Mystic River is set in the working-class neighborhood of Charlestown, Boston. Sean Devine is a former homicide detective who has returned to the neighborhood after a long absence. His childhood friend, Jimmy Markham, is now a police sergeant.
Devine investigates the murder of his childhood friend Dave Boyle, who was abducted as a child and never seen again until his body is found in a shallow grave. Boyle’s wife, Celeste, is devastated by the loss of her husband.
The film also stars Laura Linney as Annabeth Markham, Sean Penn as Jimmy Markham, and Tim Robbins as Dave Boyle. Mystic River was directed by Clint Eastwood and was released in 2003.
If you’re looking for more movies like Mystic River, check out our list of the best crime thriller movies below.
Contents
- 1. Primal Fear (1996)
- 2. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
- 3. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009)
- 4. In the Line of Fire (1993)
- 5. The Bourne Identity (2002)
- 6. The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
- 7. The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
- 8. The Departed (2006)
- 9. Kiss the Girls (1997)
- 10. Seven (1995)
- 11. Sleepers (1996)
- 12. Red Dragon (2002)
- 13. Zodiac (2007)
- 14. Taking Lives (2004)
- 15. The Town (2010)
- 16. Gone Baby Gone (2007)
- 17. Secret Window (2004)
1. Primal Fear (1996)
A defense attorney (Richard Gere) takes on the case of a young man accused of killing a bishop. The film also stars Laura Linney, John Mahoney, and Edward Norton.
Primal Fear is a 1996 crime thriller film directed by Gregory Hoblit and starring Richard Gere, Edward Norton, and Laura Linney. The film is based on the novel of the same name by William Diehl.
Norton plays Aaron Stampler, a young man who is accused of murdering the Archbishop of Chicago. Gere plays Martin Vail, a high-powered attorney who takes on Stampler’s case.
The film explores the themes of guilt and innocence, and it features amazing performances by both Gere and Norton.
2. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Jonathan Demme’s The Silence of the Lambs is a classic crime thriller that stars Jodie Foster as Clarice Starling, an FBI trainee who is tasked with catching a serial killer nicknamed “Buffalo Bill” (played by Ted Levine).
The film also stars Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant and cannibalistic serial killer who helps Starling catch Buffalo Bill.
The Silence of the Lambs is a suspenseful, chilling, and unforgettable film that features amazing performances by both Foster and Hopkins.
3. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009)
This Swedish crime thriller is based on the novel of the same name by Stieg Larsson. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo follows a journalist (played by Michael Nyqvist) who teams up with a young computer hacker (Noomi Rapace) to investigate the disappearance of a woman.
The film is dark, suspenseful, and gritty, and it features excellent performances by both Nyqvist and Rapace.
4. In the Line of Fire (1993)
In the Line of Fire is a 1993 thriller film directed by Wolfgang Petersen and starring Clint Eastwood, John Malkovich, and Rene Russo.
The film tells the story of Frank Horrigan (Eastwood), a veteran Secret Service agent who is haunted by his failure to protect President Kennedy in 1963.
When a deranged assassin (Malkovich) begins targeting President Bush, Horrigan must put aside his personal demons and stop the killer.
In the Line of Fire is a suspenseful and thrilling film that features an amazing performance by Eastwood.
5. The Bourne Identity (2002)
The first entry in the Bourne franchise, The Bourne Identity is a 2002 action thriller film directed by Doug Liman and starring Matt Damon as Jason Bourne, a man with amnesia who must piece together his past.
The film also stars Franka Potente, Chris Cooper, Clive Owen, and Brian Cox.
The Bourne Identity is an exciting and pulse-pounding film that features terrific action sequences and a great performance by Damon.
6. The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
The second entry in the Bourne franchise, The Bourne Supremacy is a 2004 action thriller film directed by Paul Greengrass and starring Matt Damon as Jason Bourne.
The film picks up where The Bourne Identity left off, with Bourne being targeted by the CIA.
The Bourne Supremacy is an exciting and thrilling film that features terrific action sequences and a great performance by Damon.
