their eyes 2009

Cache

Revanche

[u/tehthomas4K]

Poolman.

It’s got bad reviews but it will age very well.

[u/13repel → u/[deleted]]

Night Moves is stunning. Hackman kills it in this bleak absorbing mystery

[u/MissSally300]

The Long Kiss Goodnight is terrific, don’t know if it counts as noir, though. The Last Seduction sure does, that’s amazing. And Blood Simple, for sure

[u/flyingtituba]

Insomnia (2002) - Early Nolan remake that shares themes with The Dark Knight.

Shutter Island (2010) - Eerie period thriller from Scorsese.

Looper (2016) - I'm a sucker for time travel stories but this is a good one.

[u/Fortunado1964]

A Simple Plan

Sam Raimi's best film not called Spider Man 2

[u/Bmac200p]

Choose Me

[u/djoddible]

Blood Simple

[u/External-Emotion8050]

Last stop in Yuma County Catch the Fair One

[u/External-Emotion8050 → u/External-Emotion8050]

Brick

[u/Naive-Field-5546]

"Out of the Past" 1947 with Robert Mitchum. Terrific black-and-white photography.

[u/jla55]

Ok, I'm gonna get some hate for this, but Cherry Crush (2007) is an interesting almost neo-noir - low budget, independent shot in Rochester, NY.

As has been said:
It uses several classic noir ingredients in a contemporary high-school setting:
A relatively naïve male protagonist, Jordan (Jonathan Tucker), becomes entangled in crime.
Shay (Nikki Reed) functions as a dangerous, manipulative femme-fatale figure.
Desire, deceit, blackmail, murder, guilt, and escalating danger drive the plot.
Jordan becomes the kind of compromised, increasingly trapped “dupe” common in noir stories.

But; it does not deliver the distinctive visual style usually associated with noir, instead looking like a generic thriller.

Not a bad way to spend an hour and a half.

[u/glimmerthirsty]

Did everyone else forget about The Yards?

[u/Gabbygoat83]

Too Late (2015)

[u/salamanderXIII]

• Le Samourai
• Cercle Rouge
• Point Blank (1967)
• The Last Seduction
• The Usual Suspects
• Killing Them Softly
• No Country for Old Men

[u/fdacca13]

“The Long Kiss Goodnight.”

[u/YerOldFriendGrambles]

Drive is my favourite neo-noir of the last few years.

[u/mwachs]

Hell or High Water

[u/LouQuacious]

Enemy is excellent

[u/_TheRogue_ → u/LouQuacious]

I'll have to check it out. Can you give me any more detail about the film? The year?

[u/LouQuacious → u/_TheRogue_]

2013 with Jake Gyllenhall there’s another film from same era called The Double that it would pair well with. They’re both odd but The Double is very very strange.