Detective and mystery films featuring investigators solving complex cases and whodunits.
Detective Mystery Movies — 94 entries in the movies category, sortable by Title, Year, Director. Every row is ranked by community votes, giving you a crowd-sourced perspective you won't find on Wikipedia or IMDb.
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Two homicide detectives are on a desperate hunt for a serial killer whose crimes are based on the "seven deadly sins" in this dark and haunting film that takes viewers from the tortured remains of one victim to the next. The seasoned Det. Somerset researches each sin in an effort to get inside th...
Psycho
1960
Alfred Hitchcock
8.4
Horror, Thriller, Mystery
United States of America
109
When larcenous real estate clerk Marion Crane goes on the lam with a wad of cash and hopes of starting a new life, she ends up at the notorious Bates Motel, where manager Norman Bates cares for his housebound mother.
Prisoners
2013
Denis Villeneuve
8.1
Drama, Thriller, Crime
United States of America
153
Keller Dover is facing every parent’s worst nightmare. His six-year-old daughter, Anna, is missing, together with her young friend, Joy, and as minutes turn to hours, panic sets in. The only lead is a dilapidated RV that had earlier been parked on their street.
Vertigo
1958
Alfred Hitchcock
8.1
Mystery, Romance, Thriller
United States of America
128
A retired San Francisco detective suffering from acrophobia investigates the strange activities of an old friend's wife, all the while becoming dangerously obsessed with her.
Memories of Murder
2003
Bong Joon Ho
8.1
Crime, Drama, Thriller
South Korea
131
A sadistic serial rapist and murderer of young women terrorizes a small province in 1980s South Korea. To prevent further crimes, three increasingly desperate detectives with conflicting methods race against time to unravel the violent mind of the killer in a futile effort to solve the case.
M
1931
Fritz Lang
8.1
Drama, Thriller, Crime
Germany
110
In this classic German thriller, Hans Beckert, a serial killer who preys on children, becomes the focus of a massive Berlin police manhunt. Beckert's heinous crimes are so repellant and disruptive to city life that he is even targeted by others in the seedy underworld network. With both cops and ...
Dial M for Murder
1954
Alfred Hitchcock
8
Thriller, Crime
United States of America
105
When her American lover visits London, a wealthy woman’s jealous husband hatches a plan to murder her and inherit her fortune.
Heat
1995
Michael Mann
7.9
Crime, Drama, Action
United States of America
170
Obsessive master thief Neil McCauley leads a top-notch crew on various daring heists throughout Los Angeles while determined detective Vincent Hanna pursues him without rest. Each man recognizes and respects the ability and the dedication of the other even though they are aware their cat-and-mous...
Chinatown
1974
Roman Polanski
7.9
Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
United States of America
130
Private eye Jake Gittes lives off of the murky moral climate of sunbaked, pre-World War II Southern California. Hired by a beautiful socialite to investigate her husband's extra-marital affair, Gittes is swept into a maelstrom of double dealings and deadly deceits, uncovering a web of personal an...
Knives Out
2019
Rian Johnson
7.8
Comedy, Crime, Mystery
United States of America
131
When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc is mysteriously enlisted to investigate. From Harlan's dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings an...
Mulholland Drive
2001
David Lynch
7.8
Thriller, Drama, Mystery
France
147
Blonde Betty Elms has only just arrived in Hollywood to become a movie star when she meets an enigmatic brunette with amnesia. Meanwhile, as the two set off to solve the second woman's identity, filmmaker Adam Kesher runs into ominous trouble while casting his latest project.
L.A. Confidential
1997
Curtis Hanson
7.8
Crime, Mystery, Thriller, Drama
United States of America
138
Three detectives in the corrupt and brutal L.A. police force of the 1950s use differing methods to uncover a conspiracy behind the shotgun slayings of the patrons at an all-night diner.
Strangers on a Train
1951
Alfred Hitchcock
7.7
Crime, Thriller
United States of America
101
A charming psychopath tries to coerce a tennis star into his theory that two strangers can commit the perfect crime by exchanging murders—each killing the other’s most-hated person.
The Maltese Falcon
1941
John Huston
7.7
Mystery, Crime, Thriller
United States of America
100
A private detective takes on a case that involves him with three eccentric criminals, a beautiful liar, and their quest for a priceless statuette.
