Best true crime movies, series and documentaries

In recent years, the number of true crime series, films, podcasts and documentaries has grown dramatically. This increase is no coincidence: the genre holds a unique fascination, arousing the curiosity of many. Whether it's the disturbing stories of serial killers or the crimes and robberies that, at first glance, seemed almost perfect, but ended up being solved. 

Check out the complete list of the best productions about real crimes, organized in two parts, the first divided by specific cases and the second with other recommendations of documentary series, documentaries, films and fictional series (based on facts). 

Aileen Wuornos

Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer (1994) 

Notes: 100% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,9 on IMDb

Where to watch: YouTube

Filmmaker Nick Broomfield explores the troubled life of Aileen Wuornos, considered the first female serial killer in the United States, her interactions with religious leader Arlene Pralle and the immense repercussion of the case in the North American press.

Monster (2003) 

Original: Monster

Notes: 81% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,3 on IMDb

Where to watch: currently unavailable

Aileen Wuornos' (Charlize Theron) childhood was marked by sexual abuse and drug use. As a teenager, she turned to prostitution to survive. When she moved to Florida, she met Selby Wall (Christina Ricci), with whom she had an intense romance. One night, Aileen was attacked by a client and ended up killing the man. This crime began a series of murders, making her known as the first female serial killer in the United States.

Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer (2004) 

Original: Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer

Notes: 85% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,1 on IMDb

Where to watch: YouTube

Filmmaker Nick Broomfield examines the life of Aileen Wuornos, and her story from the cold of Michigan to the swamps of Florida, featuring interviews with her close friends, her lawyers, and her biological mother, from whom she was estranged. Broomfield also interviews Wuornos herself in prison at various points, including before her execution.

Michelle Carter Case

I Love You, Now Die: The Case of Michelle Carter (2019)

Original: I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth v. Michelle Carter

Notes: 97% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,5 on IMDb

Where to watch: Prime Video

Documentary that analyzes the trial of Michelle Carter, who encouraged her boyfriend Conrad Roy to commit suicide via text messages.

The Girl From Plainville (2022) 

Nota: 91% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,4 on IMDb

Where to watch: currently unavailable

The Girl From Plainville, one of the best true crime series, was based on a report by Esquire magazine. In the production, we follow the story of Michelle Carter (Elle Fanning), a 17-year-old girl who encouraged her own boyfriend to commit suicide through text messages.

Bus 174 hijacking case

Bus 174 (2003) 

Note: 96% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,8 on IMDb

Where to watch: balloon play

Brazilian documentary based on archival footage, interviews and official documents about the hijacking of bus 174 in the southern zone of Rio de Janeiro. The crime, which took place on June 12, 2000, was broadcast live for four hours, paralyzing the entire country.

Last Stop 174 (2008) 

Note: 7,1 on IMDB

Where to watch: Play Market

In this fact-based film, set in the 2000s, Sandro do Nascimento, a survivor of the Candelária massacre, hijacks a bus in Rio de Janeiro, holding a woman at gunpoint.

Charles Manson

Manson Family Vacation (2015) 

Note: 100% on Rotten Tomatoes | 5,8 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

The pleasant family life of a Los Angeles lawyer is interrupted by the sudden arrival of his brother, who is obsessed with the Charles Manson murders.

Charles Manson: Brutal Murders (2018)

Original: Inside the Manson Cult: The Lost Tapes

Note: 83% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,3 on IMDb

Where to watch: Max

The Charles Manson Family murders of 1969 shocked America and the rest of the world. Over the course of two nights in August, several prominent members of Los Angeles society were brutally murdered in their homes. The repeated stabbing of actress Sharon Tate, who was eight and a half months pregnant at the time of her murder, was a sign of the horrific violence of the attacks.

Once Upon a Time in… Hollywood (2019) 

Original: Once Upon a Time in ... Hollywood

Notes: 86% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,6 on IMDb

Where to watch: Prime Video

In 1969, Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a declining TV actor who tries to return to fame and success in Hollywood, alongside his friend and stuntman, Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). In the process, they cross paths with many influential people in the film industry, such as Rick's new neighbors, the couple Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) and Roman Polanski (Rafal Zawierucha), and end up unwittingly involved with the Manson family.

Helter Skelter: An American Myth (2020) 

Notes: 70% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,4 on IMDb

Where I watchedr: YouTube

the documentary series Helter Skelter: An American Myth features never-before-seen interviews with former Manson Family members, creating a new perspective on the cases with newly discovered archival footage.

Jeffrey Dahmer

Dahmer: The Mind of Murder (2002)

Original: dahmer

Notes: 73% on Rotten Tomatoes | 5,6 on IMDb

Where to watch: YouTube, Google Play Movies e AppleTV +

On February 15, 1992, Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer (Jeremy Renner), one of the world's most infamous serial killers, was found guilty of 15 counts of murder and sentenced to 937 years in prison.

A Killer's Awakening (2017) 

Original: My Friend Dahmer

Notes: 85% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,2 on IMDb

Where to watch: YouTube

Years before he became known worldwide as a serial killer, Jeffrey Dahmer (Ross Lynch) was a shy and lonely teenager. Dealing with family problems, peculiar interests and the pressures of high school and adolescence, the young Dahmer gradually transformed into the man who would terrorize the United States.

