Crime has always been and always will be a movie genre which appeals to us in ways that other genres don’t. Crime films find their way into the hearts and minds of viewers everywhere and it’s not without meaning. Crime fiction is as popular as it is because it lets us deal with the big issues of our time in the context of fiction, which basically acts as a safety net because we know it isn’t real. We watch fictional psychopaths and bombs going off from the comfort of Movie Theater or our living room sofa. The adrenaline rush and the emotions move us but we know we’re going to be in one piece at the end, at least physically.
So in light of the crime genre that gets us all riled up, we put a list together of the best crime movies of all time. And suffice it to say that these are ranked from fan-favorite movie sites such as IMDB, Metacritic, Ranker, Rotten Tomatoes, Business Insider, and Flickchart. This list is based on viewer ratings – not critic opinion. The power of numbers, baby. Oh, and we have some fun facts for each movie too.
How many movies have you seen on this list?
50. Donnie Brasco (1997)
This is a true story crime drama directed by Mike Newell, starring Johnny Depp, Al Pacino, and others. It’s about FBI agent Joe Pistone (Depp) who broke into New York’s mafia scene of under the name Donnie Brasco. It’s a classic plot line with remarkable acting and a must-see crime movie.
Photo by Mandalay Entertainment, Baltimore Pictures, Mark Johnson Productions
To prepare for his role, Johnny Depp met with the real-life Joseph D. Pistone a number of times and took shooting lessons from the FBI. You might also like to know that Al Pacino was originally going to play the role of Brasco. When he switched to Lefty’s character, he recommended Johnny Depp.