10 Modern Movies That Are Basically Classic Noirs

Film noir is a genre known for its shadowy visuals, morally complex characters, and twisty plots. These movies tended to be highly stylized and dramatic, with cynical lead characters and a generally disillusioned vibe. While classic noir flourished in the 1940s and ’50s, its influence is still present in modern cinema, with filmmakers blending traditional noir elements with contemporary settings and storytelling techniques. Today’s neo-noirs incorporate everything from underworld dealings to psychological trauma, often layering the stories with intricate mysteries, flawed heroes, and existential dread.

With this in mind, this list looks at modern movies that feel like classic noirs, either in their aesthetic, narrative, or themes. Whether it’s through a gritty urban setting, high-contrast cinematography, or a mind-bending premise, these films capture the genre’s dark allure while also putting a distinctive spin on it.

10 ‘Red Riding: The Year of Our Lord 1974’ (2009)

Directed by Julian Jarrold

“This is the North. We do what we want.” Red Riding: The Year of Our Lord 1974 is the first in a trilogy of Channel 4 TV movies based on David Peace‘s novels, set against the backdrop of a grim Yorkshire plagued by crime and corruption. The story centers on Eddie Dunford (Andrew Garfield), a journalist investigating a series of child murders. His search leads him to an unholy bargain between organized crime and bent cops.

Director Julian Jarrold‘s visual approach emphasizes bleak, rain-soaked landscapes and claustrophobic interiors, creating a suffocating sense of isolation and paranoia. This gray-toned imagery serves a similar role as black-and-white cinematography does for many noirs of the 1940s, amplified further by the fact that the movie was shot on 16mm film, making everything look even rawer. The gritty aesthetic and Eddie’s slow descent into darkness reflect the influence of classic noir, topped off with a distinctly British flavor.

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9 ‘In the Cut’ (2003)

Directed by Jane Campion

“Do you think I have a good imagination?” In the Cut is a psychological thriller from the great Jane Campion, the brains behind gems like The Piano and The Power of the Dog. This one revolves around Frannie Avery (Meg Ryan), a reserved English teacher in New York who becomes entangled in a murder investigation when she witnesses a disturbing scene that ties her to the crime. Frannie is soon drawn to the investigating Detective Malloy (Mark Ruffalo), and their relationship becomes intense, complex, and potentially devastating.

Ryan plays against type here, with Frannie being decidedly darker and more neurotic than the rom-com heroines the actress is known for. The murder mystery itself is reasonably clever and builds up to some shocking revelations. As a whole, In the Cut received lukewarm reviews on release, but it boasts more than enough psychodrama and intense imagery to justify a viewing. It deserves particular kudos for the way it subverts many noir tropes, the femme fatale most of all.

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8 ‘Long Day’s Journey into Night’ (2018)

Directed by Bi Gan

“Time flows backwards and forwards, like a dream.” Long Day’s Journey Into Night (totally unrelated to the Eugene O’Neill play of the same name) is a mesmerizing Chinese neo-noir that follows Luo Hongwu (Huang Jue) as he returns to his hometown in search of a woman he loved and lost years ago. As Luo’s journey unfolds, the film delves into his fragmented memories, blending reality and dreams into a surreal experience that defies narrative conventions.

Long Day’s Journey Into Night
‘s visual style also recalls the work of Wong Kar-Wai, particularly in the gorgeous, neon-lit cityscapes.

Combining the efforts of three cinematographers, the film employs noir aesthetics to craft a hallucinatory statement on consciousness. Bi Gan‘s direction is fittingly hypnotic, using long takes, shifting perspectives, and immersive visuals to complement the themes. This is most evident in the impressive continuous, unbroken shot near the climax, which clocks in at almost 50 minutes long. Long Day’s Journey Into Night‘s visual style also recalls the work of Wong Kar-Wai, particularly in the gorgeous, neon-lit cityscapes.

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7 ‘Brick’ (2005)

Directed by Rian Johnson

“Throw one at me if you want, hash head. I’ve got all five senses, and I slept last night.” Brick is a unique blend of high school drama and hard-boiled noir, following Brendan Frye (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a loner who investigates the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend. He soon encounters a web of crime, betrayal, and violence that rivals any classic noir plot.

Rian Johnson‘s direction and writing bring a stylized, fast-talking noir sensibility to the seemingly mundane setting. The film’s characters are classic archetypes, complete with femme fatales, shady contacts, and ruthless crime lords. There’s also a morally ambiguous protagonist, sharp, pulpy dialogue, and a series of corrupt and ineffective authority figures, in this case, not a cop or politician but the vice principal. However, despite its high school setting, Brick never veers into camp, maintaining a tone of serious suspense and intrigue as Brendan peels back the layers of deception surrounding him.

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6 ‘Three Monkeys’ (2008)

Directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan

“We can’t run away from it forever.” Three Monkeys (the title referring to the “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” proverb) explores the psychological fallout of a family’s decision to cover up a fatal accident. When a politician asks his driver, Eyüp (Yavuz Bingöl), to take the fall for a hit-and-run in exchange for financial compensation, the lives of Eyüp’s wife and son spiral into a mess of secrets and lies. Each family member soon faces a personal reckoning that threatens to tear them apart.

