The coronavirus pandemic has made movie nights less of a chill alternative to going out, and more a staple of the weekend every weekend. While your takeout possibilities are endless, your choice of entertainment will go just one of two ways: Either you're going to watch a cute little romantic comedy about, like, a baker who unexpectedly falls in love, or go down a dark hole of watching stuff about serial killers. There is literally no in-between. If you’re feeling the latter, your search ends here. These are the 19 best movies about murderers.
The Bone Collector (1999)
Let’s take a break from IRL serial killers for a sec, shall we? In this thriller from 1999, hot cop (yes that is the official name of this archetype) Amelia Donaghy (Angelina Jolie) partners up with quadriplegic criminology expert Lincoln Rhyme (Denzel Washington) to find a murderer who leaves behind small bone shards as clues. We had you at Angelina Jolie and Denzel Washington, didn’t we?
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
Most serial killer dramas are bleak and dreary and gray. The Talented Mr. Ripley, based on the first in Patricia Highsmith’s series of novels, is the opposite: It will straight-up inspire your next European beach getaway, all murdering aside. The film follows Matt Damon’s down-on-his-luck pianist Tom Ripley, who is initially hired to drag playboy heir Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law) back from the (ridiculously charming) Italian coastal town he has made a home. Instead of heading back to America with Tom, Dickie invites Tom into his life of luxury, and soon, Tom becomes obsessed with his new world. When Dickie pulls a Regina George ("Like, why are you so obsessed with me?!") and tells Tom to GTFO, pretty much all hell breaks loose. Fun! For those who love the juicy drama, a series is currently in the works at Showtime.
Tragedy Girls (2017)
LOL, and you thought your true crime podcast obsession made you weird? Meet the so-called Tragedy Girls, whose murder-centric blog isn’t enough to satisfy their passion: They want to do murders for real. Teenage girls tend to be the victims in serial killer stories, so this dark, satirical twist on the genre really flips things on its head.
Saw (2004)
Whether you call Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) a serial killer depends on your point of view: Technically, he only puts people in situations where they are forced to make life-or-death decisions. Um, we say “semantics” — this dude is for sure one of the most heinous killers in horror movie history, and his methods of murder are the grossest. (Maybe put that Thai takeout down while watching this one, k?) There are currently eight Saw movies out there, with a ninth movie, titled Spiral: From the Book of Saw, currently awaiting release.
Badlands (1973)
Badlands is a twisted tale about teenager Holly (Sissy Spacek) who gets involved with a (legitimately) bad boy named Kit (Martin Sheen). Kit’s basically an anti-social nightmare, but he looks like James Dean, so Holly is game when her new beau embarks on a murder spree. The film is reportedly based on the real-life crimes of Charles Starkweather and his girlfriend, Caril Ann Fugate.
American Psycho (2000)
If you kinda want to squash your crush on Nate Jacobs from Euphoria, you might want to give American Psycho a watch. Christian Bale plays a charismatic serial killer (are we tired of that trope yet?! apparently not!) who pretty much murders everyone. It’s the worst!
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Uh...did you know that The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is kinda based on a true story? The serial killer in the movie, Leatherface, is loosely based on Ed Gein, the horrific man who murdered victims and used their skin and body parts to make clothing.
House of Wax (2005)
I Am Not a Serial Killer (2016)
You know who would say something like, “I am not a serial killer”? An effing serial killer. Anyway, this one’s about a kid who knows that he naturally has all the components of a murderer...but is actively trying not to become one.
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019)
If you haven’t seen Netflix’s Ted Bundy courtroom thriller starring Zac Efron, you’ve at least read all about the heartthrob controversy, right? Time to make up your own damn mind.
My Friend Dahmer (2017)
If you’re not looking for a whole lot of murder to go with your serial-killer drama, check out Ross Lynch as a high-school-era Jeffrey Dahmer. If you know the name “Dahmer” but don’t remember his exact crimes off the top of your head, just keep in mind that he was also known as the Milwaukee Cannibal and was responsible for the rape and murder of 17 men from 1978 to 1991.
Dahmer (2002)
If you are looking to get inside the mind of Dahmer at the height of his murder spree, Jeremy Renner stars in a film that tracks the killer as he stalks a potential victim, all while flashing back to his first kill and his relationship with his father.
Zodiac (2007)
You may never know the identity of the Zodiac Killer (who terrorized San Francisco in the late ’60s), but you can watch Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, and Robert Downey Jr. team up to find him in this 2007 thriller.
Monster (2003)
Yes, women can be serial killers too. Charlize Theron absolutely transforms into Aileen Wuornos, a real-life former prostitute who murdered six men (or seven, if you don’t go by the courts) in the late ’80s/early ’90s. Selby Wall (Christina Ricci) falls in love with Wuornos but starts to wonder if her new girlfriend is responsible for a string of johns ending up dead.
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
How about a serial murder flick that took home the Oscar for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Actress? Just watch it, and all those “quid pro quo, Clarice” references your boyfriend makes will start to make a lot more sense...warning, though, they will become even creepier.
Seven (1995)
At this point, we’ve touched on almost all your favorite A-list ’90s actors EXCEPT Brad Pitt. In Seven, Brad, Morgan Freeman, and Gwyneth Paltrow star in the film about a hunt for a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as inspiration for his murders. Just one question for you: What’s in the box?!
Karla (2006)
Another movie based on real events, Karla stars OITNB’s Laura Prepon as one half of Canada’s most notorious serial-killer couple, Karla Homolkaand Paul Bernardo (Supernatural’s Misha Collins). Although, perhaps the disturbing premise—an inside look at how Paul convinces his wife, Karla, to help him rape and murder women (including her own sister)—coupled with the fact that the director reportedly acted creepy and inappropriate on-set will make this one you choose to skip. For what it’s worth, the actors wouldn’t hold it against you.
All Good Things (2010)
Serial-killer purists might ding us for this one, but we couldn’t resist adding this movie starring Ryan Gosling and Kirsten Dunst. Ryan plays David Marks, heir to his father’s real-estate dynasty. But his perfect exterior begins to crumble as he comes under suspicion for murder after his wife, Katie (Kirsten), disappears. But get this: All Good Things is based on the real-life crimes of Robert Durst. Remember HBO’s The Jinx?
Summer of Sam (1999)
Spike Lee shines a spotlight on NYC during the summer of 1977, when a killer known as the Son of Sam kept the Big Apple in a constant state of fear. A group of friends in the Bronx begins to fear and suspect one another as they try to solve the murders for themselves.