Talking to a Serial Killer: The Milwaukee Cannibal (2022) 

Original: Conversations with a Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes

Notes: 83% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,3 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

Jeffrey Dahmer confesses to his heinous crimes in interviews that reveal his sick mind.

flordelis

Flordelis – In the Name of the Mother (2022)

Notes: 6,7 on IMDB

Where to watch: Max

The national documentary series investigates federal deputy Flordelis dos Santos de Souza who is accused of orchestrating the murder of her husband, pastor Anderson do Carmo, with the help of six of her more than 50 children, including biological, adopted and affectionate, in addition to of a granddaughter.

Flordelis: Question or Adora (2022)

Notes: 7,2 on IMDB

Where to watch: balloon play

Another national documentary focusing on the Flordelis case. Here, we follow the investigation from a new angle, the intricacies of a family and the behind-the-scenes story behind the murder of Anderson Carmo, husband of former congresswoman Flordelis. The production also features interviews with family members, police officers, witnesses and journalists who covered her story.

Gypsy Rose

Mommy Dead and Dearest (2017) 

Original: Mommy dead and dearest

Notes: 100% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,2 on IMDb

Where to watch: Max

The bizarre story of Claudine and her daughter, who confessed to having killed her mother due to the abuse she had committed since childhood.

The Act (2019) 

Original: The Act

Notes: 88% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,8 on IMDb

Where to watch: currently unavailable

The series follows Gypsy Blanchard (Joey King), a young girl trying to escape the toxic relationship with her overprotective mother, Dee Dee (Patricia Arquette). Her journey for independence opens a Pandora's box of secrets that result in murder.

John of God

John of God: Healing and Crime (2021) 

Notes: 83% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,5 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

The idolized and self-proclaimed medium João Teixeira de Faria, better known as João de Deus, achieves international fame with a supposed cure, until survivors of his “treatment”, prosecutors and the media begin to denounce his abuses.

John Without God – The Fall of Abadiânia (2023) 

Notes: 6,8 on IMDB

Where to watch: balloon play

The lives of two sisters change when they meet the mystical leader João de Deus. Cecília is traumatized by the abuse she suffers at his hands, while Carmem becomes his faithful employee. Years later, the two meet again days before the medium's arrest.

The Central Park Five

Central Park Five (2012)

Notes: 92% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,7 on IMDb

Where to watch: currently unavailable

The story of five young black and Latino men wrongly convicted of raping a white woman in Central Park, New York, revealing the bias of the press and showing the poor work of the police and prosecutors in the case.

Eyes That Condemn (2019) 

Original: When They See Us

Notes: 97% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,8 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

In one of the most popular and shocking true crime series of recent times, set in 1989, a real estate agent was raped in Central Park, New York. Five young women were accused of the crime and spent years fighting their convictions, hoping to finally be exonerated. The series then covers the case from when they were first questioned until the final settlement, which was only reached in 2014.

OJ Simpson

OJ: Made in America (2016)

Notes: 100% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,9 on IMDb

Where to watch: Disney +

OJ: Made in America reconstructs the events involving OJ Simpson through testimonies from people close to the former star and investigators of the case. A close look at a tireless search for the truth, but which ends up revealing unshakable and frightening structures of North American society - and about ourselves.

American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson (2016-)

Original: The People v. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story

Notes: 84% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,4 on IMDb

Where to watch: Disney +

In the first season of American Crime Story, titled as The People v. OJ Simpson, all the events that culminated in the final sentencing of OJ Simpson (Cuba Gooding Jr.), an American football player accused of killing his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, are covered.

The Carandiru massacre

Carandiru (2003)

Notes: 86% audience on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,6 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix, balloon play, Prime Video e YouTube

One of the biggest hits among popular films in Brazilian cinema, this feature film follows a public health doctor who volunteers to carry out HIV prevention work in Carandiru, the largest prison in Latin America, during the 1990s. 

Living daily with the harsh reality of prisoners, he witnesses violence aggravated by overcrowding, the precariousness of the services provided and the animalization of prisoners. Paradoxically, he knows the internal organization system and the fragile, romantic and dreamy side of men serving time.

Prisoner of the Iron Bar (2003)

Notes: 73% audience on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,7 on IMDb

Where I watchedr: YouTube

Using techniques learned in a filming course taught inside the prison, prisoners at the largest detention center in Latin America document their daily lives, recording the precarious conditions in which they survive.

Ted Bundy

Ted Bundy: In Love with a Killer (2020)

Original: Ted Bundy: Falling for a Killer

Notes: 80% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,8 on IMDb

Where to watch: Prime Video

After years of silence, Ted Bundy’s girlfriend Elizabeth Kendall, his daughter Molly and other survivors speak out for the first time in a documentary series that re-examines Bundy’s crimes from a female perspective. The series reveals how Bundy’s pathological hatred of women collided with the culture wars and feminist movement of the 70s in one of the most shocking criminal cases of our time.

Ted Bundy: The Final Confession (2021)

Original: No Man of God

Notes: 81% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,4 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

On death row, Ted Bundy agrees to reveal the details of his crimes, but only to one man. The film tells the true story of the complicated relationship that developed between them, as we delve into Bundy's dark and twisted mind.

The Trial of Writer Michael Peterson

Death on the Staircase (2004) 

Original: Soupçons

Popular title: The Staircase

Notes: 95% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,8 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

Death on the Staircase is a French miniseries that documents the trial of writer Michael Peterson, convicted of the murder of his wife, Kathleen Peterson.

The Ladder (2022) 

Original: The Staircase 

Notes: 92% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,1 on IMDb

Where to watch: Max

To Escada follows the story of writer Michael Peterson (Colin Firth) with his family in North Carolina and the suspicious death of his wife, Kathleen Peterson (Toni Collette).  

