There's nothing quite like a good mystery movie.
The best of them unravel like a yarn, revealing new layers as we try to fit together each new piece of information. This genre includes good old-fashioned whodunits, grizzly detective stories, and moody, shadowy tales that indicate something is afoot.
Netflixhas a wealth of good mystery movies on its platform, most notably Rian Johnson's second and thirdKnives Outinstallments, which find drawling detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) investigating intricate murders. Then there are stories of unspeakable crimes, likeWind River(2017) andLost Girls(2020), that reveal the dark underbelly of our world.
Ahead, find our recommendations for the best mystery movies on Netflix to indulge your inner sleuth.
Enola Holmes(2020)
This engaging coming-of-age story starsMillie Bobby Brownas Enola Holmes, the younger sister of famed detective Sherlock (Henry Cavill). Raised to be independent and observant, the teenager is a misfit in traditional Victorian society. When her mother goes missing, Enola embarks on an off-the-books adventure to solve a mystery, help a runaway lord, and prove that she can be just as accomplished and exceptional as her brother.
EW's critic sang praises for the film, writing that "While the mystery might be elementary (my dear, notably absent, Watson), the storytelling is winkingly subversive, proclaiming that a new and welcome game is afoot."—Danny Horn
Where to watchEnola Holmes: Netflix
EW grade:B+
Director:Harry Bradbeer
Cast:Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill, Sam Claflin, Helena Bonham Carter
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery(2022)
Modern mystery auteurRian Johnsonhas whodunit again, crafting a mind-tickling follow-up to his brilliantKnives Out(2019). InGlass Onion, the unflappable detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) attends a murder mystery party hosted by tech exec Miles Bron (Edward Norton) on a private island in the Aegean Sea. As the party turns deadly, Bron's frenemies turn on each other.
EW's critic writes that Johnson"has no shortage of ammunition for his rat-a-tat takes on pop-culture ephemera and the navel-gazing delusions of wealth and fame," plus the satirical send-up has a satisfying mid-movie twist, leading to a surprising and raucous finale.—D.H.
Where to watchGlass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery: Netflix
EW grade:B+
Director:Rian Johnson
Cast:Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Dave Bautista, Kate Hudson
Lost Girls(2020)
When a young sex worker goes missing on Long Island's South Shore, the police don't put much effort into finding her — but her mother, Mari (Amy Ryan), refuses to let the case go cold. Mari's tireless pursuit of the truth finally forces the authorities to act, leading to the discovery of four female bodies along the parkway. Based on the Gilgo Beach serial killings,Lost Girlsdemands attention for all victims.—D.H.
Where to watchLost Girls: Netflix
Director:Liz Garbus
Cast:Amy Ryan, Gabriel Byrne, Thomasin McKenzie, Lola Kirke
Luther: The Fallen Sun(2023)
In this follow-up to the hit British TV seriesLuther, the eponymous police detective (Idris Elba) is in lock-up for bending the rules a bit too often. When a terrifying serial killer (Andy Serkis) that he couldn't catch taunts him with a recording of a grisly murder, the ex-cop has to break out of prison and bring the sadistic creep to justice. Longtime fans of the show will appreciate this faithful continuation, which pushes Luther to the edge of his abilities as he navigates London's underworld on the other side of the law.—D.H.
Where to watchLuther: The Fallen Sun: Netflix
Director:Jamie Payne
Cast:Idris Elba, Cynthia Erivo, Andy Serkis, Dermot Crowley
Murder Mystery(2019)
On a long-promised late honeymoon in Europe, police officer Nick (Adam Sandler) and hairdresser Audrey (Jennifer Aniston) strike up a friendship with a stylish nobleman (Luke Evans), who impulsively invites them to a party on his billionaire uncle's yacht. The couple meets a half-dozen colorful suspects before the mayhem begins, starting with the uncle's death by stabbing and later encompassing a shooting, a poisoning, and even a blow-dart killing purely for style points. As usual, Aniston and Sandler are immensely likable, blundering amiably through a choice selection of mystery clichés.—D.H.