American Gangster
2007
Ridley Scott
7.6
Drama, Crime
United States of America
157
Loosely based on the criminal career of Frank Lucas, a gangster from La Grange, North Carolina, who smuggled heroin into the United States on American service planes returning from the Vietnam War, before being detained by a task force led by Newark Detective Richie Roberts.
Searching
2018
Aneesh Chaganty
7.6
Drama, Mystery, Thriller
United States of America
102
After David Kim's 16-year-old daughter goes missing, a local investigation is opened and a detective is assigned to the case. But 37 hours later and without a single lead, David decides to search the one place no one has looked yet, where all secrets are kept today: his daughter's laptop.
Blue Velvet
1986
David Lynch
7.6
Mystery, Thriller, Crime
United States of America
120
The discovery of a severed human ear found in a field leads a young man on an investigation related to a beautiful, mysterious nightclub singer and a group of psychopathic criminals who have kidnapped her child.
The Big Sleep
1946
Howard Hawks
7.6
Mystery, Crime, Thriller
United States of America
114
Private Investigator Philip Marlowe is hired by wealthy General Sternwood regarding a matter involving his youngest daughter Carmen. Before the complex case is over, Marlowe sees murder, blackmail, deception, and what might be love.
Zodiac
2007
David Fincher
7.5
Crime, Mystery, Thriller
United States of America
157
Over the course of a decade, editors of the San Francisco Chronicle entice themselves in the murders of the Zodiac Killer. However, as time runs its course, interest in the case dwindles in the eyes of the professionals. The Killer stops interacting with the public. However, believing he has the ...
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
1988
Robert Zemeckis
7.5
Fantasy, Animation, Comedy, Crime
United States of America
104
'Toon star Roger is worried that his wife Jessica is playing pattycake with someone else, so the studio hires detective Eddie Valiant to snoop on her. But the stakes are quickly raised when Marvin Acme is found dead and Roger is the prime suspect.
The Body
2012
Oriol Paulo
7.5
Thriller, Mystery
Spain
107
A woman’s body disappears mysteriously from the morgue without a trace. Police inspector Jaime Peña investigates the strange occurrence with the help of Álex Ulloa, the widower of the missing woman.
Shadow of a Doubt
1943
Alfred Hitchcock
7.5
Thriller, Mystery
United States of America
107
In sleepy Santa Rosa, restless young Charlie’s world brightens when her sophisticated Uncle Charlie arrives for a long visit. But as his behavior grows increasingly strange, she begins to suspect that her beloved uncle may be hiding a terrible secret—and that danger has quietly entered her home.
Inside Man
2006
Spike Lee
7.4
Crime, Drama, Thriller
United States of America
129
When an armed, masked gang enter a Manhattan bank, lock the doors and take hostages, the detective assigned to effect their release enters negotiations preoccupied with corruption charges he is facing.
Dirty Harry
1971
Don Siegel
7.4
Action, Crime, Thriller
United States of America
102
When a madman dubbed 'Scorpio' terrorizes San Francisco, hard-nosed cop, Harry Callahan – famous for his take-no-prisoners approach to law enforcement – is tasked with hunting down the psychopath.
Missing
2023
Nicholas D. Johnson
7.4
Drama, Mystery, Thriller
United States of America
111
When her mother disappears while on vacation in Colombia with her new boyfriend, June’s search for answers is hindered by international red tape. Stuck thousands of miles away in Los Angeles, June creatively uses all the latest technology at her fingertips to try and find her before it’s too late...
Gone Baby Gone
2007
Ben Affleck
7.3
Crime, Drama, Mystery
United States of America
113
When 4 year old Amanda McCready disappears from her home and the police make little headway in solving the case, the girl's aunt, Beatrice McCready hires two private detectives, Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro. The detectives freely admit that they have little experience with this type of case, ...
Frequency
2000
Gregory Hoblit
7.3
Science Fiction, Thriller, Family, Crime
United States of America
118
When a rare phenomenon gives police officer John Sullivan the chance to speak to his father, 30 years in the past, he takes the opportunity to prevent his dad's tragic death. After his actions inadvertently give rise to a series of brutal murders he and his father must find a way to fix the cons...