With a renowned cast, the plot works with scenes between past and present to try to hit the hammer on Peterson's future. He makes an emergency call, desperate, informing that his wife fell down the stairs of the family home. From this contact, the writer becomes the suspect and, now, the family members need to choose which version to believe.

Documentary series

3 Ton$: Central Bank Robbery (2022)

Notes: 6,4 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

Learn the details of the true story of a historic robbery. In 2005, thieves dug a tunnel to the Central Bank of Brazil in Fortaleza, stealing more than R$160 million.

Tiger King (2020) 

Original: Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness

Notes: 84% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,5 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

A zoo owner loses control and ends up accused of ordering a murder in the underworld of big cat breeding. 

The Last Round: A Serial Killer in Queer NY (2023) 

Original: Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York

Notes: 100% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,1 on IMDb

Where to watch: Max

Documentary series that investigates the serial killer who preyed on gay men in 1990s New York, while examining the prejudices of an era marked by hate crimes and the AIDS crisis.

Allen v. Farrow (2021)

Original: Allen v. Farrow

Notes: 82% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,7 on IMDb

Where to watch: Max

A series that documents the sexual abuse allegations against Woody Allen, his custody battle with Mia Farrow and the controversies that surrounded his name throughout his life.

Atlanta's Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children (2020) 

Notes: 95% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,1 on IMDb

Where to watch: Max 

New evidence has come to light about the kidnapping and murder of approximately 30 African-American children and young adults that occurred over a two-year period in Atlanta in the late 1970s.

Bandits on TV (2019)

Notes: 80% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,5 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

Learn the true story of the Brazilian presenter who literally killed people to get more viewers. Wallace Souza, a politician and television personality, is accused of planning the violent crimes he reported and investigated on his show.

Black and Missing (2021) 

100% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,8 on IMDb

Where to watch: Max

Sisters-in-law Derrica and Natalia Wilson fight to raise awareness about missing black people cases that are ignored by police and the media.

Convicted by the Media (2020) 

Original: Trial by Media

Notes: 85% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,1 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

This true crime documentary series takes a look at some of the most dramatic trials of all time and examines how the press may have influenced the verdicts.

Confronting a Serial Killer (2021) 

Notes: 83% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,0 on IMDb

Where to watch: Prime Video

Writer and journalist Jillian Lauren encounters serial killer Sam Little and helps the police solve several cold cases. Racing against time, she works to identify the killer's victims.

Doctor Beaver (2021)

Notes: 8,3 on IMDb

Where to watch: balloon play

This is the real story of Castor de Andrade, a bookie responsible for cruel crimes in Rio de Janeiro. The offender sought self-promotion through two national passions, football and carnival. Between the 80s and 90s, Castor de Andrade was mainly responsible for the great Bangu teams, which played in a Brazilian final, and for the change in status of Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel, which established itself as one of the great schools of Rio samba.

Scandals and Murders in the Family (2023) 

Original: Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal

Notes: 82% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,8 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

Tragedies shock a small South Carolina community and expose the chilling secrets of a powerful local family.

I'll Be Gone in the Dark (2020)

Original: I'll Be Gone in the Dark

Notes: 96% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,4 on IMDb

Where to watch: Max

An immersive look at the case of the Golden State Killer, who terrorized California in the 1970s and 1980s by committing 50 sexual assaults and 10 murders. This production features author Michelle McNamara's obsessive quest to bring justice on behalf of the victims.

Free Meek (2019) 

Notes: 100% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,8 on IMDb

Where to watch: Prime Video

This docuseries chronicles Meek Mill’s intimate transformation from successful rapper to the face of criminal justice reform. Meek, his family and his attorneys fight for his freedom as cameras reopen a case rife with allegations of police abuse, planted evidence and systemic corruption within the justice system.

Diabolical Genius (2018) 

Original: Evil Genius: The True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist

Notes: 80% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,5 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

In one of the best and, at the very least, intriguing true crime series, a pizza delivery man is killed after robbing a bank with a bomb around his neck. 

Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults (2020) 

Original: Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults

Notes: 88% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,2 on IMDb

Where to watch: Max

This four-part documentary explores the infamous Heaven's Gate cult and the stranger-than-fiction circumstances that led to the largest mass suicide in American history.

Criminal Investigation (2012)

Notes: 8,1 on IMDB

Where to watch: Prime Video

Learn the chronology of events, motivation, context and technical and scientific details of the investigations into crimes that shocked Brazil. The program presents unknown elements of the investigations.

Jeffrey Epstein: Power and Perversion (2020) 

Original: Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich

Notes: 81% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,1 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

This documentary series investigates how sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein used money and power to commit his crimes.

John Wayne Gacy: Devil in Disguise (2021)

Notes: 100% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,3 on IMDb

Where to watch: balloon play

The chilling story of one of the world's most notorious serial killers, told through the words of John Wayne Gacy himself.

Stolen Youth: Inside the College Cult (2023) 

Original: Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence

Notes: 100% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,2 on IMDb

Where to watch: Disney +

A group of brilliant students at Sarah Lawrence University fall under the dark influence of Larry Ray, the father of one of them. With unprecedented access to the survivors who lived with Ray, the series follows the cult from its origins to its ongoing consequences. 

