If you’re a fan of crime movies, don’t underestimate the power of Pluto TV. While you think other sites might have more options, you’d be wrong. Even better, this particular streaming site is free if you can handle the ads. From Hollywood golden-age classics to heist thrillers to indie darlings that put the most important filmmakers of our day on the map, there’s no shortage of films to watch. Here are the best crime movies on Pluto TV.
What are the best crime movies on Pluto TV?
We narrowed down our selection to our favorites. There are some other fantastic contenders we left off the list for brevity and to add variety to our selection. Other honorable mentions include Lawless (2012), Thelma & Louise (1991), Catch Me If You Can (2002), and Requiem for a Dream (2000).
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Often considered Quentin Tarantino’s best film, this cultural icon intertwines four crime stories set across Los Angeles. The film follows hitmen Vincent Vega (John Travolta) and Jules Winfield (Samuel L. Jackson), who work for powerful gangster Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames). Their lives intersect with Marsellus’ wife Mia (Uma Thurman), aging boxer Butch Coolidge (Bruce Willis), and a pair of small-time robbers, Pumpkin (Tim Roth) and Honey Bunny (Amanda Plummer).
Told in the distinct chapter format that has become a hallmark of Tarantino’s films, the story unfolds out of chronological order. The film, for being cleverly cool and razor sharp, jumps as characters and events collide in unpredictable ways. Between the all-too-quotable dialogue, unforgettable performances from legendary actors, and groundbreaking structure, Pulp Fiction became a defining film of the 1990s.
To Catch a Thief (1955)
Taking things in a completely different stylistic direction, To Catch a Thief stars Cary Grant and Grace Kelly in this glamorous Alfred Hitchcock thriller set along the French Riviera. Grant plays a retired jewel thief forced out of hiding when a new string of robberies mimicking his old methods puts him back under suspicion. As he tries to clear his name, he becomes entangled with a wealthy young woman (Kelly), leading to a stylish game of romance, deception, and intrigue.
While it’s more of a slow burn than some of Hitchcock’s other classics, the film is packed with charm. It also features Grace Kelly in one of Edith Head’s most iconic costume designs: that unforgettable icy blue dress. Watching the whole film for that reveal alone is worth it.
Memento (2000)
Christopher Nolan’s second feature after his feature debut, Following (1998), Memento was exclusively filmed on Saturdays — that’s how indie this film was. No one could have predicted the massive impact it would eventually have. The film follows Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce), a man determined to track down his wife’s killer. The problem is Leonard suffers from anterograde amnesia, leaving him unable to form new memories and forcing him to rely on Polaroid photos, handwritten notes, tattoos, and other keepsakes to keep himself on track.
Told through a fragmented, non-linear narrative that mirrors Leonard’s disorientation, the film gradually pieces together its own structural puzzle as Leonard moves closer to the truth. Originally released in just 11 theaters, Memento quickly gained momentum through word of mouth, eventually expanding to more than 500. Few expected an indie thriller this unconventional to break through the way it did, but the film became a major success and helped establish Nolan as one of the most distinctive directors of his generation.
Bottle Rocket (1996)
Before Wes Anderson became known for meticulous symmetry, pastel color palettes, and elaborate production design, he made Bottle Rocket as a scrappy debut built around his own sense of humor and a tight group of collaborators. Developed out of a short film Anderson made while attending the University of Texas at Austin, the project eventually expanded into his first feature.
Starring Owen Wilson and Luke Wilson as two brothers caught up in their need to live out small-time crime fantasies, Bottle Rocket follows their half-baked attempts at pulling off robberies. Sometimes fantasies are better left as that, and they soon found out the reality of being in way over their heads. Though Bottlerocket is definitely rougher around the edges, it’s a fantastic look at Anderson’s early work and is great to see him develop the stylistic interests we’ll see later. This is maybe a personal take here, but we wouldn’t be mad if Wes Anderson took some notes out of his early-years playbook for his next film.
The Wolf of Wall Street (2014)
Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street tells the true story of Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio), a stockbroker who rises from selling penny stocks to building a massive financial empire fueled by fraud and an absurd amount of cocaine. Alongside his business partner Donnie Azoff (Jonah Hill), Belfort creates a high-energy sales machine that quickly speeds miles beyond reckless.
Margot Robbie also stars as Belfort’s wife, Naomi. While the then-22-year-old actor had already begun building an impressive résumé, this film became her breakout role and launched her into mainstream Hollywood. As a fun fact, Robbie wasn’t initially convinced she could pull off the role. Her acting coach suggested she prep for her audition while pretending her nails were wet. Just like that, she slipped into the voice and mannerisms that helped make her performance so memorable.
How we picked the best crime movies on Pluto TV
There were plenty of films we’re fans of, but we focused on the ones that feel truly legendary. Every pick comes from directors we trust, and each film has earned its reputation. These are great crime movies, but they’re also films that are the ones we watch again and again.
