Neo-Noir Film Picks (Since 2010)

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Neo-Noir: The Dark Heart Reborn

Imagine a world painted in shadow, where morality is a currency in freefall and every cigarette-lit silhouette is framed like a shattered dream. Welcome to Neo-Noir, the unholy resurrection of classic Film Noir, that seductive cinematic beast first dissected by French critic Nino Frank in 1946.

Back then, noir was all trench coats, femme fatales, and the slow erosion of a once-rigid moral code. Crime, psychological torment, and a creeping nihilism lurked behind every Venetian-blinded window.
But then came Neo-Noir, its name born from the Greek “neo,” meaning “new” (so, literally, “new noir”—but with a sharper blade and an even meaner streak). 

As philosopher Mark Conard puts it, neo-noir is “any film coming after the classic noir period that contains noir themes and noir sensibility.” Translation? The shadows got darker, the cynicism sharper, and the blood on the pavement fresher.

From the existential dread of Chinatown (1974) to the neon-drenched nightmares of Blade Runner (1982), from the sun-scorched fatalism of Blood Simple (1984) to the fractured psyche of Memento (2000), Neo-Noir is an evolution, a mutation, and a love letter written in blood to the genre that never really died. It just got smarter, meaner, and is one of my favourite genres!

Here are Matt (find me on Bluesky) Adcock's slightly left-field Neo-Noir Film Picks (Since 2010) - they are not ranked in order of greatness, and the list doesn't include the masters of the genre Coen Bros or one of my all-time fav films DRIVE - just listed for your thoughts, do let me know how many you've seen... 

1. Arkansas (2020)

A slow-burn crime thriller with a darkly humorous streak, following two low-level drug dealers working for a mysterious boss they’ve never met. Liam Hemsworth and Vince Vaughn anchor this offbeat, Southern noir gem.

2. LaRoy Texas (2023)

A gloriously dark comedy of errors, where a man mistaken for a hitman spirals into chaos and absurdity. Twisty, clever, and perfectly pitched for fans of neo-noir absurdism.

3. Last Stop in Yuma County (2024)

A high-stakes, tension-filled neo-noir set in a remote gas station, where a group of strangers cross paths and chaos erupts. Its single-location claustrophobia makes every interaction feel razor-sharp and oh boy it's brutally bleak!?

4. Hit Man (2023)

Richard Linklater’s witty and stylish neo-noir follows a teacher moonlighting as a fake hitman for the police. Glenn Powell shines as a morally conflicted and unexpectedly charming protagonist in this sharp, genre-blurring delight.

5. Bad Times at the El Royale (2018)

Seven strangers, each with a secret, check into a decaying motel that’s hiding a few secrets of its own. This star-studded neo-noir has Tarantino-esque style and a playful, dangerous vibe.

6. Small Town Crime (2017)

John Hawkes shines as a washed-up ex-cop who stumbles into a murder mystery, turning into an unlikely noir antihero. Darkly funny and unexpectedly heartfelt.

7. I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore (2017)

Melanie Lynskey and Elijah Wood star in this dark, quirky neo-noir about a woman and her oddball neighbour trying to track down thieves. Equal parts crime thriller and dark comedy.

8. Logan Lucky (2017)

Steven Soderbergh’s slick heist movie with a neo-noir twist. Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, and Daniel Craig execute a NASCAR robbery in this sharp, funny thriller which packs the best Game of Thrones related prison riot scene ever...

9. Cop Car (2015)

A minimalist neo-noir where two kids steal a seemingly abandoned cop car, only to find themselves hunted by its dangerous owner (Kevin Bacon). A tense and wickedly entertaining ride.

10. No Sudden Move (2021)

Steven Soderbergh’s tightly wound noir about a botched heist and a tangled conspiracy in 1950s Detroit. Stylish, clever, and filled with double-crosses.

11. Greedy People (2024)

A scathing neo-noir dark comedy about greed, murder, and betrayal among a dysfunctional family vying for a fortune. Twisty, sharp, and packed with pitch-black humour.

12. Out of the Furnace (2013)

A grim neo-noir about crime and revenge in America’s Rust Belt, with powerful performances by Christian Bale and Casey Affleck, in fact, the cast is stacked adding in Willem Dafoe and Woody Harrelson. Bleak, tense, and gripping.

13. The Nice Guys (2016)

Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe star in Shane Black’s witty, neon-drenched noir-comedy about bumbling detectives investigating a murder in 1970s Los Angeles.

14. Nightcrawler (2014)

Jake Gyllenhaal delivers a chilling performance as a freelance crime journalist who spirals into moral depravity. A neon-lit descent into the darker corners of ambition and voyeurism.

15. Love Lies Bleeding (2023)

A steamy, violent neo-noir following a couple’s pursuit of the American Dream through bodybuilding, drugs, and betrayal. With lush visuals and simmering tension, it’s a stylish new entry in the genre - plus Ed Harris with a mullet has to be seen!

16. The Card Counter (2021)

Paul Schrader delivers a brooding neo-noir about gambling, redemption, and revenge, with a haunting performance by Oscar Isaac backed up by that rascal Willem Dafoe again!

17. Wind River (2017)

A murder mystery set on a Native American reservation, with a noir-like atmosphere of isolation and slow-burning tension. Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen are excellent.

18. Inherent Vice (2014)

Paul Thomas Anderson’s trippy neo-noir comedy follows a stoner detective (Joaquin Phoenix) navigating a bizarre mystery in 1970s California. Offbeat, surreal, and packed with dark humour.

19. Kill the Messenger (2014)

A taut and compelling neo-noir based on the true story of journalist Gary Webb, whose investigation into the CIA’s drug trade leads to devastating consequences.

20. Vengeance (2022)

A sharply funny and surprisingly thoughtful neo-noir following a podcaster investigating the death of a woman he barely knew. B.J. Novak directs and stars in this clever, darkly comic thriller.

I LOVE NEO NOIR!!

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