Best movies like In Cold Blood
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
A 1967 film based on Truman Capote's book of the same name. After a botched robbery results in the brutal murder of a rural family, two drifters elude police, in the end coming to terms with their own mortality and the repercussions of their vile atrocity.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 29000
Genere: Biography, Crime, Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 134 min
Plot tags: black and white, disturbing, suspense, neo noir, bleak, tense, controversial, road movie, detective, inspirational
Best tv shows and movies like In Cold Blood (1967):
Similar in 82%
In Cold Blood (1996)
Plot Summary:
At the end of the 1950s, in a more innocent America, the brutal, meaningless slaying of a Midwestern family horrified the nation. This film is based on Truman Capote's hauntingly detailed, psychologically penetrating nonfiction novel. While in prison, Dick Hickock, 20, hears a cell-mate's story about $10,000 in cash kept in a home safe by a prosperous rancher. When he's paroled, Dick persuades ex-con Perry Smith, also 20, to join him in going after the stash. On a November night in 1959, Dick and Perry break into the Holcomb, Kansas, house of Herb Clutter. Enraged at finding no safe, they wake the sleeping family and brutally kill them all. The bodies are found by two friends who come by before Sunday church. The murders shock the small Great Plains town, where doors are routinely left unlocked. Detective Alvin Dewey of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation heads the case, but there are no clues, no apparent motive and no suspects.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Crime, Drama, History
Country: USA, Canada
Duration: 240 min
Plot tags: tense, bleak, serious, realistic, suspenseful, disturbing
Similar in 76%
Pierrepoint: The Last Hangman (2005)
Plot Summary:
Following in his father's footsteps, Albert Pierrepoint becomes one of Britain's most prolific executioners, hiding his identity as a grocery deliveryman. But when his ambition to be the best inadvertently exposes his gruesome secret, he becomes a minor celebrity & faces a public outcry against the practice of hanging. Based on true events.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Biography, Crime, Drama, History
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: serious, realistic, suspense, suspenseful, depressing, hood
Similar in 88%
Killer: A Journal of Murder (1995)
Plot Summary:
Carl Panzram is sent to Leavenworth Prison for burglary. While there, he is brutally beaten by a guard. Neophyte guard Henry Lesser feels sympathy for Panzram, befriends him, and gets him to write his life story. Lesser learns that Panzram's past is much more violent than he thought, but also that he's capable of being a much better person than the rest of the prison staff believes - or so Lesser thinks.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Biography, Crime, Drama, Romance, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 91 min
Plot tags: disturbing, rough, bleak, serious, realistic, suspenseful, independent film, psychological, unusual plot structure, bloody
Similar in 87%
Ann Rule Presents: The Stranger Beside Me (2003)
Plot Summary:
While working at a Seattle clinic for women in the 1970s, Ann Rule becomes friends with Ted Bundy. Based on a book by Ann Rule.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Biography, Crime, Drama, History
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: serious, realistic, suspenseful, dark
Similar in 77%
The Executioner's Song (1982)
Plot Summary:
In this fact-based film, Gary Gilmore, an Indiana man who just finished serving a lengthy stay in prison, tries to start anew by moving to Utah. Before long, Gary begins an ill-advised romance with the troubled Nicole Baker, a teenage single mother. As their relationship quickly deteriorates, Gary goes on a murderous rampage, leaving two dead. During his trial, he demands capital punishment; a media circus ensues and outsiders look to profit from his story.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Biography, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 135 min
Plot tags: rough, thought provoking, bleak, serious, realistic, suspenseful, tense
Similar in 75%
Lonely Hearts (2006)
Plot Summary:
In the late 1940's, Martha Beck and Raymond Fernandez were America's notorious "Lonely Hearts Killers". Their lethal scam was simple; they would swindle and then viciously murder lovelorn war widows who would answer their personal ads in which Ray would describe himself as a sexy Latin Lover. Based on a true story.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 22000
Genere: Biography, Crime, Drama, History, Romance, Thriller
Country: Germany, USA
Duration: 108 min
Plot tags: neo noir, detective, suspenseful, suspense, brutal, rough, bleak, serious, realistic, disturbing
Similar in 84%
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)
Plot Summary:
Outlaw Jesse James is rumored to be the 'fastest gun in the West'. An eager recruit into James' notorious gang, Robert Ford eventually grows jealous of the famed outlaw and, when Robert and his brother sense an opportunity to kill James, their murderous action elevates their target to near mythical status.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 191000
Genere: Biography, Crime, Drama, History, Western
Country: USA, Canada, UK
Duration: 160 min
Plot tags: cerebral, atmospheric, suspense, psychological, serious, realistic, visually appealing, visual, visually stunning, tense
Similar in 78%
Chopper (2000)
Plot Summary:
The true and intense story of Mark 'Chopper' Read, a legendary criminal who wrote his autobiography while serving a jail sentence in prison.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 41000
Genere: Biography, Crime, Drama
Country: Australia
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: disturbing, dark comedy, rough, cynical, brutal, dark, cult classic, stylized, black comedy, intellectual
Similar in 87%
Let Him Have It (1991)
Plot Summary:
In 1950s England, slow-witted Derek Bentley falls in with a group of petty criminals led by Chris Craig, a teenager with a fondness for American gangster films. Chris and Derek's friendship leads to their involvement in the true case which would forever shake England's belief in capital punishment.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Crime, Drama, History
