A Glean movie guide
Hidden Gems of the Underworld
Beyond the blockbusters.
Gritty, atmospheric, and overlooked crime masterpieces that deserve your attention.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
The Friends of Eddie Coyle
A naturalistic and unglamorized look at the mundane logistics of the criminal underworld.
An aging hood is about to go back to prison. Hoping to escape his fate, he supplies information on stolen guns to the feds, while simultaneously supplying arms to his bank robbing chums.
- 02
Blue Ruin
A tense, visually-driven indie thriller that subverts revenge tropes with a relatable, amateur protagonist.
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
Animal Kingdom
A grim and realistic Australian drama focusing on a teenager’s survival within a notorious crime family.
Joshua “J” is taken in by his extended family after his mother dies of an overdose. The clan, ruled by J’s scheming grandmother, is heavily involved in criminal activities, and J is soon indoctrinated into their way of life. But J is given a chance to take another path when a cop seeks to help him.
- 04
Fresh
A unique take on the drug trade following a 12-year-old who uses chess strategies to outmaneuver rival dealers.
Death and violence anger twelve year old drug courier Fresh, who sets his rival employers against each other.
- 05
A Most Violent Year
A sophisticated slow-burn that explores systemic corruption and the struggle to maintain moral integrity.
A thriller set in New York City during the winter of 1981, statistically one of the most violent years in the city's history, and centered on the lives of an immigrant and his family trying to expand their business and capitalize on opportunities as the rampant violence, decay, and corruption of the day drag them in and threaten to destroy all they have built.
- 06
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
Sidney Lumet’s final film is an intense, non-linear exploration of family betrayal and moral collapse.
When two brothers organize the robbery of their parents' jewelry store, the job goes horribly wrong, triggering a series of events that send them and their family hurtling towards a shattering climax.
- 07
One False Move
A masterful blend of rural noir and police procedural that built its reputation through critical word-of-mouth.
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.
- 08
Deep Cover
A stylish neo-noir that dives deep into the psychological toll of long-term undercover operations.
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.
- 09
Narc
A gritty, low-budget powerhouse known for its documentary-style realism and blurred moral lines.
Narcotics Sergeant Nick Tellis, on leave after a trauma, is called back to investigate the murder of fellow undercover operative Michael Calvess, joined by the victim's unpredictable and brutal ex-partner, Henry Oak. Working together in the back alleys of Detroit, Tellis and Oak delve into a dark investigation that leads them to uncover shocking secrets and question the corruption and morality within the department, encountering unorthodox methods and a brutal truth about Calvess's death.
- 10
Sexy Beast
A cult British classic featuring sharp dialogue and a terrifyingly volatile performance by Ben Kingsley.
Ex-safecracker Gal Dove has served his time behind bars and is blissfully retired to a Spanish villa paradise with a wife he adores. The idyll is shattered by the arrival of his nemesis Don Logan, intent on persuading Gal to return to London for one last big job.
- 11
State of Grace
An atmospheric Irish mob drama that was unfairly overshadowed by its contemporaries upon release.
Hell's Kitchen, New York. Terry Noonan returns home after a ten-year absence. He soon reconnects with Jackie, a childhood friend and member of the Irish mob, and rekindles his love affair with Jackie's sister Kathleen.
- 12
The Drop
A quiet, character-centric story from Dennis Lehane that captures the working-class underworld of Brooklyn.
Bob Saginowski finds himself at the center of a robbery gone awry and entwined in an investigation that digs deep into the neighborhood's past where friends, families, and foes all work together to make a living - no matter the cost.