Not all murder mystery movies are created equal. It takes the right director and actors to make something truly great. Murder mystery movies sometimes focus on the murderers themselves, delving into their mindsets and why they committed these atrocities. Otherwise, they’ll focus on trying to find out who the killer is. We’ve got some of both on our list of the top 10 murder mystery movies that you must watch:
1. Seven / Se7en (1995) – This is the story of two detectives who are trying to capture a serial killer who bases all of his kills on the seven deadly sins. This was one of the first murder mystery movies I’ve seen and is regarded as one of the best ever made. It stars Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt.
2. The Silence of the Lambs (1991) – This is a psychological horror film about an FBI trainee who consults a cannibalistic serial killer to catch another killer. You’ve surely either seen this one or at least seen clips of Hannibal Lecter online before. This is another timeless classic. It stars Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster.
3. Zodiac (2007) – This film is based off of a bestselling true crime novel and follows the investigation as detective try to identify the Zodiac Killer in San Francisco. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Robert Downey Jr.
4. Gone Girl (2014) – This is one of my all-time favorites. It’s a psychological thriller that explores the complexities of marriage and the medias influence when a woman goes missing and her husband becomes the prime suspect. It stars Rosamund Pike and Ben Affleck.
5. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) – Based on a popular murder mystery novel. A journalist and a hacker investigating a decades-old disappearance. Once you watch the first film, you’ll be hooked and will have to watch the two sequels. It stars Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer and Stellan Skarsgård
6. Knives Out (2019) – This is modern take on the classic whodunit formula. A detective investigates the death of a wealthy writer during a family gathering. It stars Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas and Jamie Lee Curtis.
7. Memento (2000) – A man suffering from short-term memory loss tries to solve his wife’s murder. This movie is shown in short scenes from back to front. You’ll need to piece together the information in your head. I’ve seen this one too many times to count, and still love it. It stars Guy Pearce and Carrie-Anne Moss
8. Rear Window (1954) – A classic Alfred Hitchcock film about a photographer who believes he has witnessed a murder in his neighbor’s apartment. An oldie but a goodie. It stars James Stewart and Grace Kelly.
Prisoners (2013) – A tense thriller about a father’s desperate search for his missing daughter, leading him to take matters into his own hands. It stars Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal.
L.A. Confidential (1997) – A neo-noir crime film about police corruption and Hollywood scandals in 1950s Los Angeles. It stars Kevin Spacey, Kim Basinger, Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce.
With murder mystery movies, you can’t say too much without accidentally ruining some of the mystery. But every movie on this list is a must-see for their own reasons. You’ll see into the minds of killers and victims, and you’ll see how intense investigations into them can become.