Country: UK, France
Duration: 115 min
Plot tags: depressing, tense, thought provoking, bleak, serious, emotional, realistic, suspenseful, gloomy, independent film
Similar in 88%
The Onion Field (1979)
Plot Summary:
Greg Powell, a disturbed ex-con, recruits Jimmy Youngblood (Smith) a petty thief, as partner in crime. Powell panics when they two of are pulled over by two cops for tail lights. Powell decides to kidnap the cops and Smith goes along with his crazy scheme. They drive out to a deserted onion field in Bakersfield, where one cop is killed and the other escapes. The film explores the consequences.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 126 min
Plot tags: neo noir, atmospheric, psychological, realistic, rough, serious, disturbing, detective, bleak, emotional
Similar in 81%
True Story (2015)
Plot Summary:
A drama centered around the relationship between journalist Michael Finkel and Christian Longo, an FBI Most Wanted List murderer who for years lived outside the U.S. under Finkel's name.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 72000
Genere: Biography, Crime, Drama, History, Mystery
Country: USA
Duration: 99 min
Plot tags: suspense, surprise ending, psychological, captivating, serious, enigmatic, suspenseful, intense, tricky, realistic
Similar in 79%
Helter Skelter (2004)
Plot Summary:
A new take on the Manson Family murders, with a keen focus on Charles Manson himself.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Biography, Crime, Drama, History, Horror, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 136 min
Plot tags: rough, realistic, suspenseful, disturbing, serious, captivating, detective, psychological, psychedelic, suspense
Similar in 75%
Public Enemies (2009)
Plot Summary:
Depression-era bank robber John Dillinger's charm and audacity endear him to much of America's downtrodden public, but he's also a thorn in the side of J. Edgar Hoover and the fledgling FBI. Desperate to capture the elusive outlaw, Hoover makes Dillinger his first Public Enemy Number One and assigns his top agent, Melvin Purvis, the task of bringing him in dead or alive.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 315000
Genere: Action, Biography, Crime, Drama, History
Country: USA, Japan
Duration: 140 min
Plot tags: suspense, stylized, exciting, factual, intense, serious, captivating, realistic, atmospheric, rough
Similar in 85%
Capote (2005)
Plot Summary:
A biopic of the writer, Truman Capote and his assignment for The New Yorker to write the non-fiction book, 'In Cold Blood'.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 139000
Genere: Biography, Crime, Drama, History
Country: USA, Canada
Duration: 114 min
Plot tags: intellectual, captivating, dark, dramatic, talky, psychological, historical drama, atmospheric, inspirational, retro
Similar in 82%
Changeling (2008)
Plot Summary:
Christine Collins is overjoyed when her kidnapped son is brought back home. But when Christine suspects that the boy returned to her isn't her child, the police captain has her committed to an asylum.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 263000
Genere: Biography, Crime, Drama, History, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 141 min
Plot tags: psychological, heartbreaking, sentimental, tense, bleak, disturbing, touching, suspense, detective, emotional
Similar in 89%
Devil's Knot (2013)
Plot Summary:
The savage murders of three young children sparks a controversial trial of three teenagers accused of killing the kids as part of a satanic ritual.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 23000
Genere: Biography, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 114 min
Plot tags: bleak, factual, intense, suspense, suspenseful, disturbing, independent film, rough, gothic, dark
Similar in 90%
Infamous (2006)
Plot Summary:
While researching his book In Cold Blood, writer Truman Capote develops a close relationship with convicted murderers Dick Hickock and Perry Smith.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 18000
Genere: Biography, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 110 min
Plot tags: emotional, tense, sincere, serious, psychological, captivating, witty, talky, retro, clever
Similar in 89%
Just Mercy (2019)
Plot Summary:
The powerful true story of Harvard-educated lawyer Bryan Stevenson, who goes to Alabama to defend the disenfranchised and wrongly condemned — including Walter McMillian, a man sentenced to death despite evidence proving his innocence. Bryan fights tirelessly for Walter with the system stacked against them.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 74000
Genere: Biography, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 137 min
Plot tags: tense, suspense, suspenseful, disturbing, touching, inspirational, enigmatic, motivational, emotional, educational
Similar in 76%
Conviction (2010)
Plot Summary:
When Betty Anne Waters' older brother Kenny is arrested for murder and sentenced to life in 1983, Betty Anne, a Massachusetts wife and mother of two, dedicates her life to overturning the murder conviction. Convinced that her brother is innocent, Betty Anne puts herself through high school, college and, finally, law school in an 18 year quest to free Kenny. With the help of best friend Abra Rice, Betty Anne pores through suspicious evidence mounted by small town cop Nancy Taylor, meticulously retracing the steps that led to Kenny's arrest. Belief in her brother - and her quest for the truth - pushes Betty Anne and her team to uncover the facts and utilize DNA evidence with the hope of exonerating Kenny.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 46000
Genere: Biography, Crime, Drama
Country: Switzerland, UK, USA
Duration: 107 min
Plot tags: sincere, touching, emotional, inspirational, sad, thought provoking, disturbing, intense, motivational, entertaining
Similar in 75%
Murder One (1988)
Plot Summary:
This crime drama is based on the true story of Billy Isaacs. Freshly escaped from prison, Isaac is picked up by his brothers, and the entire dysfunctional brood embarks on a crime spree that takes them through a dozen states, claiming the lives of six innocent people.
