If you’ve finished your latest binge and the “Recommended for You” rail is looking a little thin, I’ve got just the thing. Netflix subscribers can’t seem to get enough of crime thrillers, and there are plenty of great ones to add to your watchlist.
From stories that dive into the grim underworld of organized crime to unsettling dramas inspired by real-life cases, Netflix has an impressive collection of crime thrillers that’ll keep you glued to your seat. Honestly, with so many choices available, the real challenge is figuring out where to start.
To make that decision easier, I’ve combed through Netflix’s library of new releases and hidden gems and rounded up three crime thrillers currently streaming that are well worth your time. Here are the top picks that will keep you checking the locks on your front door.
‘Dead Man’s Wire’ (2025)
After earning strong reviews, the crime thriller “Dead Man’s Wire,” starring Bill Skarsgård and Colman Domingo, has finally landed on Netflix. Inspired by a real hostage crisis that unfolded in Indianapolis in 1977, the film follows Tony Kiritsis (Skarsgård), a desperate and increasingly unstable developer struggling with mounting mortgage debt on a shopping center project.
Convinced that he has been targeted by a conspiracy, Tony seeks revenge against his mortgage broker (Dacre Montgomery) and takes him hostage using a homemade “dead man’s switch” device attached to the broker’s neck. The hostage situation quickly spirals into a tense, televised standoff that grips the public and turns Tony into an outlaw hero. “Dead Man’s Wire” is a cross between a psychological thriller and dark comedy in the same vein as “Dog Day Afternoon” with an impressive 91% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Watch “Dead Man’s Wire” on Netflix now
‘Woman of the Hour’ (2023)
Another crime thriller based on a real-life serial story, “Woman of the Hour” is one that hasn’t left my mind since I watched it. It hits terrifyingly close to home, the ’70s aesthetic is immaculate (if you like “Minx,” you need this on your watchlist), and Anna Kendrick is in top form as both the movie’s star and director.
She plays aspiring actress Cheryl Bradshaw who begrudgingly signs up as a contestant on a popular 1970s dating show to help get her career off the ground. The audience eats up her dry humor and razor-sharp wit. Unfortunately for her, so does Rodney Alcala (Daniel Zovatto), an eligible bachelor who’s revealed to be a serial killer in the movie’s opening moments. “Woman of the Hour” serves as a chilling reminder of how easily evil can hide in plain sight, and it’ll keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.
Watch “Woman of the Hour” on Netflix now
‘Cleaner’ (2007)
Every so often a random older movie makes its way into the Netflix Top 10, giving new life to a box office flop or classic fan-favorite. This weekend’s “damn, I haven’t thought about that movie in years” pick is “Cleaner,” a Samuel L. Jackson-led thriller about a routine job that spirals into a conspiracy.
Retired police officer Tom (Jackson) now spends his days scrubbing crime scenes and trying not to lose his sanity staring death in the face day in and day out. After completing an order to clean up a crime scene at a wealthy home, he realizes something’s amiss when he returns to drop off a key and the owner (Eva Mendes) has no clue he’d been there to begin with. Tom suspects he’s been unwittingly roped into a murder cover-up, and to get to the bottom of it, he’ll have to confront the very institution he once served.
Watch “Cleaner” on Netflix now