So, the big question is this - what the heck is neo-noir? Sadly, there's no definite answer to this itchy question, but maybe let's try unraveling this mystery with the history of the term. So, neo-noir comes from the French term film noir used to describe neo's predecessors, meaning "dark movie." And while the forerunners of the genre, which originated between 1945 and 1960 in the United States, were often shot in literally black and white, that isn't what the 'dark' part means. In fact, it was used to describe a movie telling a sinister story, shot in a gloomy, shadowy way. Skipping to the current day and straight to neo-noir - the main criteria for a film to be called as such is for it to have… film noir themes and sensibility. Clear as day, right?
Since we all agree that trying to pick apart the genre leads to no definite success, why not try to watch some of them and then decide what neo-noir films are really about? And a good place to start would be to check out our collection of the best neo-noir movies that we've gathered on this list. Some of our submissions might surprise you - have you ever thought of The Dark Knight as a film noir? No? Well, try and rewatch it having this in mind! And what about Pulp Fiction? Thought it was a mere pulp crime flick? Nope again. See, it turns out that neo-noir has been living with us for a long time now; we just had no idea of its name.
Okay, get ready for loads of suspense, thrills, and ominous stories, for you will find all of it in our best movies list. Once you are there, give your favorites a vote and share your thoughts on these magnificent movies in the comments section!
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Pulp Fiction
1994 | 2 hours 34 minutes | Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Starring John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Samuel L. Jackson
If you haven't watched Pulp Fiction, haven't seen any memes derived directly from it (remember Lost Travolta?), haven't heard any lines quoted from it, and have not heard anything about its glorious soundtrack, then you, my friend, have been living under a rock for the past few decades. Apologies to those who did actually live under a rock, though. Pulp Fiction is the perfect embodiment of our pop culture itself - glamorized violence, twisting plot, memorable dialogues, everyone's favorite movie tropes, and, of course, beautiful girls make this movie beyond iconic. Of course, you can always argue about that too, but to us, Pulp Fiction is a winner in many categories.
Chinatown
1974 | 2 hours 10 minutes | Directed by Roman Polanski
Starring Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston
Chinatown is a neo-noir mystery drama film inspired by the California water wars at the beginning of the 20th century. It goes like this - a private detective is hired to expose an unfaithful party in 1930 Los Angeles. However, once he starts to unravel the story, he finds himself in a web of deceit, corruption, and murder. Chinatown is probably one of the most awarded neo-noir genre movies to this day, and with its compelling story and marvelous acting, we have no questions about its revered status.
Dark, seedy, and unabashedly neo noir. Nicholson carries this Polanski epic and gives a tour de force performance.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
1988 | 1 hour 44 minutes | Directed by Robert Zemeckis
Starring Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd, Joana Cassidy
Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a live-action/animated comedy mystery film by Robert Zemeckis. It's a loose adaptation of the 1981 novel written by Gary K. Wolf and follows the story of Eddie Valiant, a private investigator who must exonerate Roger Rabbit framed for a murder. To make it even better, the movie is set in a fictional version of 1947 Hollywood where humans and cartoon characters (called 'toons') co-exist. Who Framed Roger Rabbit was a huge success, gaining near-universal praise from critics who stated that this movie is innovative, entertaining, and tells an original story to boot.
Loved it as a kid and can't believe my family left me watch in on VHS so much since it contains way more adult content that you'd imagine at first. Oh well, this was 1988 after all. Also it's basically Chinatown with toons.
Blue Velvet
1986 | 2 hours | Directed by David Lynch
Starring Isabella Rossellini, Kyle MacLachlan, Dennis Hopper
Blue Velvet is a neo-noir mystery thriller film that's a perfect blend of psychological horror and film noir. To try and explain Lynch would be a definite copywriter suicide, but if you'd be satisfied with just the banalities of Blue Velvet's plot, then here it is - a guy finds a severed ear in his suburban paradise. Being an adventure-driven lad, he sets out to figure out whose ear it is, and sure enough, this leads him to a revelation about the seedy underbelly of society. Of course, you do understand that it being a work of Lynch, Blue Velvet is truly much more complex and symbolic than just that!
I see Lynch's movies not so much as complex and symbolic, but as confused and pretentious.
