A Glean movie guide
Hidden Gems of the 90s
Beyond the blockbusters.
Overlooked crime thrillers that defined the decade's gritty, suspenseful edge.
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 neo-noir perfectly captures the 'wrong place, wrong time' tension of a drifter mistaken for a hitman.
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
Deep Cover
A complex, stylish undercover drama that explores the moral erosion of a cop deep inside 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.
- 04
The Last Seduction
A sharp, cynical thriller 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.
- 05
A Simple Plan
A chilling exploration of greed and morality as three men face the disastrous consequences of keeping stolen money.
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, intricate puzzle of deception that keeps you guessing until the final frame.
An inventor of a secret process suddenly finds himself alone as both his friends and the corporation he works for turn against him.
- 07
Cop Land
A grounded, character-driven police drama that uncovers deep-seated corruption in a town full of NYPD officers.
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.
- 08
Zero Effect
A refreshingly modern and eccentric take on the private investigator genre that has earned a well-deserved cult following.
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.