20 best movies like Absence of Malice (1981)

List of the best movies like Absence of Malice (1981): Deadline, The Departed, Kalamity, The Verdict, To Catch a Killer, Disclosure, Kill the Messenger, Official Secrets, Q & A, Trial by Jury.

Tags: movies similar to Absence of Malice (1981) - full list

Markimdb: 4.7
Genrethriller, drama, detective
CountryUSA

Deadline is the story of the murder of an African American youth in rural Alabama that has gone uninvestigated, unsolved, and unpunished for almost twenty years. That changes when Nashville Times reporter Matt Harper (Steve Talley) meets an idealistic young blueblood bent on discovering the truth. Harper undertakes the investigation despite the opposition of his publisher, violent threats from mysterious forces, a break-up with his fiancée, and his father's cancer diagnosis.

Markimdb: 8.5
Genrethriller, drama, crime
CountryUSA, Hong Kong
Duration02:31

To take down South Boston's Irish Mafia, the police send in one of their own to infiltrate the underworld, not realizing the syndicate has done likewise. While an undercover cop curries favor with the mob kingpin, a career criminal rises through the police ranks. But both sides soon discover there's a mole among them.

Markimdb: 4.5
Genrethriller, drama
CountryUSA
Duration01:38

Haunted by memories of his ex-girlfriend Alice, a heartbroken Billy returns home to Northern Virginia seeking solace from old friends. But what he finds there is more disconcerting: his best friend Stanley has become unstable, mysterious and withdrawn from those around him. Billy teams up with another old friend to find out what's going on and as they probe Stanley's recent activities, their friend's behaviour seems more and more bizarre and frightening.

Markimdb: 7.7
Genredrama
CountryUSA
Duration02:09

Frank Galvin is a down-on-his-luck lawyer and reduced to drinking and ambulance chasing, when a former associate reminds him of his obligations in a medical malpractice suit by serving it to Galvin on a silver platter—all parties are willing to settle out of court. Blundering his way through the preliminaries, Galvin suddenly realizes that the case should actually go to court—to punish the guilty, to get a decent settlement for his clients... and to restore his standing as a lawyer.

Markimdb: 7.3
Genrethriller, drama, crime, biography
CountryCanada, USA

"To Catch a Killer" tells the true gruesome story of John Wayne Gacy - a good friend and helpful neighbour, a great child entertainer, a respectful businessman, and a violent serial killer who raped and murdered over 30 young boys.

Markimdb: 6.1
Genrethriller, drama
CountryUSA
Duration02:08

A computer specialist is sued for sexual harassment by a former lover turned boss who initiated the act forcefully, which threatens both his career and his personal life.

Markimdb: 6.9
Genrethriller, drama, crime, detective, history
CountryUSA
Duration01:52

A reporter becomes the target of a vicious smear campaign that drives him to the point of suicide after he exposes the CIA's role in arming Contra rebels in Nicaragua and importing cocaine into California. Based on the true story of journalist Gary Webb.

Markimdb: 7.3
Genrethriller, melodrama, drama, crime, military, biography
CountryUnited Kingdom, USA, Luxembourg, China
Duration01:37

The true story of British intelligence whistleblower Katharine Gun who—prior to the 2003 Iraq invasion—leaked a top-secret NSA memo exposing a joint US-UK illegal spying operation against members of the UN Security Council. The memo proposed blackmailing member states into voting for war.

Markimdb: 6.6
Genrethriller, drama, crime
CountryUSA, United Kingdom
Duration02:12

A young district attorney seeking to prove a case against a corrupt police detective encounters a former lover and her new protector, a crime boss who refuse to help him.

Markimdb: 5.4
Genrethriller, drama, crime
CountryUSA
Duration01:47

Valerie is a juror in the trail of a mob boss. When her young son's life is threatened, she has no option other than to see that justice isn't done.

Markimdb: 5.7
Genrethriller, drama
CountryUSA
Duration01:43

Upon taking a new job, young lawyer Rick Hayes is assigned to the clemency case of Cindy Liggett, a woman convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to death. As Hayes investigates the background for her case, the two begin to form a deep friendship, while all the while the date for her execution draws nearer.

Markimdb: 7.3
Genreaction, thriller, melodrama, drama, crime
CountryUSA, France
Duration02:13

    A married couple's life is turned upside down when the wife is accused of a murder. Lara Brennan is arrested for murdering her boss with whom she had an argument. It seems she was seen leaving the scene of the crime and her fingerprints were on the murder weapon. Her husband, John would spend the next few years trying to get her released, but there's no evidence that negates the evidence against her. And when the strain of being separated from her family, especially her son, gets to her, John decides to break her out. So he does a lot of research to find a way.

