A Glean movie guide
Hidden 90s Thrillers
Beyond the blockbusters.
Overlooked gems and cult classics that defined the decade's suspense.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
One False Move
A masterclass in slow-burn tension that follows three criminals on a collision course with a small-town sheriff.
Following a series of drug deals and murders, three criminals -- Fantasia, Ray Malcolm and Pluto -- travel from Los Angeles to Houston, finally arriving in a small Arkansas town to go into hiding. Two detectives from the LAPD, who are already on the case, contact the town's sheriff, Dale Dixon, to alert him of the fugitives' presence in the area. Underestimating Dixon, the criminals have no idea what they are about to face.
- 02
Red Rock West
This quintessential mistaken-identity thriller turns a simple drifter's stop into a high-stakes game of survival.
When a promised job for Texan Michael fails to materialize in Wyoming, Mike is mistaken by Wayne to be the hitman he hired to kill his unfaithful wife, Suzanne. Mike takes full advantage of the situation, collects the money, and runs. During his getaway, things go wrong, and soon get worse when he runs into the real hitman, Lyle.
- 03
The Last Seduction
A sharp, cynical neo-noir anchored by a powerhouse performance from a woman who outsmarts everyone in her path.
A devious femme fatale steals her husband’s drug money and hides out in a small town where she meets the perfect dupe for her next scheme.
- 04
Breakdown
An incredibly efficient, high-stakes thriller about a man’s desperate search for his wife in the hostile desert.
On their cross-country drive, a married couple, Jeff and Amy Taylor, experience car trouble after their SUV breaks down. Stranded in the New Mexico desert, the two catch a break when a passing truck driver offers Amy a ride to a nearby café to call for help. Meanwhile, Jeff is able to fix the car and make his way to the café, but Amy isn't there. He tracks down the trucker ― who tells the police he's never seen Jeff or his wife before. Jeff then begins a desperate, frenzied search for Amy.
- 05
A Simple Plan
A gripping moral dilemma unfolds when three men discover a fortune in a crashed plane and lose their grip on reality.
Captivated by the lure of sudden wealth, the quiet rural lives of two brothers erupt into conflicts of greed, paranoia and distrust when over $4 million in cash is discovered at the remote site of a downed small airplane. Their simple plan to retain the money while avoiding detection opens a Pandora's box when the fear of getting caught triggers panicked behavior and leads to virulent consequences.
- 06
The Spanish Prisoner
David Mamet delivers an intellectual, dialogue-heavy puzzle box centered on corporate espionage and deception.
An inventor of a secret process suddenly finds himself alone as both his friends and the corporation he works for turn against him.
- 07
Cure
A haunting, atmospheric investigation into a series of inexplicable murders that will linger long after the credits.
A frustrated detective deals with the case of several gruesome murders committed by people who have no recollection of what they've done.
- 08
Zero Effect
A brilliant, eccentric private investigator takes on a blackmail case in this unique and clever mystery.
Daryl Zero is a private investigator and—along with his assistant, Steve Arlo—he solves impossible crimes and puzzles. Although Daryl's a master investigator, he doesn't know what to do with himself when he's not working; he has no social skills, writes bad music and drives Steve crazy.
- 09
Deep Cover
A gritty, stylish neo-noir that explores the moral decay of an undercover cop infiltrating a drug syndicate.
Black police officer Russell Stevens applies for a special anti-drug squad which targets the highest boss of cocaine delivery to LA—the Colombian foreign minister's nephew. Russell works his way up from the bottom undercover, until he reaches the boss.
- 10
The Last Supper
A provocative and darkly funny premise where a group of students murders guests whose politics they despise.
A group of idealistic but frustrated liberals succumb to the temptation of murdering right-wing pundits for their political beliefs.