Taxi Driver
1976 | 1 hour 54 minutes | Directed by Martin Scorsese
Starring Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd
Taxi Driver is a neo-noir film set in morally bankrupt New York City after the Vietnam War. Our protagonist is a taxi driver and a veteran called Travis Bickle, who sees this decaying city every night during his shifts. He's mentally unstable; however, there's still that hero thread in him, and he's willing to set things straight in this sleazy metropolis. Taxi Driver is the movie that every cinema lover should watch, no matter their preferred genre.
The Dark Knight
2008 | 2 hours 32 minutes | Directed by Christopher Nolan
Starring Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart
The Dark Knight is a neo-noir film in superhero movie disguise, following, as you all well know, Batman and his noble fight for the peace of Gotham city dwellers. In this movie, Batman's nemesis is the Joker, and Heath Ledger's acting made this villain an absolute icon. The Dark Knight is no regular cheesy superhero flick as it is riddled with weighty topics like the duality of a hero and stark social commentary. If we had to choose one Batman movie to watch over and over, The Dark Knight would be it.
Fargo
Point Blank
1967 | 1 hour 32 minutes | Directed by John Boorman
Starring Lee Marvin, Angie Dickinson, Keenan Wynn
Point Blank is a crime film adapted from a crime pulp novel called The Hunter by Donald E. Westlake. The story follows a mysterious man called Walker right after he has been double-crossed and left for dead. However, Walker isn't one to take his pills calmly, and even though he was just dying, he single-mindedly tries to retrieve the stolen money. Point Blank is the father of all suspense thrillers that will surely have you on the edge of your seat for its whole runtime.
The Long Goodbye
1973 | 1 hour 52 minutes | Directed by Robert Altman
Starring Elliot Gould, Nina van Pallandt, Sterling Hayden
The Long Goodbye is a neo-noir satirical mystery thriller film following the story of a private investigator called Philip Marlowe. Philip helps his old buddy out of a very conspicuous jam and, in doing so, gets implicated in his wife's murder. The movie has been described as a study of a moral man cast in a selfish and self-obsessed society, where his belief clashed with the stuff needed to survive in such circumstances. Now, remember that The Long Goodbye is both a neo-noir thriller and a satire, and be prepared to be amorally amused by the protagonist's mental torture.
Mulholland Drive
2001 | 2 hours 27 minutes | Directed by David Lynch
Starring Naomi Watts, Laura Harring, Justin Theroux
Mulholland Drive is a surrealist neo-noir movie that tells the story of a young aspiring actress upon her arrival in Hollywood. Here she meets and befriends an amnesiac woman. Now, this premise sounds kinda simplistic, but yet again, it is Lynch, so be prepared to find yourself in a dream within a dream within a dream that's both confusing and weirdly comforting at the very same time. Mulholland Drive will not only make you question your perception of things but reality itself. But, what else would you expect from David?
A trippy Lynch film no doubt. I'd slide Brick somewhere in the top 10, I'm not sure there's a more unique neo noir film than Rian Johnson's twisty, hard-boiled debut.
Nightcrawler
Drive
2011 | 1 hour 40 minutes | Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
Starring Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston
Drive is an action drama film that is, in fact, a very nice example of the neo-noir genre. Based on James Sallis' novel of the same name, Drive follows a mysterious Hollywood stuntman and mechanic who's also a getaway driver. His decision to help a young mother living nearby leads to unexpected consequences, and now our mystery man has to fend for his life. Some critics even called Drive an arthouse action movie, and no wonder - saturated with impressive visuals, melancholy tunes, and embellished with top-notch acting, Drive sure is a one-of-a-kind movie.
The Big Lebowski
Yeah but did the Dude ever get his rug back ? You know, it really tied the room together.
Blade Runner
The quintessential sci-fi neo noir. Should be ranked higher than the Matrix, along with Dark City.
The Matrix
Fight Club
A History Of Violence
The Conversation
This is really an outstanding film from the 70s or 80s. Hackman runs a business that hires itself out to make illicit recordings. But one day they record a meeting between the wife of a wealthy businessman and her lover. Or do they? The next morning their client ends up dead. Why is everyone on the run? What was the conversation actually about?