Lorraine (2019) 

Notes: 82% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,2 on IMDb

Where to watch: Prime Video

From executive producer Jordan Peele, this four-part documentary relives the year 1993, when Lorena Bobbitt cut off her husband’s penis after years of abuse. John and Lorena Bobbitt’s ordeal made 24-hour news. She became a national joke, and the male-dominated press ignored her ordeal. But as John’s life fell apart, Lorena found strength in the scars of her ordeal.

Love Fraud (2020) 

Note: 92% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,4 on IMDb

Where to watch: currently unavailable

Love Fraud tells the story of Richard Scott Smith, a con artist who used the internet to trick women looking for love. The series follows how Smith's victims banded together to find him and seek revenge, turning to a bounty hunter when they felt the justice system had failed them.

Love Has Won: Cult of the Mother Goddess (2023) 

Original: Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God

Notes: 100% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,2 on IMDb

Where to watch: Max

This three-part documentary chronicles the life and death of Amy Carlson, or Mother Goddess, a self-proclaimed spiritual savior and founder of the religious group “Love Has Won,” which promised escape from the real world through the Internet.

Making a Murderer (2015)

Notes: 84% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,5 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

After spending years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, Steven Avery is released after a DNA test proves his innocence. Naturally, the story becomes news and, just as the man is about to receive compensation from the state, he ends up once again becoming the prime suspect in another murder. 

McMillions (2020) 

Notes: 89% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,2 on IMDb

Where to watch: Max

The incredible story of a former police officer turned auditor who rigged a McDonald's promotion for a decade, stealing millions of dollars and building a vast network of conspirators across the US.

Murder on Middle Beach (2020) 

Notes: 100% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,4 on IMDb

Where to watch: Max

This documentary series examines the unsolved case of Barbara Hamburg, who was brutally murdered in a Connecticut suburb.

Night Stalker: Torture and Terror (2021) 

Original: Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer

Notes: 71% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,5 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

The glamour of 1985 Los Angeles is home to a relentless serial killer and two police officers who will stop at nothing to capture him.

No One Saw a Thing (2019)

Notes: 100% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,4 on IMDb

Where to watch: YouTube

No One Saw a Thing investigates a mysterious and unsolved death in Skidmore, Missouri, in 1981. The series is about a resident who was shot to death in front of nearly 60 townspeople, who deny having seen anything.

The Evandro Case (2021)

Notes: 9,1 on IMDB

Where to watch: balloon play

the documentary series The Evandro Case, inspired by the podcast created by journalist Ivan Mizanzuk, tells the story behind one of the most intriguing crimes in Brazil. In 1992, Evandro Ramos Caetano mysteriously disappeared in Guaratuba, on the coast of Paraná. Days after the incident, his body was found in a gruesome manner. Many theories surround the investigation of the case, such as conspiracies, satanic rituals and revenge.

The Gabriel Fernandez Case (2020) 

Original: The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez

Notes: 82% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,1 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

A boy is brutally murdered, and his guardians and social workers go to trial in a case that calls into question the system of protection for vulnerable minors.

The Siege of Waco (2023) 

Original: Waco: American Apocalypse

Notes: 84% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,0 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

In 1993, cult leader David Koresh faced off against the federal government in a 51-day siege. The confrontation escalated into the largest mass shooting on American soil since the Civil War and ended brutally. This series features never-before-seen material on the case.

The DNA of Justice (2020) 

Original: The Innocence Files

Notes: 100% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,9 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

This true crime documentary series follows different wrongful convictions that the Innocence Project and other organizations work to resolve, in addition to showing all the mistakes made by the Justice system in each of them.

The Ripper (2020)

Original: The Ripper

Notes: 83% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,1 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

In the late 1970s, the serial killer known as the Yorkshire Ripper challenges the British police, who race against time to discover his identity and capture him.

The Mormon Forger (2021) 

Original: Murder Among the Mormons

Notes: 89% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,0 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

A lucrative and deadly scheme rocks a world-famous church in this extraordinary true crime story.

The Monster Next Door (2019) 

Original: The Devil Next Door

Notes: 91% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,5 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

John Demjanjuk is a mild-mannered American grandfather who is accused of being Ivan the Terrible, a cruel Nazi concentration camp guard. John is put on trial, but even his accusers are unsure whether he is guilty.

Burden of Proof (2023) 

Original: Burden of Proof 

Notes: 86% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,7 on IMDb

Where to watch: Max

This documentary series follows a man determined to uncover the horrific truth about his sister's disappearance when, decades later, shocking new evidence emerges that could implicate his own parents.

The Crimes of Our Mother (2022) 

Original: Sins of Our Mother

Notes: 100% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,0 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

Lori Vallow's children go missing, causing a national outcry. Everyone wants to know where the children are, but the more the police investigate, the more the mother becomes a suspect, revealing a sinister and apocalyptic religious plot.

Paradise Lost: The Child Murders of Robin Hood Hills (1996) 

Original: Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills

Notes: 100% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,2 on IMDb

Where to watch: Max

Documentary series based on the murders of three boys in Robin Hills. However, what makes this a peculiar case is that the three accused have solid alibis, there is no concrete evidence against them and, at the same time, they are under accusation of satanism.

Brutal Pact – The Murder of Daniella Perez (2022)

Notes: 100% audience on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,4 on IMDb

Where to watch: Max

The documentary series shows details of the murder of Daniella Perez, an actress who was only 22 years old at the time and was the daughter of soap opera author Gloria Perez. In addition, the particularities of the trial of her killers are revealed.

