Best Crime Movies of the 1980s

1. 1
   Once Upon a Time in America 1984

   Directed by Sergio Leone · Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Plex, Plex Channel
   8.4

   8.4 · 6.3K votes
2. 2
   Scarface 1983

   Directed by Brian De Palma · Streaming on Netflix
   8.1

   8.2 · 14K votes
3. 3
   The Untouchables 1987

   Directed by Brian De Palma · Streaming on fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential
   7.7

   7.8 · 6.4K votes
4. 4
   Mississippi Burning 1988

   Directed by Alan Parker · Streaming on fuboTV, MGM+, Philo
   7.6

   7.7 · 2K votes
5. 5
   Blue Velvet 1986

   Directed by David Lynch · Streaming on The Roku Channel, Kanopy, Hoopla
   7.6

   7.6 · 4K votes
6. 6
   Who Framed Roger Rabbit 1988

   Directed by Robert Zemeckis · Streaming on Disney Plus
   7.5

   7.5 · 6.4K votes
7. 7
   The Killer 1989

   Directed by John Woo · Streaming on fuboTV, Kanopy, Shout! Factory TV
   7.5

   7.6 · 955 votes
8. 8
   Police Story 1985

   Directed by Jackie Chan · Streaming on HBO Max, Criterion Channel, Shout! Factory TV
   7.5

   7.6 · 1.1K votes
9. 9
   Pixote 1980

   Directed by Héctor Babenco
   7.5

   7.9 · 263 votes
10. 10
    The Thin Blue Line 1988

    Directed by Errol Morris · Streaming on Philo, AMC Plus, AMC+
    7.4

    7.7 · 430 votes
11. 11
    Time of the Gypsies 1988

    Directed by Emir Kusturica
    7.4

    7.6 · 461 votes
12. 12
    A Short Film About Killing 1988

    Directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski · Streaming on Criterion Channel
    7.3

    7.6 · 417 votes
13. 13
    Decalogue V 1989

    Directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski
    7.3

    8.0 · 169 votes
14. 14
    Crimes and Misdemeanors 1989

    Directed by Woody Allen · Streaming on Hoopla, YouTube Free, Tubi TV
    7.3

    7.4 · 982 votes
15. 15
    Blow Out 1981

    Directed by Brian De Palma · Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, The Roku Channel, Hoopla
    7.3

    7.3 · 1.8K votes
16. 16
    Lethal Weapon 1987

    Directed by Richard Donner · Streaming on Fawesome
    7.3

    7.3 · 5.3K votes
17. 17
    The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! 1988

    Directed by David Zucker · Streaming on fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential
    7.3

    7.3 · 4.7K votes
18. 18
    Down by Law 1986

    Directed by Jim Jarmusch · Streaming on HBO Max, YouTube TV, Fandango at Home Free
    7.2

    7.4 · 884 votes
19. 19
    A Better Tomorrow 1986

    Directed by John Woo · Streaming on fuboTV, Kanopy, Fandango at Home Free
    7.2

    7.4 · 651 votes
20. 20
    Running on Empty 1988

    Directed by Sidney Lumet
    7.2

    7.5 · 377 votes
21. 21
    Batman 1989

    Directed by Tim Burton · Streaming on HBO Max, Cinemax
    7.2

    7.2 · 8.9K votes
22. 22
    The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover 1989

    Directed by Peter Greenaway
    7.2

    7.3 · 751 votes
23. 23
    Heathers 1989

    Directed by Michael Lehmann · Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Philo
    7.2

    7.2 · 2K votes
24. 24
    The Inquisitor 1981

    Directed by Claude Miller · Streaming on France Channel
    7.2

    7.5 · 295 votes
25. 25
    Blood Simple 1985

    Directed by Joel Coen · Streaming on HBO Max, Cinemax
    7.2

    7.2 · 1.7K votes
26. 26
    Beverly Hills Cop 1984

    Directed by Martin Brest · Streaming on fuboTV, Kanopy, Hoopla
    7.2

    7.2 · 4.8K votes
27. 27
    A Fish Called Wanda 1988

    Directed by Charles Crichton · Streaming on fuboTV, MGM+, Philo
    7.2

    7.2 · 2.5K votes
28. 28
    Clue 1985

    Directed by Jonathan Lynn · Streaming on Kanopy, Pluto TV
    7.2

    7.2 · 2.1K votes
29. 29
    Thief 1981

    Directed by Michael Mann · Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, The Roku Channel, Hoopla
    7.1