7. The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
The third and final entry in the Bourne franchise, The Bourne Ultimatum is a 2007 action thriller film directed by Paul Greengrass and starring Matt Damon as Jason Bourne.
The film finds Bourne being hunted by the CIA, and it features some of the most thrilling action sequences of the entire franchise.
The Bourne Ultimatum is an exciting and thrilling film that features terrific action sequences and a great performance by Damon.
8. The Departed (2006)
Martin Scorsese’s The Departed is a 2006 crime thriller film that tells the story of two Irish-American mafiosos (played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon) who are forced to work for the Boston mob.
The film also stars Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, and Martin Sheen.
The Departed is a suspenseful and intense film that features great performances by both DiCaprio and Damon.
9. Kiss the Girls (1997)
Kiss the Girls is a 1997 crime thriller film directed by Gary Fleder and starring Morgan Freeman as Alex Cross, a detective who investigates the kidnapping of wealthy women.
The film also stars Ashley Judd, Cary Elwes, and Tony Goldwyn.
Kiss the Girls is a suspenseful and thrilling film that features an excellent performance by Freeman.
10. Seven (1995)
Seven is a 1995 crime thriller film directed by David Fincher and starring Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt as detectives who investigate a series of grisly murders.
The film also stars Kevin Spacey, Gwyneth Paltrow, and John C. McGinley.
Seven is a dark, gritty, and suspenseful film that features great performances by both Freeman and Pitt.
11. Sleepers (1996)
Sleepers is a 1996 crime drama film directed by Barry Levinson and starring Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Jason Patric, Brad Pitt, Kevin Bacon, and Minnie Driver.
The film tells the story of four boys who are sent to reform school in the 1960s and subjected to abuse by the guards.
Years later, the boys seek revenge on their abusers.
Sleepers is a powerful and harrowing film that features terrific performances by all of its stars.
12. Red Dragon (2002)
Red Dragon is a 2002 crime thriller film directed by Brett Ratner and starring Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter, the infamous cannibal.
The film also stars Edward Norton, Ralph Fiennes, and Harvey Keitel.
Red Dragon is a suspenseful and thrilling film that features an excellent performance by Hopkins.
13. Zodiac (2007)
Zodiac is a 2007 crime thriller film directed by David Fincher and starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, and Robert Downey Jr.
The film tells the true story of the Zodiac Killer, a serial killer who terrorized San Francisco in the 1960s and 1970s.
Zodiac is a suspenseful and intense film that features great performances by all of its stars.
14. Taking Lives (2004)
Taking Lives is a 2004 crime thriller film directed by D.J. Caruso and starring Angelina Jolie, Ethan Hawke, and Kiefer Sutherland.
The film tells the story of an FBI profiler (Jolie) who is called in to help investigate a series of murders in which the killer takes on the identities of his victims.
Taking Lives is a suspenseful and exciting film that features great performances by Jolie and Hawke.
15. The Town (2010)
The Town is a 2010 crime thriller film directed by Ben Affleck and starring Affleck, Jon Hamm, Rebecca Hall, Jeremy Renner, Blake Lively, and Slaine.
The film tells the story of a group of criminals who rob a bank in Boston and then must deal with the aftermath.
The Town is an intense and thrilling film that features terrific performances by all of its stars.
16. Gone Baby Gone (2007)
Gone Baby Gone is a 2007 crime thriller film directed by Ben Affleck and starring Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan, Ed Harris, Morgan Freeman, and Amy Ryan.
The film tells the story of two private investigators (the Affleck brothers) who are hired to find a missing girl.
Gone Baby Gone is a suspenseful and intense film that features great performances by all of its stars.
17. Secret Window (2004)
Secret Window is a 2004 suspense thriller film directed by David Koepp and starring Johnny Depp, John Turturro, Maria Bello, and Charles S. Dutton.
The film tells the story of a writer (Depp) who is accused of plagiarism by a crazy man (Turturro).
Secret Window is a suspenseful and thrilling film that features an excellent performance by Depp.
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