Addicted Expertise (2020) 

Original: How to Fix a Drug Scandal

Notes: 86% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,0 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

The crimes of two chemists from a drug lab have paralyzed the Massachusetts judiciary and confused lawyers, authorities and prisoners. The case has everyone trying to understand the limits of justice.

Fatal Prescription (2020) 

Original: The Pharmacist

Notes: 90% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,7 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

A pharmacist tragically loses his son to violence and drugs. This inspires him to investigate the corrupt opioid industry in the US and the harm it causes to thousands of people.

Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story (2018) 

Notes: 100% on Rotten Tomatoes | 5,9 on IMDb

Where to watch: currently unavailable

The murder of young Trayvon Martin, and all the movement and debate around human rights that it generated, inspired the production of the documentary series Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story, produced by rap mogul Jay-Z.

Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult (2020) 

Notes: 100% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,4 on IMDb

Where to watch: Prime Video

This four-part documentary series, from director and producer Cecilia Peck and producer and editor Inbal Lessner, follows the story of India Oxenberg as she ventures into the dark, criminal underworld of the NXIVM sex cult and her relationship with its enigmatic and manipulative leader, Keith Raniere.

The Case Against Adnan Syed (2019) 

Notes: 82% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,7 on IMDb

Where to watch: currently unavailable

The disappearance and murder of 18-year-old Hae Min Lee in Baltimore County, and the subsequent conviction of her ex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed.

The Confession Tapes (2017) 

Notes: 100% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,5 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

One of the best true crime series investigates cases in which individuals accused of murder claim that their confessions were coerced, involuntary or false.

The Family: Democracy Under Threat (2019) 

Original: The Family

Notes: 80% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,4 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

One of the best true crime productions tells the story of a secret, religious organization that has been discreetly maintaining its influence over global politics for decades.

The Innocent Man (2018) 

Notes: 74% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,3 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

In the 1980s, two murders rocked the small town of Ada, Oklahoma, sparking a series of disturbing questions.

The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst (2015) 

Original: The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst

Notes: 96% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,6 on IMDb

Where to watch: Max

Billionaire Robert Durst has been linked to three murders, but he has never been convicted of them. A recluse, he has always avoided the media. Until this documentary series begins to show the details of his story.

The Keepers (2017) 

Notes: 97% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,0 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

The true crime documentary series The Keepers analyzes the murder of Sister Catherine Cesnik and the suspicions surrounding a priest accused of sexual abuse.

The Lady and the Dale (2021)

Original: The Lady and the Dale

Notes: 100% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,9 on IMDb

Where to watch: Max

The Lady and the Dale – A Lie on Wheels follows the daring automobile fraud perpetrated by businesswoman Liz Carmichael during the 1970s crisis.

Tim Lopes: Archangel Stories (2013)

Notes: 7,1 on IMDb

Where to watch: balloon play

This Brazilian documentary rescues the trajectory of Arcanjo Antonino Lopes do Nascimento, known as Tim Lopes. Considered one of the greatest investigative reporters in Brazil, he produced unique and revered journalism.

TIME: The Kalief Browder Story (2017) 

Notes: 100% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,4 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

This series follows the tragic case of Kalief Browder, a New York teenager who spent three years in prison without ever being convicted. Rapper Jay-Z, who met with Browder after he was released from prison, co-produced this revealing documentary series.

Priscilla Returns (2024)

Notes: 7,1 on IMDB

Where to watch: Disney +

In 2004, Brazil stopped to watch the drama of the family of the famous fighter Vitor Belfort, who, accustomed to glory in the octagon, was shaken by the disappearance of Vitor's cheerful sister Priscila. Between theories and false leads, the search for her is endless, full of tortuous paths, shady characters and more questions than answers, in a plot involving the police, drug trafficking and the mainstream media. However, 20 years later, Priscila's real personality may be the key that puts an end to this mysterious story.

Wild Wild Country (2018) 

Notes: 98% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,1 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

A cult leader builds a utopian city in the Oregon desert and clashes with the locals, sparking a national scandal.

Wormwood (2017) 

Notes: 90% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,0 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

In this mix of documentary and fiction, Errol Morris explores the mysterious death of an American scientist involved in a secret program during the Cold War.

Documentaries

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed (2022) 

Notes: 95% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,5 on IMDb

Where to watch: currently unavailable

This is a documentary that follows photographer Nan Goldin in her battle against the Sackler family's pharmaceutical empire, which is largely responsible for the countless deaths in the opioid epidemic in the US. 

Scenes from a Murder: A Family Next Door (2020) 

Original: American Murder: The Family Next Door

Notes: 87% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,2 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

Using first-hand footage, this documentary examines the disappearance of pregnant Shanann Watts and her daughters, and the horrific events that followed.

Beware of Slenderman (2016) 

Original: Beware the Slenderman

Notes: 85% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,2 on IMDb

Where to watch: Max

A look at the terrifying case of two twelve-year-old girls in Wisconsin, USA, who stabbed a classmate 19 times as a tribute to Slenderman, a fictional internet monster. An examination of how teenage isolation, mental health, and the conflicting nature of the internet created a dangerous mandate for two young women with lifelong consequences for all involved.

Dear Zachary: A Shocking Case (2008) 

Original: Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father

Notes: 94% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,5 on IMDb

Where to watch: YouTube

Andrew Bagby was shot and killed by his ex-girlfriend, who was pregnant with his child. As a result, Andrew's parents fought for custody of their grandson and the conviction of their son's killer. Filmmaker Kurt Kuenne, a personal friend of Andrew's, made this documentary so that Andrew's son could meet his father.