    Markimdb: 7.4
    Genrethriller, drama
    CountryUSA
    Duration02:02

    While doing a series of reports on alternative energy sources, opportunistic reporter Kimberly Wells witnesses an accident at a nuclear power plant. Wells is determined to publicize the incident, but soon finds herself entangled in a sinister conspiracy to keep the full impact of the incident a secret.

    Markimdb: 4.4
    Genreaction, thriller, drama
    CountryUSA

    When the son of a successful judge is killed by two police officers and the system sets them free, a hardened veteran detective finds some incriminating files on the officers and the judge teams up with another mourning father to take the law into his own hands.

    Markimdb: 6.9
    Genrethriller, melodrama, drama, crime
    CountryArgentina, Chile, France, South Korea
    Duration01:47

    In Argentina over 8,000 people die in traffic accidents every year. Behind each of these tragedies is a flourishing industry founded on insurance payouts and legal loopholes. Sosa is a lawyer who tours the A&E Departments of the public hospitals and the police stations in search of potential clients. Luján is a young doctor recently arrived from the provinces. Their love story kicks off one night when Luján and Sosa meet in the street. She's trying to save a man's life; he wants him on his client portfolio

    Markimdb: 6.9
    Genrethriller, drama, crime, detective
    CountryUSA
    Duration01:42

    A Jewish homicide detective investigates a seemingly minor murder and falls in with a Zionist group as a result.

    Markimdb: 7.2
    Genrethriller, drama, crime, detective
    CountryIndia
    Duration01:53

    Prime leader of a campaign against a big government project is killed in what appears to be a road accident. An IAS officer is ordered to probe the incident and the veils of falsehood begin to drop.

    Markimdb: 6.6
    Genrethriller, drama, crime, detective
    CountryUSA
    Duration02:07

    Boozer, skirt chaser, careless father. You could create your own list of reporter Steve Everett's faults but there's no time. A San Quentin Death Row prisoner is slated to die at midnight – a man Everett has suddenly realized is innocent.

    Markimdb: 6.3
    Genrethriller, drama, crime, detective
    CountryUSA, United Kingdom, Spain, South Korea
    Duration02:32

    A tight-knit team of FBI investigators, along with their District Attorney supervisor, is suddenly torn apart when they discover that one of their own teenage daughters has been brutally murdered.

    Markimdb: 5.1
    Genrethriller, drama, detective
    CountryUSA

    Emily Parker is haunted by visions of a woman from the past soon after receiving an antique engagement ring from her fiancé.

    Markimdb: 6.1
    Genrethriller, melodrama, drama, crime, detective
    CountryGermany, USA
    Duration02:02

    A recently released ex-con gets involved in a fake kidnapping scheme that turns very real.

    Markimdb: 6
    Genrethriller, drama, detective
    CountryUSA

    The discovery of a corpse threatens to unravel a bumbling local politician's campaign for governor of Colorado.

    Markimdb: 7.1
    Genrethriller, drama
    CountryBelgium
    Duration01:40

    When his wife's murderer is released due to a procedural error, Luc will do everything in his power to stop it from happening... He is going to take justice into his own hands and will then compete with the constitutional state which let him down.

    Markimdb: 7.3
    Genreaction, thriller, drama, detective
    CountryUSA
    Duration02:20

    Hotshot Washington lawyer, Robert Dean becomes a victim of high-tech identity theft when a hacker slips an incriminating video into his pocket. Soon, a rogue National Security agent sets out to recover the tape – and destroy Dean.

    Markimdb: 7
    Genrethriller, drama, detective
    CountryNetherlands
    Duration01:54

    Young lawyer Iris discovers that she has an older, autistic half-brother Ray, who is in prison for the atrocious murder of his neighbour and her five-year-old daughter. When she meets Ray he reminds her a lot of her own son Aron, who also is autistic, and she starts to believe that he is innocent.

    Markimdb: 7.7
    Genredrama
    CountryIndia

    A sewerage worker's dead body is found inside a manhole in Mumbai. An ageing folk singer is tried in court on charges of abetment of suicide. He is accused of performing an inflammatory song which might have incited the worker to commit the act. As the trial unfolds, the personal lives of the lawyers and the judge involved in the case are observed outside the court.

    Markimdb: 6.4
    Genrethriller, drama, crime
    CountryUSA
    Duration01:30

      Sandra is the manager at a fast-food restaurant, and Becky is her teenaged counter girl who really needs the job. One stressful day, a police officer telephones and accuses Becky of stealing money from a customer’s purse, which Becky vehemently denies. Sandra, overwhelmed by her managerial responsibilities, complies with the officer’s orders to detain Becky, beginning a nightmare that tragically blurs the lines between expedience, prudence, legality and reason.

