Pulling off a gripping and cinematic true crime drama while doing justice to the actual events and retaining their essence is no mean feat. Here, we explore the films that aced it. (Curated by: Sajin Shrijith)
Based on Truman Capote's non-fiction book of the same name, Richard Brooks' film is a chilling recreation of the 1959 Clutter family murders and subsequent investigation—all captured in stellar monochrome by master Conrad Hall.
William Friedkin's seminal police thriller provided the template for many filmmakers, from not just American but also world cinema, who took on gritty, realistic crime dramas featuring flawed and tormented antiheroes.
An honest, loyal, and dedicated undercover cop. An act of betrayal and disillusionment. Sidney Lumet based his first collaboration with actor extraordinaire Al Pacino on the memoirs of a real-life police detective and whistleblower, Frank Serpico.
Another real-life police corruption drama directed by Lumet—an account of the experiences of NYC cop Robert Leuci, albeit relatively underappreciated—is arguably a far superior film owing to its notably larger scale.
Based on the 'Zodiac' killer menace. David Fincher's finest, most accomplished film. Don Siegel's first 'Dirty Harry' was inspired by the case—Clint Eastwood's hero was partly based on the real-life cop essayed by Mark Ruffalo in the former.
The second iconic collaboration between director Sidney Lumet and Al Pacino, Dog Day Afternoon depicts an unusual real event — a botched robbery, intense media attention, and a previously unheard-of motive — elevated by A-grade performances.
Director Alan J Pakula's riveting chronicle of the investigation of the Watergate scandal by real-life journalists Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, played to perfection by Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford.
Richard Conte (Don Barzini in 'The Godfather'), played a young man wrongfully convicted in the murder of a policeman in the 1930s' Prohibition era. James Stewart plays the reporter determined to revisit the case.