A Glean movie guide
Hidden Crime Gems
Masterpieces you might have missed
Tense, gritty, and under-the-radar thrillers that deserve a spot on your watchlist.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
One False Move
A masterclass in slow-burn tension that remains one of the most underrated neo-noirs of the 90s.
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
Blue Ruin
This gritty independent film offers a raw, realistic look at the devastating consequences of amateur vengeance.
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.
- 03
Deep Cover
Laurence Fishburne delivers a powerhouse performance in this stylish exploration of undercover moral ambiguity.
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.
- 04
A Simple Plan
Sam Raimi expertly captures the psychological unraveling of ordinary people consumed by sudden greed.
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.
- 05
Cure
A haunting, atmospheric Japanese thriller that challenges the mind with its unsettling, hypnotic mystery.
A frustrated detective deals with the case of several gruesome murders committed by people who have no recollection of what they've done.
- 06
Red Rock West
Nicolas Cage shines in this lean, classic neo-noir about a drifter caught in a web of mistaken identity.
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.
- 07
Brick
Rian Johnson brilliantly transplants hardboiled noir dialogue into a modern high school setting.
A teenage loner pushes his way into the underworld of a high school crime ring to investigate the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend.
- 08
Thief
Michael Mann’s directorial debut is a technical, cool-headed look at the life of a professional safecracker.
Frank is an expert professional safecracker, specialized in high-profile diamond heists. He plans to use his ill-gotten income to retire from crime and build a nice life for himself complete with a home, wife and kids. To accelerate the process, he signs on with a top gangster for a big score.
- 09
The Lookout
Joseph Gordon-Levitt anchors this tight, overlooked heist film about a man manipulated into a dangerous crime.
Chris is a once promising high school athlete whose life is turned upside down following a tragic accident. As he tries to maintain a normal life, he takes a job as a janitor at a bank, where he ultimately finds himself caught up in a planned heist.
- 10
Cop Land
An exceptional ensemble cast elevates this grounded, character-focused drama about police corruption.
Freddy Heflin is the sheriff of a place everyone calls “Cop Land” — a small and seemingly peaceful town populated by the big city police officers he’s long admired. Yet something ugly is taking place behind the town’s peaceful facade. And when Freddy uncovers a massive, deadly conspiracy among these local residents, he is forced to take action and make a dangerous choice between protecting his idols and upholding the law.