    7.2 · 918 votes
30. 30
    Wall Street 1987

    Directed by Oliver Stone · Streaming on Philo
    7.1

    7.2 · 2.4K votes
31. 31
    Midnight Run 1988

    Directed by Martin Brest
    7.1

    7.2 · 1.4K votes
32. 32
    The Outsiders 1983

    Directed by Francis Ford Coppola · Streaming on HBO Max, YouTube Free
    7.1

    7.2 · 1.6K votes
33. 33
    Damnation 1988

    Directed by Béla Tarr · Streaming on Kanopy, Plex, Plex Channel
    7.1

    7.6 · 160 votes
34. 34
    Mary Forever 1989

    Directed by Marco Risi
    7.1

    7.4 · 246 votes
35. 35
    Witness 1985

    Directed by Peter Weir · Streaming on Kanopy, Hoopla, Tubi TV
    7.1

    7.1 · 2K votes
36. 36
    Nayakan 1987

    Directed by Mani Ratnam
    7.1

    7.9 · 99 votes
37. 37
    So Long, Stooge 1983

    Directed by Claude Berri
    7.1

    7.4 · 278 votes
38. 38
    Lethal Weapon 2 1989

    Directed by Richard Donner
    7.0

    7.1 · 3.9K votes
39. 39
    Vabank 1981

    Directed by Juliusz Machulski
    7.0

    7.6 · 131 votes
40. 40
    The Long Good Friday 1980

    Directed by John Mackenzie · Streaming on HBO Max, Shout! Factory TV, YouTube Free
    7.0

    7.2 · 458 votes
41. 41
    Dirty Rotten Scoundrels 1988

    Directed by Frank Oz · Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, The Roku Channel, Kanopy
    7.0

    7.1 · 1.1K votes
42. 42
    La Chèvre 1981

    Directed by Francis Veber · Streaming on Kanopy, Hoopla, Kino Film Collection
    7.0

    7.1 · 748 votes
43. 43
    Raising Arizona 1987

    Directed by Joel Coen
    7.0

    7.1 · 2.4K votes
44. 44
    Violent Cop 1989

    Directed by Takeshi Kitano · Streaming on Kanopy, Cineverse
    7.0

    7.2 · 428 votes
45. 45
    To Live and Die in L.A. 1985

    Directed by William Friedkin · Streaming on fuboTV, MGM+, Philo
    7.0

    7.1 · 854 votes
46. 46
    The Great Mouse Detective 1986

    Directed by Ron Clements · Streaming on Disney Plus
    7.0

    7.0 · 1.9K votes
47. 47
    Toxic Love 1983

    Directed by Claudio Caligari
    7.0

    7.3 · 261 votes
48. 48
    Police Story 2 1988

    Directed by Jackie Chan · Streaming on HBO Max, Criterion Channel, Shout! Factory
    7.0

    7.1 · 667 votes
49. 49
    The Accused 1988

    Directed by Jonathan Kaplan · Streaming on Kanopy, Hoopla
    7.0

    7.1 · 712 votes
50. 50
    Manhunter 1986

    Directed by Michael Mann · Streaming on The Roku Channel, Kanopy, Plex Channel
    7.0

    7.0 · 1.6K votes

Smart score = (votes × rating + 82 × 6.03) ÷ (votes + 82): the TMDB rating, pulled toward the catalog average as if every film had 82 extra average votes.

1. 1
   Kisapmata 1981

   Directed by Mike de Leon · Streaming on Criterion Channel, Plex, Plex Channel
   6.6

   8.1 · 32 votes
2. 2
   Miami Vice: Brother's Keeper 1984

   Directed by Thomas Carter
   6.5

   7.8 · 34 votes
3. 3
   El ratero de la vecindad 2 1985

   Directed by Gilberto Martínez Solares
   6.5

   7.9 · 26 votes
4. 4
   El Keif 1985

   Directed by Ali Abdel-Khalek
   6.4

   8.1 · 19 votes
5. 5
   Pistoleros famosos 1981

   Directed by José Loza
   6.5

   7.6 · 31 votes
6. 6
   As Not to Fly the Smoke 1984

   Directed by Ahmed Yehia
   6.3

   7.9 · 15 votes
7. 7
   Crime Story: Pilot 1986

   Directed by Abel Ferrara
   6.3

   8.0 · 13 votes
8. 8
   Landscape Suicide 1987

   Directed by James Benning · Streaming on Tubi TV
   6.4

   7.4 · 27 votes
9. 9
   The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson: The Treasures of Agra - Part 1 1983

   Directed by Igor Maslennikov
   6.3

   7.6 · 19 votes
10. 10
    The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson: The Hound of the Baskervilles 1981

    Directed by Igor Maslennikov
    6.3

    8.0 · 12 votes