IMDB Rating: 5.4
IMDB Votes: 359
Genere: Biography, Crime, Drama
Country: USA, Canada
Duration: 82 min
Plot tags: rough, bleak, serious, realistic, disturbing, gloomy
Similar in 83%
Monster (2003)
Plot Summary:
Aileen Wuornos is an emotionally scarred highway hooker who shoots a sadistic trick who rapes her and ultimately becomes America's first female serial killer.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 159000
Genere: Biography, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA, Germany
Duration: 109 min
Plot tags: bleak, disturbing, psychological, depressing, emotional, harsh, heartbreaking, sad, rough, captivating
Similar in 83%
The Riverman (2004)
Plot Summary:
A series of interviews are conducted with convicted serial killer Ted Bundy in hopes of gaining insight into the Green River Killer who is terrorizing Seattle.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Biography, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 91 min
Plot tags: psychological, rough, serious, suspenseful, disturbing, mystical, detective, realistic, suspense
Similar in 76%
Marshall (2017)
Plot Summary:
Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American Supreme Court Justice, battles through one of his career-defining cases.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 26000
Genere: Biography, Crime, Drama, History
Country: USA, China, Hong Kong
Duration: 118 min
Plot tags: suspense, tense, captivating, exciting, inspirational, retro, touching, political, social, detective
Similar in 79%
Black Mass (2015)
Plot Summary:
The true story of Whitey Bulger, the brother of a state senator and the most infamous violent criminal in the history of South Boston, who became an FBI informant to take down a Mafia family invading his turf.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 190000
Genere: Biography, Crime, Drama
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 123 min
Plot tags: suspense, factual, brutal, intense, captivating, realistic, suspenseful, serious, independent film, stylized
Similar in 82%
Citizen X (1995)
Plot Summary:
Based on the true story of a Russian serial killer who, over many years, claimed victim to over 50 people. His victims were mostly under the age of 17. In what was then a communists state, the police investigations were hampered by bureaucracy, incompetence and those in power. The story is told from the viewpoint of the detective in charge of the case.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 22000
Genere: Biography, Crime, Drama, History, Thriller
Country: USA, Hungary
Duration: 105 min
Plot tags: detective, suspense, tense, suspenseful, psychological, intense, factual, serious, realistic, grim
Similar in 85%
Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
Plot Summary:
Bonnie and Clyde is based on the true stories of the gangster pair Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow who in the 1930s began robbing banks in U.S. cities until they were eventually killed. The film is a major landmark in the aesthetic movement known as the New Hollywood.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 119000
Genere: Action, Biography, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 111 min
Plot tags: road movie, controversial, suspenseful, suspense, exciting, disturbing, captivating, grim, witty, black and white
Similar in 77%
Goodfellas (1990)
Plot Summary:
The true story of Henry Hill, a half-Irish, half-Sicilian Brooklyn kid who is adopted by neighbourhood gangsters at an early age and climbs the ranks of a Mafia family under the guidance of Jimmy Conway.
IMDB Rating: 8.7
IMDB Votes: 12000000
Genere: Biography, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 145 min
Plot tags: rough, suspense, realistic, epic, brutal, cult classic, hood, suspenseful, neo noir, fast paced
Similar in 80%
Zodiac (2007)
Plot Summary:
The true story of the investigation of the "Zodiac Killer", a serial killer who terrified the San Francisco Bay Area, taunting police with his ciphers and letters. The case becomes an obsession for four men as their lives and careers are built and destroyed by the endless trail of clues.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 584000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 157 min
Plot tags: suspense, atmospheric, tense, neo noir, stylized, twist ending, suspenseful, psychological, rough, detective
Similar in 83%
Dead Man Walking (1995)
Plot Summary:
A justice drama based on a true story about a man on death row who in his last days forms a strong relationship with a nun who teaches him forgiveness and gives him spirituality as she accompanies him to his execution.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 100000
Genere: Crime, Drama
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 122 min
Plot tags: touching, psychological, thought provoking, sad, emotional, atmospheric, suspense, depressing, serious, realistic
Similar in 79%
American Crime Story (2016)
Plot Summary:
An anthology series centered around some of history's most famous criminals.
IMDB Rating: 8.4
IMDB Votes: 98000
Genere: Biography, Crime, Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 42 min
Plot tags: anthology, realistic, serious, psychological, feel good, political, suspense, entertaining, detective, mind blowing