Enola Holmes 2
2022
Harry Bradbeer
7.3
Adventure, Mystery, Crime
United States of America
129
Now a detective-for-hire like her infamous brother, Enola Holmes takes on her first official case to find a missing girl, as the sparks of a dangerous conspiracy ignite a mystery that requires the help of friends — and Sherlock himself — to unravel.
Blood Simple
1985
Joel Coen
7.3
Crime, Drama, Thriller
United States of America
97
The owner of a seedy small-town Texas bar discovers that one of his employees is having an affair with his wife. A chaotic chain of misunderstandings, lies and mischief ensues after he devises a plot to have them murdered.
Decision to Leave
2022
Park Chan-wook
7.3
Thriller, Mystery, Romance
South Korea
139
From a mountain peak in South Korea, a man plummets to his death. Did he jump, or was he pushed? When detective Hae-joon arrives on the scene, he begins to suspect the dead man’s wife Seo-rae. But as he digs deeper into the investigation, he finds himself trapped in a web of deception and desire.
Sherlock Holmes
2009
Guy Ritchie
7.2
Action, Adventure, Crime, Mystery
United States of America
129
Eccentric consulting detective Sherlock Holmes and Doctor John Watson battle to bring down a new nemesis and unravel a deadly plot that could destroy England.
Sleepy Hollow
1999
Tim Burton
7.2
Fantasy, Thriller, Mystery, Horror
United States of America
105
Skeptical young detective Ichabod Crane gets transferred to the hamlet of Sleepy Hollow, New York, where he is tasked with investigating the decapitations of three people – murders the townsfolk attribute to a legendary specter, The Headless Horseman.
Enola Holmes
2020
Harry Bradbeer
7.2
Adventure, Mystery, Crime
United States of America
123
While searching for her missing mother, intrepid teen Enola Holmes uses her sleuthing skills to outsmart big brother Sherlock and help a runaway lord.
Beverly Hills Cop
1984
Martin Brest
7.2
Comedy, Crime, Action
United States of America
105
Fast-talking, quick-thinking Detroit street cop Axel Foley has bent more than a few rules and regs in his time, but when his best friend is murdered, he heads to sunny Beverly Hills to work the case like only he can.
Identity
2003
James Mangold
7.2
Mystery, Thriller
United States of America
90
Complete strangers stranded at a remote desert motel during a raging storm soon find themselves the target of a deranged murderer. As their numbers thin out, the travelers begin to turn on each other, as each tries to figure out who the killer is.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
2005
Shane Black
7.2
Comedy, Crime, Mystery, Thriller
United States of America
102
A petty thief posing as an actor is brought to Los Angeles for an unlikely audition and finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation along with his high school dream girl and a detective who's been training him for his upcoming role...
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
2025
Rian Johnson
7.2
Thriller, Mystery, Comedy
United States of America
145
When young priest Jud Duplenticy is sent to assist charismatic firebrand Monsignor Jefferson Wicks, it’s clear that all is not well in the pews. After a sudden and seemingly impossible murder rocks the town, the lack of an obvious suspect prompts local police chief Geraldine Scott to join forces ...
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
2011
Guy Ritchie
7.1
Adventure, Action, Crime, Mystery
United States of America
129
There is a new criminal mastermind at large (Professor Moriarty) and not only is he Holmes’ intellectual equal, but his capacity for evil and lack of conscience may give him an advantage over the detective.
Bad Boys for Life
2020
Bilall Fallah
7.1
Thriller, Action, Crime
United States of America
124
Marcus and Mike are forced to confront new threats, career changes, and midlife crises as they join the newly created elite team AMMO of the Miami police department to take down the ruthless Armando Armas, the vicious leader of a Miami drug cartel.
The Nice Guys
2016
Shane Black
7.1
Comedy, Crime, Action
United States of America
116
A private eye investigates the apparent suicide of a fading porn star in 1970s Los Angeles and uncovers a conspiracy.
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The Detective & Mystery Movies list is ranked by community votes. Every visitor can pick one option over another in head-to-head matchups, and the running totals determine the order you see. No editors or algorithms — just real people voting.
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This dataset contains 94 entries, each with multiple sortable, filterable columns. The full table is visible on this page and can be downloaded as a CSV, JSON, or Excel file.
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