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The Best Mystery Thriller Movies, Ranked

Updated September 3, 2020 14.8k votes 1.6k voters 102.7k views117 items

List RulesVote up your favorite thrillers that ask, "Whodunit?"

Something happened! But whodunit? The best mystery thriller films come in many forms. Some good mystery thriller movies revolve around washed-up and/or hard-boiled detectives, while other thrilling mysteries feature everyday people working to solve crimes. Many of the best mystery thriller films have won awards.

What films will you find on this top mystery thriller movies list? Silence of the Lambs has to be at the top. This 1991 multi-Oscar winner film finds Jodie Foster starring as FBI rookie Clarice Starling interviewing psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal "the Cannibal" Lecter to get insight into a serial murderer of women known as Buffalo Bill. Seven is another engaging mystery thriller starring Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman. Other good mystery thriller movies featured on this list include The Usual Suspects, Gone Girl, and Memento.

Which mystery thriller do you think is the best? Vote your favorites up to the top of this list and you might also like this list of mystery novels made into books and our lists of the best suspense movies of all time and the best crime thriller movies.

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The Silence of the Lambs
Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins
Released: 1991
Directed by: Jonathan Demme
The Silence of the Lambs is a 1991 American thriller film that blends elements of the crime... more on Wikipedia
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Seven
Brad Pitt, Gwyneth Paltrow
Released: 1995
Directed by: David Fincher
Seven is a 1995 American psychological thriller film directed by David Fincher. The film stars... more on Wikipedia
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The Usual Suspects
Kevin Spacey, Benicio del Toro
Released: 1994
Directed by: Bryan Singer
The Usual Suspects is a 1995 German-American neo-noir crime thriller film directed by Bryan... more on Wikipedia
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156
Shutter Island
Leonardo DiCaprio, Michelle Williams
Released: 2010
Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Shutter Island is a 2010 American psychological thriller film directed by Martin Scorsese. The... more on Wikipedia
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351
117
The Prestige
Scarlett Johansson, David Bowie
Released: 2006
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
The Prestige is a 2006 mystery drama film directed by Christopher Nolan, from a screenplay... more on Wikipedia
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179
42
Rear Window
Grace Kelly, James Stewart
Released: 1954
Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
Rear Window is a 1954 American mystery thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and written... more on Wikipedia
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380
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Gone Girl
Ben Affleck, Neil Patrick Harris
Released: 2014
Directed by: David Fincher
Gone Girl is a 2014 American psychological thriller film directed by David Fincher and adapted... more on Wikipedia
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Primal Fear
Edward Norton, Richard Gere
Released: 1996
Directed by: Gregory Hoblit
Primal Fear is a 1996 American neo-noir thriller film, based on William Diehl's 1993 novel of... more on Wikipedia
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Prisoners
Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal
Released: 2013
Directed by: Denis Villeneuve
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Memento
Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss
Released: 2000
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Memento is a 2000 American neo-noir psychological thriller film directed by Christopher Nolan.... more on Wikipedia
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Inception
Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy
Released: 2010
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
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The Others
Nicole Kidman, Christopher Eccleston
Released: 2001
Directed by: Alejandro Amenábar
The Others is a 2001 horror-thriller film written, directed and scored by Alejandro Amenábar.... more on Wikipedia
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275
104
Zodiac
Robert Downey Jr., Jake Gyllenhaal
Released: 2007
Directed by: David Fincher
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L.A. Confidential
Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe
Released: 1997
Directed by: Curtis Hanson
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The Game
Sean Penn, Michael Douglas
Released: 1997
Directed by: David Fincher, Pedro Coutinho
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The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara
Released: 2011
Directed by: David Fincher
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Mystic River
Emmy Rossum, Sean Penn
Released: 2003
Directed by: Clint Eastwood
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Oldboy
Choi Min-sik, Yoo Ji-tae
Released: 2003
Directed by: Park Chan-wook
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Chinatown
Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway
Released: 1974
Directed by: Roman Polanski
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Red Dragon
Anthony Hopkins, Ralph Fiennes
Released: 2002
Directed by: Brett Ratner
Red Dragon is a 2002 American psychological thriller film based on Thomas Harris' novel of the... more on Wikipedia
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Identity
Amanda Peet, John Cusack
Released: 2003
Directed by: James Mangold
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Wind River
Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen
Released: 2017
Directed by: Taylor Sheridan
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Insomnia
Al Pacino, Robin Williams
Released: 2002
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
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Rosemary's Baby
Mia Farrow, Tony Curtis
Released: 1968
Directed by: Roman Polanski
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Black Swan
Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis
Released: 2010
Directed by: Darren Aronofsky
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