Film noir reached its apex during the Golden Age of Hollywood, but the aesthetic endured even after the period ended. Like many other genres and trends, it evolved and adapted to the New Hollywood sensibilities, giving birth to the neo-noir sub-genre.
Neo-noir produced many memorable thrillers and crime dramas – including acclaimed pictures like Chinatown and The French Connection. However, many neo-noir films went unnoticed during their initial releases, especially during the ever-changing 90s. Still, audiences should give these underrated neo-noirs a chance, as they represent worthy entries into the revered and surprisingly versatile sub-genre.
10 ‘The Two Jakes’ (1990)
Directed and starring Jack Nicholson, The Two Jakes is a sequel to the critically-acclaimed 1974 masterpiece Chinatown. Nicholson reprises his role as J.J. “Jake” Gittes in a story that sees the character investigating the seedy world of the Los Angeles oil business.
The Two Jakes had a troubled production, languishing in development hell for years. It might not live up to Chinatown, but it excels as a well-told, finely crafted neo-noir. Nicholson does remarkable work in front of and behind the camera, aided by an impressive supporting cast including Harvey Keitel, Meg Tilly, and Madeleine Stowe.
9 ‘One False Move’ (1992)
Criminals and murderers Fantasia, Ray, and Pluto escape Los Angeles and take refuge in a small Arkansas town. Alerted by LA authorities of their presence, the local sheriff launches an investigation, and while the criminals underestimate him at first, they soon realize he is more than he seems.
Directed by Carl Franklin, One False Move stars Cynda Williams, Billy Bob Thornton, Michael Beach, and Bill Paxton. The film is an underappreciated gem of neo-noir cinema, expertly blending dry humor with an arresting and thrilling plot, elevated by a stellar cast led by the late and ever-reliable Bill Paxton.
8 ‘After Dark, My Sweet’ (1990)
James Foley‘s neo-noir thriller After Dark, My Sweet stars Jason Patric, Bruce Dern, and Rachel Ward. The plot centers on Kid Collins, a former boxer with mental health struggles, who agrees to help a scheming widow and her associate kidnap the son of a wealthy family. However, Kid soon has second thoughts.
Based on the eponymous 1995 novel, After Dark, My Sweet is a tense and gorgeous-looking neo-noir. The story is a near-perfect embodiment of film noir’s main themes, presenting the intimate lives of three broken-down characters and offering valuable insights into their uncompromising, morally-ambiguous psyche.
7 ‘Dead Again’ (1991)
Kenneth Branagh directed and starred in 1991’s neo-noir romantic thriller Dead Again. The director cast his then-wife, Emma Thompson, in the film about a seemingly mute woman who forms a deep relationship with the PI helping her investigate a couple’s mysterious demise in the 1940s.
Dead Again features an impressive cast, including Andy Garcia, the late Robin Williams, and Branagh’s perennial co-star, Derek Jacobi, delivering a brilliant supporting turn. The mystery falls apart, especially in the third act, but the electrifying chemistry between the then-married couple is enough to elevate this pulpy noir.
6 ‘Affliction’ (1997)
James Coburn won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance in Paul Schrader‘s 1997 neo-noir crime drama Affliction. The plot follows a down-on-his-luck cop who becomes increasingly obsessed with proving the recent death of a businessman was a murder. Nick Nolte, Sissy Spacek, and Willem Dafoe also star.
Like Paul Schrader’s best films, Afflcition is bleak, dark, and unnerving. Nolte is stellar as the tortured protagonist, with Coburn delivering a hateful and visceral portrayal of parental abuse. Affliction is more a dramatic character study than an outright noir, but the mystery at its center is compelling enough to satisfy fans of the revered sub-genre.
5 ‘Dark City’ (1998)
Dark City is among the most underrated sci-fi movies from the 1990s. Rufus Sewell, Kiefer Sutherland, William Hurt, and Jennifer Connelly star in a story about an amnesiac accused of murder trying to remember his identity and clear his name while being pursued by a mysterious group, The Strangers.
Widely considered a cult classic, Dark City is also among the most ambitious sci-fi movies of the late 20th century. The film is famous for its gloomy and overly noir visual style, crafting an overwhelming atmosphere of constant dread that separates it from other sci-fi films from the decade. However, Dark City is more than just style, featuring an engrossing, if slightly challenging, story.
4 ‘Following’ (1998)
Following is Christopher Nolan‘s first movie, a neo-noir crime thriller that showcases the director’s sensibilities. The plot centers on a young man who spends his time following strangers around London. However, he becomes involved with the city’s criminal underworld when he gets too close to a man named Cobb.
Made for a measly $6000 and with a runtime of only 70 minutes, Following is Nolan’s shortest and most straightforward film. However, it uses its time cleverly, crafting an engaging mystery, leading to a satisfying conclusion. The director avoids the showy, complex narratives that would make him famous, settling for a simple yet effective mystery that embraces noir’s best tropes.
3 ‘Devil In A Blue Dress’ (1995)
Carl Franklin’s 1995 adaptation of Walter Mosley’s classic, Devil in a Blue Dress, stars Denzel Washington, Jennifer Beals, and Don Cheadle. The plot centers on Ezekiel “Easy” Rawlins, a World War II veteran who becomes involved in a woman’s mysterious disappearance in the summer of 1948.
Devil in a Blue Dress is one of Denzel Washington’s most underrated films. The two-time Oscar winner delivers a striking performance, supported by a scene-stealing Cheadle. The film itself is a stylish and surprisingly humorous noir with stellar production values and a fittingly engaging story, leading to a satisfying, if slightly clinical, conclusion.
2 ‘The Grifters’ (1990)
Anjelica Huston and Annette Bening received richly-earned Oscar nominations for their work in Stephen Frears‘ neo-noir crime thriller The Grifters. John Cusack stars as Roy Dillon, a small-time conman caught between his mother’s dangerous plans and his girlfriend’s ambitions.
Sleek, elegant, stylish, and hard-boiled, The Grifters is a delicious crime thriller with a wicked bite to match its loud bark. Anchored by Huston’s career-best performance, the film is clever, exciting, and even eccentric. The Grifters benefits from Frears’ deft hand behind the camera and a trio of stellar performances in service of a classic tale of ambition and power.
1 ‘The Last Seduction’ (1994)
The neo-noir erotic thriller The Last Seduction stars Linda Florentino as arguably the best femme fatale in modern cinema. The plot centers on Bridget Gregory, a scheming woman who travels to a small town, where she manipulates a hapless insurance worker into helping her get rid of her husband.
The Last Seduction is a brilliant showcase for the underrated Florentino, who delivers a tour de force performance as the twisted Bridget. Daring, uncompromising, and unabashedly wicked, Florentino’s Bridget is the living, cunning embodiment of noir and one of the most compelling and unforgettable characters in 90s cinema.