Capturing the Friedmans (2003) 

Original: Capturing the Friedmans

Notes: 97% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,6 on IMDb

Where to watch: Max

On Thanksgiving Eve 1987, Arnold Friedman, a kind computer teacher, and his youngest son Jesse were arrested and charged with sexually abusing their students. This award-winning documentary tells the story of this middle-class Jewish family from the East Coast of the United States.

The Tinder Scammer (2022) 

Original: The Tinder Swindler

Notes: 97% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,1 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

He pretends to be a diamond magnate and picks up women online using a false identity. All this to scam the girls out of millions. But some of his victims cannot accept what happened and want justice.

Tell Them You Love Me (2023)

Notes: 100% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,9 on IMDb

Where to watch: currently unavailable

This documentary details a police case against Anna Stubblefield, a Rutgers University professor convicted in 2015 of sexually abusing Derrick Johnson, a black man with a non-verbal disability.

Bowling for Columbine (2002) 

Original: Bowling for Columbine

Notes: 95% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,0 on IMDb

Where to watch: Youtube

Em Columbine Shootings, Michael Moore attempts to uncover why the American pursuit of happiness is riddled with violence by exploring the events that led to the 1999 Columbine High School tragedy.

VIPs: True Stories of a Liar (2010)

Notes: 7,2 on IMDB

Where to watch: YouTube

In this national documentary, we learn the true story of Marcelo Nascimento da Rocha, told by himself. Posing as a police officer or owner of one of the largest companies in Brazil, Marcelo led a life full of lies and scams, deceiving authorities and the media.

Content

American Animals (2018) 

Original: American animals

Notes: 88% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,0 on IMDb

Where to watch: currently unavailable

The incredible story of four young Americans, with extremely different temperaments, who come together to steal the most valuable book in the United States. During the process, they begin to question the true purpose of this act for their lives and what it represents for the society in which they live.

The Scammers (2019) 

https://youtu.be/EpyogCVnI6Q?si=lrXlb4zFNY_4jtB2

Original title: hustlers

Notes: 88% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,3 on IMDb

Where I watchedr: Prime Video e YouTube

Destiny (Constance Wu) learns how to deal with the wealthy clientele at the club where she works as a stripper with the help of Ramona (Jennifer Lopez). But when the financial crisis undermines their profitability, they decide to devise a daring scheme to get their lives back on track.

She Said (2022) 

Original: she said

Notes: 88% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,3 on IMDb

Where to watch: Prime Video

New York Times journalists Megan Twohey (Carey Mulligan) and Jodi Kantor (Zoe Kazan) publish an article that exposes decades of sexual abuse allegations against powerful Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein and contribute to the creation of the #MeToo movement.

BlacKkKlansman (2018) 

Original titlel: BlacKkKlansman

Notes: 96% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,5 on IMDb

Where to watch: Telecine, Prime Video, Google Play Movies e AppleTV +

In 1978, Ron Stallworth (John David Washington), a black Colorado police officer, manages to infiltrate the local Ku Klux Klan. He communicates with the other members of the group through phone calls and letters, and when he needs to be physically present, he sends Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver), another police officer who is white. After months of investigation, Ron becomes close to the sect leader, being responsible for sabotaging a series of lynchings and other hate crimes orchestrated by racists.

Bad Education (2019) 

Original: Bad Education

Notes: 94% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,1 on IMDb

Where to watch: Max

The United States education system is shaken when the largest public school fund embezzlement scandal in the country's history is uncovered.

Memories of Murder (2003) 

Original: memories of murder

Popular title: Memories of Murder

95% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,1 on IMDb

Where to watch: currently unavailable

This is a film based on the true story of the first official record of a serial killer in South Korea. During the military dictatorship in South Korea, a young woman is found murdered. Two months later, another body with the same characteristics as the first is found. From then on, detective Park Doo-Man (Song Kang-ho) takes on the case and commits to investigating the serial killer.

The Clovehitch Killer (2018) 

Original: The Clovehitch Killer

Notes: 79% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,5 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

A teenager discovers evidence that shows that his father, a seemingly calm and kind man, is a serial killer. The boy then begins to investigate the case and finds himself torn as he tries to understand whether the man who raised him is a cruel murderer.

The Tale (2018)

Original titlel: The Tale

Notes: 99% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,2 on IMDb

Where to watch: Max

A documentary filmmaker is forced to reevaluate her first sexual encounter and the stories a person tells themselves to survive.

The Night Nurse (2022) 

Original titlel: The Good Nurse

Notes: 74% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,8 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

A woman befriends a new coworker, a kind and personable nurse. But she soon discovers that tragedy follows the man wherever he goes. His patients die suspiciously and the police open an investigation.

The Wolf Behind the Door (2013) 

Notes: 3% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,4 on IMDb

Where to watch: YouTube, Google Play Movies, Prime Video e AppleTV +

In the national film the wolf behind the door, a child is kidnapped and his parents, Bernardo (Milhem Cortaz) and Sylvia (Fabiula Nascimento), decide to go to the police station. The police chief decides to question them separately and discovers that Bernardo had a lover, Rosa (Leandra Leal), who is also taken to the scene for investigation. Based on the trio's statements, the police chief discovers a network of lies, love, revenge and jealousy.

The Price of Truth (2019)

Original: Dark Waters

Notes: 89% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,6 on IMDb

Where to watch: Prime Video e YouTube

A lawyer uncovers a dark secret that links a growing number of unexplained deaths to one of the world's largest corporations. As he tries to expose the truth, he finds himself risking his future, his family and his own life.

