Thrillers come in all shapes and sizes, but crime thrillers allow viewers to step into a dark world that is perhaps more closely attuned to the real world than other genres.
Crime thrillers also occasionally put antiheroes or even bad guys in the lead simply because their moral flexibility makes the story more entertaining.
For this month, Watch With Us has scoured various streaming services to find the five crime thriller movie masterpieces to stream in March.
All of our picks come from the last 25 years of cinema, and they’re all ready for you now.
‘The Pledge’ (2001)
In the last decade of his acting career, Jack Nicholson played retiring police detective Jerry Black in The Pledge. Jerry was ready to start a new chapter in his life until a young girl was found murdered, and her mother, Margaret Larsen (Patricia Clarkson), made him swear to find her killer. Even with the emergence of a potential suspect, Toby Jay Wadenah (Benicio del Toro), Jerry isn’t convinced that the real killer has been found.
To get the truth, Jerry defies his younger colleague, Stan Krolak (Aaron Eckhart), and keeps the investigation alive. Jerry may get the answers he’s looking for, but there’s no guarantee that he’ll live long enough to retire after this case.
The Pledge is streaming on Tubi.
‘The Dry’ (2021)
The Dry is an Australian crime thriller that didn’t get a lot of play in the United States. But American fans will likely recognize Eric Bana in the leading role as Aaron Falk, a federal agent who returns to his hometown after decades away. Aaron’s best friend, Luke Hadler (Martin Dingle-Wall), is dead and accused of killing himself, his wife, Karen Hadler (Rosanna Lockhart), and their son.
Luke’s parents are convinced that he’s innocent and ask Aaron to clear his name. Aaron has some experience with false allegations, as he was driven out of town two decades earlier under suspicion that he murdered his girlfriend, Ellie Deacon (Bebe Bettencourt). A lot of the townspeople haven’t forgotten Aaron, and still believe he’s guilty. Somehow, he has to push through that hostile reception and find the answers behind the Hadler family’s fate.
The Dry is streaming on Hulu.
‘Blink Twice’ (2024)
Zoë Kravitz‘s directorial debut, Blink Twice, may be more of a psychological thriller than anything else, but make no mistake, this is a crime story as well. Given recent events in the news, it also feels even more timely in 2026 than it did in 2024. Naomi Ackie stars as Frida, a young woman who is invited by billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) to visit his private island alongside her friend, Jess (Alia Shawkat).
Frida and Jess are joined by other guests, including Sarah (Adria Arjona), Camilla (Liz Caribel) and Heather (Trew Mullen). At first, the women enjoy all of the luxuries that Slater’s minions can provide them. But the longer they stay, the more unsettling events occur. Frida also notices gaps in her memory as someone she cares about disappears, and no one else even remembers that she was with them.
Blink Twice is streaming on Prime Video.
‘The Town’ (2010)
In retrospect, it seems like Ben Affleck‘s starring turn in The Town went a long way towards revitalizing his career. It also helped that he directed this terrific crime thriller while casting himself as bank robber Doug MacRay. Doug’s crew includes his longtime friends James “Jem” Coughlin (Jeremy Renner), Albert “Gloansy” MacGloan (Slaine) and Desmond “Dez” Elden (Owen Burke).
After their latest heist included the brief kidnapping of a bank employee, Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall), Doug inserts himself into her life to make sure she can’t identify him or the crew. Or at least that’s what he tells himself. In reality, Doug’s unfolding romance with Claire may get them both killed if Jem finds out. At the same time, FBI Special Agent Adam Frawley (Jon Hamm) is closing in on Doug’s crew and may bring down their house of cards.
The Town is streaming on HBO Max.
‘Gone Baby Gone’ (2007)
Ben Affleck doesn’t appear in Gone Baby Gone, but he did direct and cowrite the film, which stars his younger brother, Casey Affleck. The movie centers on two private investigators, Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) and Angie Gennaro (Michelle Monaghan), as they’re hired to find and rescue Amanda McCready (Madeline O’Brien), the four-year-old niece of Lionel (Titus Welliver) and Bea McCready (Amy Madigan).
It’s not a simple case, as Amanda’s mother, Helene McCready (Amy Ryan), is a known drug mule who ripped off her boss, Cheese (Edi Gathegi). But even Cheese professes his innocence when it comes to the fate of Amanda. Uncovering the truth may prove to be beyond the abilities of Patrick and Angie, especially when bullets start to fly.
Gone Baby Gone is streaming on Paramount+.
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