A Glean movie guide
Dark & Gritty Crime Thrillers
No heroes, just consequences.
Uncompromising stories of corruption, desperation, and the dark side of justice.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
Se7en
A rain-soaked, atmospheric hunt for a serial killer that defined the modern gritty thriller.
Two homicide detectives are on a desperate hunt for a serial killer whose crimes are based on the "seven deadly sins" in this dark and haunting film that takes viewers from the tortured remains of one victim to the next. The seasoned Det. Somerset researches each sin in an effort to get inside the killer's mind, while his novice partner, Mills, scoffs at his efforts to unravel the case.
- 02
Sicario
A brutal and high-tension look at the moral ambiguity of the escalating war on drugs.
An idealistic FBI agent is enlisted by a government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S. and Mexico.
- 03
Prisoners
A bleak, emotionally exhausting investigation into a kidnapping that pushes a father to the edge.
Keller Dover is facing every parent’s worst nightmare. His six-year-old daughter, Anna, is missing, together with her young friend, Joy, and as minutes turn to hours, panic sets in. The only lead is a dilapidated RV that had earlier been parked on their street.
- 04
No Country for Old Men
A stark and violent pursuit across a Texas landscape where mercy is nowhere to be found.
Llewelyn Moss stumbles upon dead bodies, $2 million and a hoard of heroin in a Texas desert, but methodical killer Anton Chigurh comes looking for it, with local sheriff Ed Tom Bell hot on his trail. The roles of prey and predator blur as the violent pursuit of money and justice collide.
- 05
Nightcrawler
A chilling portrait of a morally bankrupt opportunist thriving in the dark underbelly of L.A. journalism.
When Lou Bloom, desperate for work, muscles into the world of L.A. crime journalism, he blurs the line between observer and participant to become the star of his own story. Aiding him in his effort is Nina, a TV-news veteran.
- 06
Wind River
A somber and visceral mystery set against the harsh, frozen backdrop of a Wyoming reservation.
An FBI agent teams with the town's veteran game tracker to investigate a murder that occurred on a Native American reservation.
- 07
Uncut Gems
A relentless, high-anxiety descent into the chaotic world of high-stakes gambling and debt.
A charismatic New York City jeweler always on the lookout for the next big score makes a series of high-stakes bets that could lead to the windfall of a lifetime. Howard must perform a precarious high-wire act, balancing business, family, and encroaching adversaries on all sides in his relentless pursuit of the ultimate win.
- 08
Memories of Murder
A haunting and atmospheric procedural based on the true story of South Korea’s first serial killer.
A sadistic serial rapist and murderer of young women terrorizes a small province in 1980s South Korea. To prevent further crimes, three increasingly desperate detectives with conflicting methods race against time to unravel the violent mind of the killer in a futile effort to solve the case.
- 09
Training Day
An intense, street-level ride through Los Angeles that explores the thin line between law and corruption.
On his first day on the job as a narcotics officer, a rookie cop works with a rogue detective who isn't what he appears.
- 10
Blue Ruin
A raw and unpolished revenge story that focuses on the messy, realistic consequences of violence.
When the quiet life of a beach bum is upended by dreadful news, he sets off for his childhood home to carry out an act of vengeance. However, he proves an inept assassin and finds himself in a brutal fight to protect his estranged family.