Three Monkeys, a Turkish film, is more realistic and dramatic, mining narrative tension out of moral dilemmas and guilt. Aesthetically, it’s atmospheric and intense, using silence and muted colors to build a sense of tension and foreboding. The result is a quiet yet deeply unsettling parable about the lasting impact of the choices we make. The closing scene is particularly well done and hard-hitting.

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5 ‘A History of Violence’ (2005)

Directed by David Cronenberg

“I’m not the man you think I am.” Viggo Mortensen stars in this David Cronenberg masterwork as Tom Stall, a small-town diner owner who becomes a local hero after stopping a violent robbery. However, his act of bravery draws unwanted attention, exposing a dark past that Tom had tried to bury. As figures from his past resurface, Tom is forced to confront who he truly is and the brutal history he left behind, testing the limits of his family’s understanding and trust.

A History of Violence delves into America’s complex fascination with violence, navigating morally ambiguous territory with a strong ensemble cast. Supporting player William Hurt even received an Oscar nomination for his efforts as a Philadelphia crime boss. On the storytelling side, Cronenberg’s direction is taut and unflinching, and he clearly had terrific creative chemistry with Mortensen, who also shines in their later collaboration, Eastern Promises. It makes for a gripping exploration of the fine line between heroism and brutality.

4 ‘Tell No One’ (2006)

Directed by Guillaume Canet

“Look closely at the people around you.” This French thriller focuses on Alexandre Beck (François Cluzet), a doctor who becomes the prime suspect in the murder of his wife, Margot (Marie-Josée Croze), who was supposedly killed eight years earlier. When Alexandre receives an anonymous email suggesting that Margot might still be alive, he finds himself in a race against time to uncover the truth and clear his name.

While the visuals here are mostly sunny and beautiful, the subject matter is decidedly dark, involving everything from shady cops and vicious assassins to dastardly politicians and violent street gangs. The plot borrows many classic noir ideas, like a protagonist suspected of a crime, characters presumed dead reappearing, and a central mystery that zigs this way and that. Indeed, the author of the novel Tell No One was based on said the film’s ending was better than his. The domestic sequences are believable and well-acted, while the action scenes are vivid and engaging.

3 ‘Collateral’ (2004)

Directed by Michael Mann

“Max, you’re my only friend.” Collateral features Jamie Foxx as Max, a taxi driver held hostage by Vincent (Tom Cruise), a hitman who enlists him to drive around Los Angeles while he completes his “assignments” for the night. The movie takes place over a single pulse-pounding night, blending high-octane action with moral complexities as Max tries to find a way to escape and protect the innocent.

Visually, Collateral pays tribute to noir with its shadowy city scenes, shot brilliantly by the then relatively new RED digital camera. The story also veers into noir territory, most notably with Cruise’s cold-blooded killer character, but also in the way that Max has to use trickery and deception to try and beat him. The highlight is the scene where the driver pretends to be the hitman to extract information, which strongly channels the genre’s affection for deception, performance, and false identities.

2 ‘Drive’ (2011)

Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn

“You know the story. So there won’t be any surprises.” Ryan Gosling leads this one as an unnamed stuntman and getaway driver who becomes entangled in a heist gone wrong. His involvement with his neighbor, Irene (Carey Mulligan), and her young son pulls him deeper into a violent underworld, pushing him to protect them at all costs. As the stakes rise, the driver’s calm, stoic demeanor gives way to a ruthless side, and he must confront the brutal world he’s tried to avoid.

The cinematography here is simply stunning, with a neon-lit aesthetic that contrasts with the gritty, intense narrative. DOP Newton Thomas Sigel shoots LA with a stylish, noir-inspired edge, drawing heavily on Walter Hill‘s 1979 classic The Warriors. The minimalist storytelling, nameless central character, and darkly comedic dialogue are also mostly out of the noir playbook, too. For this reason, some have dubbed Drive “arthouse neo-noir.”

1 ‘Memento’ (2000)

Directed by Christopher Nolan

“I have to believe in a world outside my own mind.” Christopher Nolan‘s breakthrough film tells the story of Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce), a man with short-term memory loss, who tries to piece together clues to find his wife’s killer. It unfolds in a nonlinear fashion, reflecting Leonard’s fractured memory. His grasp on reality becomes increasingly tenuous the closer he gets to the truth, creating a narrative that is as suspenseful as it is mind-bending.

Memory loss is a common noir trope, though it’s rarely explored as ingeniously as it is here. Leonard relies on Polaroids and tattoos to remember key information, to the point that his older self becomes like an external source to track down and understand. The recursive structure and the protagonist’s obsession with vengeance also fit the noir bill. This extends to the deconstruction of the main character, who is as alien to himself as he is to the viewer. For all these reasons, Memento feels like the perfect modern rendering of old noir ideas, made fresh again by Nolan’s bold storytelling.

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