8. Blood Simple
Why Its Underrated
Blood Simple was 1st film Directed by Coen Brothers (No Country For Old Man, Fargo fame), Blood Simple was their 1st film, the brothers did not had money nor much experience in filmmaking, so they decided to crowd fund for the film, they shot some portions, an interesting opening scene and showed to public and successfully raised $1.5 Million in a year, & today the film is a cult classic crime movie.
Why You Must Watch –
Blood Simple follows a very simple plotline, about a bar owner who suspects, that his wife is having an affair with his employee, so he hires a guy to do a hit job on them, as a way of his revenge, but fate has other things for them. Blood Simple has a very neo noir styled storyline, an atmospheric thriller, with enough drama to keep you immersed. Certainly one of the underrated crime thrillers & its easily one of my favorite Coen Brother’s film.
7. Pieta
Why Its Underrated
Pieta is a very niche film and has not become much popular beyond Korea, so its has now become an underrated crime movie, from late Kim Ki Duk.
Why You Must Watch
Pieta tells a dramatic story about a gangster working for loan sharks, beating up people and getting back the loans, but his life takes a very dramatic turn when he meets a beautiful woman who claims to be his long-lost mother.
Pieta is a kind of drama that will keep you hooked while at the same time will explore crime, desire and motherly love, honestly, it’s a beautiful, underrated crime movie.
6. First Love
Why Its Underrrated
Again, it’s a very niche movie and its not much popular beyond Japan.
Why You Must Watch It – First Love is an interesting movie that adds a very good blend of action romance and crime. Its story revolves around two individuals, a really good boxer who finds out that he has terminal illness and a woman who is forced into prostitution. The rest of the story revolves around how both of them get dragged into the underworld, will they survive the night? Or the underworld will swallow them, this forms the premise of First Love.
5. Ugly
Why Its Underrated
Its underrated because not many people appreciated the film at the time of its release but trust me if you are someone who loves gritty crime dramas then you must definitely check this out.
Why You Must Watch It
Ugly’s plot revolves around the kidnapping of a 8 years old child, which leads to a series of events where our protagonists and several other characters have to face the dark and ugly truth of their past.
The movie is known for its gritty atmosphere and the way it explores human nature made by one of India best filmmaker “Anurag Kashyap”
4. Only God Forgives
Why Its Underrated
The second collaboration between director Nicholas Winding and Ryan Gossling, after Drive (2011), this movie very much went under the radar of lots of cinema lovers because its storytelling was more European in nature than American & it also received mixed kind of reviews from critics.
Why You Must Watch It?
The story revolves around Bangkok’s underworld crime boss of played by Ryan Gossling whose life takes a drastic turn when he is asked to hunt down the murderer of his brother, while at the same time a ruthless cop is on the run to take him down.
3. Hard Eight
Why Its Underrated
This was Paul Thomas Anderson’s 1st movie before he became The Paul Thomas Anderson.
Why You Must Watch It
Hard Eight is a movie which might remind you of some of Tarantino’s earlier works, well written chracters, gangsters, gambling & crime, etc, etc. Hard Eight’s story revolves around an experienced gambler who gives a helping hand to homeless man and a chance to earn a living via gambling. The movie majorly focuses on their friendship and the crime that follows their path. If you are a Paul Thomas Anderson fan, I would highly recommend you this film, its really an underrated gem in his filmography.
Pro Guide – This movie is something you would like to enjoy while having some cigarettes and cup of coffee.
2. The Hungry
Why Its Underrated
The Film is really underrated because of its art house style filmmaking, which did not attracted a lots of audience.
Why You Must Watch
Based on Shakespear’s Titus Andronicus, which is also considered as one of his most violent works. The Hungry’s story revolves around, a mother seeking for revenge while she is about to become a newlywed bride. Yes it’s a twisted crime drama, a drama filled with characters who have ulterior motives, the film tries to cover several themes like greed, lust, revenge, & politics.
Filmmaker Bornila Chatterjee has done a brilliant work in adapting the Shakespear’s work into modern day Indian setting, making it relevant and thought-provoking. While cinematographer Nick Cooke gave his best to draw us into the world of Shakespear through “The Hungry”. Its honestly one of the most underrated crime movie from Indian cinema, that does need some appreciation.
1. Brick (2005)
Why Its Underrated
Made on a low budget of $450,000 budget Brick at the time of release had very few known actors, well it stars Joseph Gordon Levitt & it was director Rian Johnson’s 1st film, who later directed Looper, Knives Out & Glass Onion.
Why You Must Watch It
The story of Brick revolves around a high school teenager (Gordon Levitt) who tries to investigate the disappearance of his ex girlfriend, which ultimately drags him into the underworld & the edgy mystery & secrets that follows with his ex girlfriend’s disappeareance.
It’s a brilliantly written movie, with some really good crime mystery, honestly one of my favourite indie films, if you like director Rian Johnson’s other works then you should definitely check this movie out