The Good Companions (1990)

Original: Goodfellas

Notes: 95% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,7 on IMDb

Where to watch: Max

In the history of The Good Companions, based on the book “Wiseguy” by Nicholas Pileggi, a young man grows up in the mafia and works hard to rise among his peers. He enjoys the life of money and luxury, but doesn’t care about the horror he causes in other people’s lives. Unfortunately, drug addiction and a few mistakes finally destroy his climb to the top of the business world.

Snowtown (2011) 

Original title: The Snowtown Murders

85% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,6 on IMDb

Where to watch: Prime Video, Google Play Movies e AppleTV +

In the story, Jamie (Lucas Pittaway) lives with his mother Elizabeth (Louise Harris) and his two brothers in a rough neighborhood. One day, John Bunting (Daniel Henshall) moves into the house across the street. Always showing charisma, he becomes involved with Elizabeth and gradually becomes part of the family. John holds assemblies, where he mobilizes a small group with his beliefs in self-justice and maintaining order. Jamie becomes his protégé and sees in him the father figure he never had. Until, little by little, another side of the mentor begins to reveal itself.

Could You Forgive Me? (2018)

Original: Can You Ever Forgive Me? 

Notes: % on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,1 on IMDb

Where I watchedr: currently unavailable

A celebrity biographer can no longer get published because her style has gone out of fashion. To get back in the public's good graces, she starts forging letters from famous people.

Catch Me If You Can (2002) 

Original: Catch me if you can

Notes: 96% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,1 on IMDb

Where to watch: Play Market, Prime Video, Google Play Movies e AppleTV +

Based on a true story, in Arrest me if I'm able, Frank Abagnale, Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio) has worked as a doctor, lawyer and co-pilot, all before turning 18. A master of the art of disguise, he uses his skills to live his life as he wants and commit million-dollar scams, which make him the most successful bank robber in the history of the United States, at just 17 years old. But hot on his trail is FBI agent Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks), who uses every means at his disposal to find and capture him, even though Frank always seems one step ahead.

Till: The Quest for Justice (2022) 

Original: To

Notes: 96% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,2 on IMDb

Where to watch: Prime Video e Google Play Movies

Mamie Till-Mobley's (Danielle Deadwyler) relentless quest for justice for her 14-year-old son, Emmett Till (Jalyn Hall), who, in 1955, was lynched while visiting his cousins ​​in Mississippi.

Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

Original: Dog Day Afternoon 

Notes: 96% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,0 on IMDb

Where to watch: Max, YouTube, Google Play Movies, Apple TV + e Prime Video

When inexperienced criminal Sonny Wortzik (Al Pacino) leads a bank robbery in Brooklyn, things quickly go wrong and a bizarre hostage situation automatically develops. Sonny and his accomplice, Sal Naturile (John Cazale), try desperately to remain in control, but the media goes wild and the FBI arrives, heightening the tension even further. Gradually, the true motives for the robbery are revealed.

Zodiac (2007) 

Original: Zodiac

Notes: 90% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,7 on IMDb

Where to watch: Max, Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play Movies e Apple TV +

In one of the best true crime films, set in the 1960s and 1970s, fear runs rampant in San Francisco as a maniacal killer named Zodiac attacks. Investigators and journalists try to uncover the killer's identity and bring him to justice. Meanwhile, Zodiac taunts authorities with cryptic messages, riddles, and threatening phone calls.

Zuzu Angel (2006)

Notes: 6,9 on IMDB

Where to watch: Prime Video e AppleTV +

In the dark years of the dictatorship, Zuzu Angel (Patricia Pillar) was a successful fashion designer who conquered the world with her talent, until her son Stuart disappeared at the hands of the military, was tortured and killed.

Series

A Friend of the Family (2022) 

Notes: 92% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,3 on IMDb

Where to watch: Prime Video

This is the harrowing true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan (Mckenna Grace) was kidnapped multiple times in the 1970s by a charismatic and obsessed “friend” of the family. This is the account of how their lives were permanently altered – and how they survived.

Welcome to the Seduction Club (2022)

https://youtu.be/NrZPt7gOjfA?si=xj_mHAp-MHraOf_O

Original: Welcome to Chippendales

Notes: 71% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,3 on IMDb

Where to watch: Disney +

In a sprawling true crime saga, the series tells the shocking story of Somen “Steve” Banerjee (Kumail Nanjiani), an Indian immigrant who became the unlikely founder of the world’s largest male stripping empire and let no one stand in his way of success.

Black Bird (2022)

Notes: 98% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,1 on IMDb

Where to watch: AppleTV +

in the plot of Black bird, Jimmy Keene (Taron Egerton) begins serving a 10-year prison sentence and receives an incredible offer: if he can get a confession from the suspect in the murder of Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser), he will be released. With that, completing this mission becomes the challenge of a lifetime.

Candy: A Story of Passion and Crime (2022)

Original: Candy

Notes: 72% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,2 on IMDb

Where to watch: Disney +

Set in the 1980s, the series follows Candy Montgomery (Jessica Biel), a woman who has a good husband, two children and a beautiful home. But when the pressure to conform grows within her, her actions scream for a little freedom. Until someone tells her to shut up – with deadly results.