Advertisement
Where to watchMurder Mystery: Netflix
Director:Kyle Newacheck
Cast:Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Luke Evans, Gemma Arterton
They Cloned Tyrone(2023)
This wild mystery comedy combines the brilliant social satire ofUs(2019) with the sci-fi leanings ofThe Twilight Zonewith a healthy dose of Blaxploitation-style entertainment.John Boyegastars as Fontaine, a drug dealer who is killed by a rival during a transaction — only to wake up the next day as if nothing happened. After enlisting one of his customers (Jamie Foxx) and a sex worker (Teyonah Parris), they uncover a bizarre conspiracy involving — you guessed it — cloning technology in their local community. It's a bold swing, but one that certainly connects, particularly when you have Foxx delivering one of his most hilarious, scene-stealing performances. —Kevin Jacobsen
Where to watchThey Cloned Tyrone: Netflix
Director:Juel Taylor
Cast:John Boyega, Teyonah Parris, Jamie Foxx
The Thursday Murder Club(2025)
Hercule Poirot, eat your heart out: The Thursday Murder Club is on the case. This cozy mystery dramedy, based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Richard Osman, follows a group of four retirees who investigate cold cases. After one of the owners of their retirement village is murdered, the group of amateur sleuths tries to get to the bottom of it, discovering some shocking truths in the process. Highly amusing and heartfelt, the film succeeds on the back of its immensely talented cast of British legends, includingHelen Mirren,Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, and Celia Imrie. —K.J.
Where to watchThe Thursday Murder Club: Netflix
Director:Chris Columbus
Cast:Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, Celia Imrie
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery(2025)
Drawling detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) faces his toughest case yet in Rian Johnson's latestKnives Outwhodunit. After the incendiary priest of a small-town church in New York is found dead, suspicion turns to the young assistant pastor, Jud Duplenticy (Josh O'Connor), with whom the deceased priest often squabbled. But could it have been a member of the priest's flock of devout followers? Taking a more solemn tone than previous entries in theKnives Outfilm franchise,Wake Up Dead Manis an absorbing mystery with rich themes of guilt and sin. —K.J.
Where to watchWake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery: Netflix
Director:Rian Johnson
Cast:Daniel Craig, Josh O'Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Jeremy Renner
Wind River(2017)
How did 18-year-old Natalie Hanson, a young Northern Arapaho woman, end up frozen to death? U.S. Wildlife Agent Cory Lambert (Jeremy Renner) and FBI Agent Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olsen) team up to investigate the truth in this chilling crime mystery from writer-director Taylor Sheridan. As Lambert and Banner try to put the pieces together, Natalie's boyfriend is found dead as well, leading them to discover the crimes' disturbing origins.EW's critic writes, "For all its well-worn outlines, the narrative exerts its own fierce, clenched-jaw grip." —K.J.
Where to watchWind River: Netflix
EW grade:B+
Director:Taylor Sheridan
Cast:Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Gil Birmingham, Jon Bernthal, Graham Greene
The Wonder(2022)
In a remote Irish village in 1862, 11-year-old Anna (Kíla Lord Cassidy) has survived without eating for four months, an apparently miraculous occurrence that divides the town. Thus, a nurse (Florence Pugh) is summoned from England to watch the girl and determine whether this is a sacred event or a hoax. Inspired by the Victorian phenomenon of "the fasting girls," this tense drama is anchored by Pugh's reliably dynamic performance.EW's critic declares her to be"pretty much perfectly cast, an actress with such a keen emotional presence that she tends to cut through pretense and triviality like a hot knife."—D.H.
Where to watchThe Wonder: Netflix
Director:Sebastián Lelio
Cast:Florence Pugh, Tom Burke, Kíla Lord Cassidy, Niamh Algar, Ciarán Hinds
Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly
0 Comments