Recently, on my podcast, Forgotten Cinema, we covered the movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. The movie is based on a book, written by John Berendt, that covers the trial and events surrounding a real-life incident that happened in 1981, when antiques dealer Jim Williams was put on trial for the alleged murder of Danny Hansford.
If you’re interested in what we thought about this Clint Eastwood film, check out our episode. The movie also inspired me to suggest other true-crime movies that stand out and if you haven’t already, you may want to check out.
Zodiac
There are so many different aspects of Zodiac that work well on their own, but when put together, they help weave a story that has you on the edge of your seat. Our detectives (Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Edwards) trying to solve these heinous murders that terrorize an entire city, the newspaper cartoonist-turned-author-turned-amateur-sleuth (Jake Gyllenhaal) getting closer to the killer than anyone believed he would, and the actual murders taking place on screen as we watch in horror. The Napa Valley Killings scene is one that stands out for me. Almost as horrifying as the killings is the nature of the scene with no musical score and a killer who goes about his business like he’s punching a time clock.
Catch Me If You Can
I freely admit when someone talks about true crime movies, no one probably thinks about Catch Me If You Can, the early 2000s Spielberg film about Frank Abagnale and his wild adventures as a counterfeiter, before taking his talents to the Secret Service to help prevent fraud. But… it is technically true crime. And this movie is so much fun. Hanks is great. DiCaprio is great. And their back-and-forth storylines weaved humor, action and intrigue extremely well. The style of the film is bright and timeless, and it’s a movie often overlooked in Spielberg’s filmography, but shouldn’t be. (Special shout out to all my fellow Spielberg fans out there. With this film and Minority Report, what a year 2002 was!)
Spotlight
Here’s another true-crime movie that technically is a drama, but this is my list, so I’m making an exception… again. Spotlight tells the story of the Boston Globe’s search for the truth as they uncover years of child molestation by Catholic priests throughout the Boston area, and how the archdiocese covered it up. The investigation is what drives this movie and carries the audience through each revelation. The script is great. The acting is great. Everything is great. (How’s that for movie criticism?)
Standout moments that I always remember: When one of the reporters realizes the home where the archdiocese would send these disgraced priests was down the block from his house. The older priest, with dementia, openly talking about what he did with young boys to Rachel McAdams. The realization from the reporters upon hearing the estimate of 6% of all priests are sexual offenders. To repeat my expert analysis of this film from earlier in the paragraph… this movie is great.
The French Connection
The movie that begs the question: Why is it against the law to pick your feet in Poughkeepsie? It’s not necessarily a hot take to say that Gene Hackman was one of the best actors over the last half-century. Hackman made acting look easy, as he never gave a performance that felt like a performance, but rather like we were watching a real-life person in his natural habitat.
With The French Connection, William Friedkin brings us a gritty New York City in the 1970s (Is there any other kind?), as NYPD detectives in the Narcotics Bureau, Popeye Doyle (Hackman) and his partner, Buddy Russo (Roy Scheider) uncover a massive heroin drug ring that originates in France. Their chase for the elusive head of this criminal organization provides plenty of drama, mystery and action that looked as chaotic as it was to film. Gotta love 70s filmmaking.
Citizen X
Another movie we covered on the Forgotten Cinema podcast, and Citizen X is a little different from the rest of my list, as it was an HBO movie in 1995. During the 1980s, in the Soviet Union, a serial killer was preying on young girls, usually under the age of 17, claiming over 50 lives. The killer would lure his victim from railway stations and commuter trains into the woods, never to return.
Lt. Viktor Burakov (Stephen Rea) is our lead investigator, who not only is trying to catch a killer, but is also hampered by the bureaucracy and incompetence by those above him. When he finds an ally with Colonel Mikhail Fetisov (Donald Sutherland), the hunt for the killer hits full speed ahead. This movie is riveting and heartbreaking, and a solid watch.
So Much More
There are loads of other solid true crime stories in movies and television, as the latter has the advantage of using the episodic style to help tell the story. Many true crime stories need the time to develop our characters, build and present the motives of our criminals, dive into the investigation, and ultimately, stick the landing when our protagonist nabs the antagonist.
Some examples of true television shows, based on true stories, include: Mindhunter, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, The Staircase, Candy. If you’re simply looking for true crime stories, then I would suggest any season of True Detective or Fargo, The Killing, The Wire, The Sopranos…. I can be here all day, but you get the point.
About the Author:
Michael Field has been telling stories his whole life—on film sets, behind microphones, on the page, and in late-night writing sessions that stretch until morning. From short films and feature scripts to podcasts, digital series, and novels, he is drawn to characters who wrestle with identity, legacy, and the choices that define them.
Over the years, he has directed more than a hundred shorts, co-created the Forgotten Cinema podcast, and written scripts that blend pulp adventure, supernatural mystery, and human drama. His novels carry that same mix of heart, danger, and imagination, expanding his storytelling into new mediums and audiences. Storytelling isn’t just his career; it’s the way he moves through the world.
Website:MichaeldField.com
Podcast: Forgotten Cinema
Read more from Michael: CLICK HERE
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