Chernobyl (2019) 

Notes: 95% on Rotten Tomatoes | 9,3 on IMDb

Where to watch: Max

The miniseries tells the true story of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster and the determination of men and women in the search for a solution to mitigate the damage and help the population. This production features a renowned cast that includes names such as Jared Harris, Jessie Buckley, Stellan Skarsgård, Emily Watson, Barry Keoghan and Con O'Neill.

Des (2020) 

Notes: 90% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,6 on IMDb

Where to watch: Not currently available

This series portrays the story of Scottish serial killer Dennis Nilsen (David Tennant) who, in 1983, was arrested after discovering human remains that blocked the drain near his home in London. Dennis Nilsen orchestrated murders for five years without anyone suspecting.

Dopesick (2021) 

Notes: 89% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,6 on IMDb

Where to watch: Disney +

Although the award-winning dopesick Although based on a non-fiction book of the same name, some of the stories told are made up. The series examines how people from different backgrounds were affected by the opioid epidemic that took over America. The production features a renowned cast and includes names such as Michael Keaton, Peter Sarsgaard, Rosario Dawson, Kaitlyn Dever and Will Poulter.

In the Name of Heaven (2022) 

Original titlel: Under the Banner of Heaven

Notes: 87% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,5 on IMDb

Where to watch: Disney +

As Detective Jeb Pyre (Andrew Garfield) investigates the murder of Brenda Wright Lafferty (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and her daughter in a Salt Lake Valley suburb, he uncovers buried truths about the origins of the Mormon religion and the violent consequences of a unyielding faith.

Escape at Dannemora (2018) 

Notes: 89% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,9 on IMDb

Where to watch: currently unavailable

In this short series produced and directed by Ben Stiller, the small, quiet town of Dannemora has a maximum security prison. Two inmates, Richard Matt (Benicio del Toro) and David Sweat (Paul Dano), become romantically involved with a prison officer, who helps them escape.

Gaslit (2022) 

Notes: 89% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,3 on IMDb

Where to watch: currently unavailable

This is a modern take on the Watergate political scandal of the 1970s, with an emphasis on untold stories and forgotten characters from the era.

Griselda (2024) 

Notes: 86% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,2 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

Inspired by real events, the series portrays the journey of Griselda Blanco (Sofia Vergara) from Medellín to becoming the “Godmother” of the Miami drug trafficking empire. The production is by the same creative team as Narcos e Narcos: Mexico. 

Unbelievable (2019)

Original: Unbelievable

Notes: 98% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,3 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

With a renowned cast that includes Kaitlyn Dever, Toni Collette and Merritt Wever, Unbelievable explores the case of a teenager who survived sexual abuse but who, at the time, was accused of lying about the crime committed against her. In the meantime, detectives work to uncover the truth.

Justice For Uphaar (2023)

Original: Trial By Fire

Notes: 100% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,7 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

After the horrific fire at the Uphaar cinema, a couple fights for justice while trying to overcome the pain of losing their children.

Landscapers (2021)

Notes: 98% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,0 on IMDb

Where to watch: Disney +

This series tells the intriguing true story of Susan (Olivia Colman) and Christopher Edwards (David Thewlis), a seemingly harmless British couple who actually murdered Susan's elderly parents, buried them in the garden and went on the run for fifteen years. 

Mindhunter (2017-2019) 

Notes: 97% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,6 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

Em Mindhunter, in the late 1970s, Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) and Bill Tench (Holt McCallany) are two FBI agents who expand the frontiers of criminal science and create a sector dedicated solely to the investigation of serial killers (based on real personalities), with the help of the magnificent psychologist Wendy Carr (Anna Torv). 

It is important to highlight that the series not only had a great cast in front of the screens, but also had a high-ranking team behind it, including director David Fincher and actress Charlize Theron among the executive producers.

Narcos (2015-2017) 

Notes: 89% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,7 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

A série Narcos tells the story of Pablo Escobar (Wagner Moura), one of the biggest drug traffickers in the world, and the fight that the United States and Colombia waged against him and the Medellín Cartel.

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (2016–present)

Notes: 84% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,4 on IMDb

Where to watch: Disney +

The second season of American Crime Story, known as The Assassination of Gianni Versace, explores the murder of fashion designer Gianni Versace (Édgar Ramírez) committed by serial killer Andrew Cunanan (Darren Criss). The plot is based on the book by Maureen Orth, "Vulgar Favors: Andrew Cunanan, Gianni Versace, and the Largest Failed Manhunt in US History".

The Dropout (2022) 

Notes: 90% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,5 on IMDb

Where to watch: Disney +

the miniseries The Dropout is a production based on a podcast of the same name. In it we have the true story of the company Theranos and, amid ambition and rise, Elizabeth Holmes (Amanda Seyfried) develops a health technology that puts millions of patients at risk and loses everything in the blink of an eye.

Under the Bridge (2024) 

Notes: 86% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,2 on IMDb

Where to watch: Disney +

Based on the book by acclaimed author Rebecca Godfrey, the series Under the bridge tells the true story of Reena Virk (Vritika Gupta), a fourteen-year-old girl who went to meet her friends at a party and never returned home. Through the eyes of Godfrey (Riley Keough) and a local police officer (Lily Gladstone), the production shows the hidden reality of the young women accused of the murder, revealing surprising truths about the unlikely killer.

And that concludes our list. Which production, be it a film, series, or documentary, did we miss? Tell us in the comments.

See also: 

See the best movies of 2024

Understand the controversies behind Nickelodeon

Sources: Rotten Tomatoes, Cosmopolitan, Harpers Bazaarza e Time

Reviewed by Lucas Pinheiro, on 27/11/2024.