      Markimdb: 7.1
      Genrethriller, crime, detective, film noir
      CountryUSA
      Duration01:40

      Private detective and former football player Harry Moseby gets hired on to what seems a standard missing person case, as a former Hollywood actress whose only major roles came thanks to being married to a studio mogul wants Moseby to find and return her daughter. Harry travels to Florida to find her, but he begins to see a connection between the runaway girl, the world of Hollywood stuntmen, and a suspicious mechanic when an unsolved murder comes to light.

      Markimdb: 6.6
      Genrethriller, drama, crime, detective
      CountryFrance

      Francois always despised the textile barons who ruled his local town. But he fell in love with the family heiress Gilberte. Ten years ago, he would have married her. Now only hatred holds them together. Francois is accused of murder. A hooker and a football star lie slaughtered. He thinks he has been framed by the mob. Going underground, he finds that the trail leads all the way to the top - to Gilberte's family. He needs friends. And friends are hard to come by in his town.

      Markimdb: 5.9
      Genreaction, thriller, drama, crime, detective
      CountryUSA
      Duration01:40

      A tough police detective escapes from custody after being framed and arrested for the murder of his ex-wife, and must now find the real killer and prove his innocence.

      Markimdb: 6
      Genrethriller, drama, crime
      CountryUSA
      Duration01:53

      Idealistic young attorney Adam Hall takes on the death row clemency case of his racist grandfather, Sam Cayhall, a former Ku Klux Klan member he has never met.

      Markimdb: 6.3
      Genrethriller, drama, crime
      CountryUSA
      Duration02:02

      An American attorney on business in China, ends up wrongfully on trial for murder and his only key to innocence is a female defense lawyer from the country.

      Markimdb: 6.5
      Genrethriller, melodrama, drama, crime
      CountryUSA
      Duration02:05

      The beautiful Mrs. Paradine is accused of poisoning her older, blind husband. She hires married Anthony Keane as her lawyer and when he begins to fall in love with her, she encourages him.

      Markimdb: 7.9
      Genrethriller, melodrama, drama, detective, film noir
      CountryUSA
      Duration01:34

      An aspiring actress begins to suspect that her temperamental boyfriend is a murderer.

      Markimdb: 6.7
      Genrethriller, melodrama, drama, crime
      CountryUSA, United Kingdom, France
      Duration01:48

      The tale of two brothers with serious financial woes. When a third party proposes they turn to crime, things go bad and the two become enemies.

      Markimdb: 6.4
      Genrethriller, melodrama, drama, detective, military
      CountryChina, USA
      Duration01:43

      An American man returns to a corrupt, Japanese-occupied Shanghai four months before Pearl Harbor and discovers his friend has been killed. While he unravels the mysteries of the death, he falls in love and discovers a much larger secret that his own government is hiding.

      Markimdb: 6
      Genrethriller, melodrama, drama, crime
      CountryUSA

      In the Philadelphia police department, Emmett Young is a hotshot, a workaholic newly promoted to homicide. He learns he has a disease that will soon kill him painfully, so he hires a stranger to arrange his own death. With one eye on the calendar (he's allowed a few days' grace before his murder), he pursues a final case, the serial killing of young women. Emmett develops a profile of the assailant. Meanwhile, his fixer hires an ex-cop to kill Emmett, a lonely security guard whom the fixer taunts and belittles. In this limited time, can Emmett sort out what's important? Written by

      Markimdb: 6.1
      Genrethriller, drama, crime
      CountryUSA
      Duration01:54

      The savage murders of three young children sparks a controversial trial of three teenagers accused of killing the kids as part of a satanic ritual.

      Markimdb: 6.8
      Genrethriller, drama, crime, biography
      CountryRepublic of Ireland, United Kingdom, USA
      Duration01:38

      In this true story, Veronica Guerin is an investigative reporter for an Irish newspaper. As the drug trade begins to bleed into the mainstream, Guerin decides to take on and expose those responsible. Beginning at the bottom with addicts, Guerin then gets in touch with John Traynor, a paranoid informant. Not without some prodding, Traynor leads her to John Gilligan, the ruthless head of the operation, who does not take kindly to Guerin's nosing.

      Markimdb: 6.2
      Genrethriller, melodrama, drama, crime, detective
      CountryUSA
      Duration02:03

      Uncle John revolves around the struggle to keep a mysterious disappearance unsolved

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