5 Detective Movies You'll Want to Watch Again, Even if You Know Who the Killer Is
Every time you follow the plot of one of these projects, it's as if it were the first time.
Some detective movies are so good that you can watch them again and again, even if you know the ending: even if the killer is a gardener, what happens around you does not leave you indifferent.
1. A Dark Place, 2018
A boy goes missing in a quiet town, but his parents show little interest in his fate, and the police and locals are even less concerned. The only one who decides to get to the bottom of it is the local garbage man, Donald, who is on the autism spectrum.
He does not understand when he is being mocked or laughed at, cannot recognize lies or sarcasm, but turns out to be the most honest of the townspeople.
The detective story in Simon Fellows' film is not based on the investigation of the boy's disappearance, but on Donald's constant disappointment with the reality around him.
2. Memories of Murder, 2003
The South Korean thriller is based on a real series of murders of women between 1986 and 1991. A maniac is on the loose in the countryside, attacking women in open fields at night during the rain.
The problem is not the lack of evidence, but the lack of forensic investigation: reporters trample the crime scene and a tractor erases the killer's tracks.
And if the movie was released in 2003, the real killer was not identified until 2019: as it turned out, he was already serving a life sentence – also for murder.
3. Boston Strangler, 2023
Matt Ruskin's crime drama is based on the true story of the Boston Strangler. Loretta, who fought not only for justice but also against the sexism and corruption of the time, takes on the task of identifying the madman.
There is no genre novelty in Boston Strangler, but there is no need for it: years go by, and women still become victims of sexually motivated maniacs, and seemingly righteous family men become brutal killers.
4. Knives Out, 2019
A detective story can be funny, but it can be problematic to twist the genre – director Rian Johnson managed to master the comedy tone, at least in the first part of Knives Out.
After celebrating his 85th birthday, the author of crime novels is found dead: all the signs of suicide are present, but something is fishy. Benoit Blanc, an intelligent and agile detective who notices everything, takes on the case.
Although the identity of the murderer may be immediately obvious to the most observant, each turn towards the truth forces you to follow the detective process closely.
5. The Bone Collector, 1999
Professional investigator Lincoln is bedridden – he was almost completely paralyzed during a forensic operation.
Crimes have to be solved anyway, and Lincoln's right hand is the young inspector Amelia, who, on the advice of an older colleague, searches for evidence and overcomes herself to go to the scene of a particularly gruesome crime.
Despite the fact that The Bone Collector speculates on a well-known plot, it is still interesting to watch how events unfold, thanks in large part to the astonishingly accurate acting of Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie.