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Lord of War poster

Movies that feel likeLord of War (2005)

Yuri Orlov is a globetrotting arms dealer and, through some of the deadliest war zones, he struggles to stay one step ahead of a relentless Interpol agent, his business rivals and even some of his customers who include many of the world's most notorious dictators. Finally, he must also face his own conscience.

If you loved Lord of War, the closest films we have are We Own the Night (2007), Phone Booth (2003) and Layer Cake (2004). All three share Lord of War's gritty and tense feel, which is what we rank on before quality.

Seen the big three already? The under-the-radar pick below is 36th Precinct (2004).

πŸ… 62% Rotten Tomatoesβ˜… 7.6 IMDb β†—TMDB β†—dir. Andrew Niccolgrittycontemplativetense
9 of 12 streaming nowNetflix Β· HBO Max Β· Amazon Prime Video

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If Lord of War hit the spot, these will too

We Own the Night poster
We Own the Night
2007 Β· dir. James Gray
πŸ… 57%β˜… 6.8drama Β· crime Β· thriller

Both rooted in New York City

A New York nightclub manager tries to save his brother and father from Russian mafia hitmen.

Phone Booth poster
Phone Booth
2003 Β· dir. Joel Schumacher
πŸ… 72%β˜… 7.1thriller Β· crimePrime Video

Both land grit and tension at once

The difference: Easier on the stillness than Lord of War

A slick New York publicist who picks up a ringing receiver in a phone booth is told that if he hangs up, he'll be killed... and the little red light from a laser rifle sight is proof that the caller isn't kidding.

Layer Cake poster
Layer Cake
2004 Β· dir. Matthew Vaughn
πŸ… 81%β˜… 7.2drama Β· thriller Β· crime

Common ground: cocaine

When a seemingly straight-forward drug deal goes awry, XXXX has to break his die-hard rules and turn up the heat, not only to outwit the old regime and come out on top, but to save his own skin...

Memories of Murder poster
Memories of Murder
2003 Β· dir. Bong Joon Ho
β˜… 8.1crime Β· drama Β· thriller

One thread runs through both: a true story

A sadistic serial rapist and murderer of young women terrorizes a small province in 1980s South Korea. To prevent further crimes, three increasingly desperate detectives with conflicting methods race against time to unravel the violent mind of the killer in a futile effort to solve the case.

Killing Them Softly poster
Killing Them Softly
2012 Β· dir. Andrew Dominik
πŸ… 74%β˜… 6.2crime Β· thriller

Both are built on the same subject: hotel

Jackie Cogan is an enforcer hired to restore order after three dumb guys rob a Mob protected card game, causing the local criminal economy to collapse.

The Bank Job poster
The Bank Job
2008 Β· dir. Roger Donaldson
πŸ… 79%β˜… 7.2thriller Β· crime Β· dramaPrime Video

The same preoccupation in both: a true story

Terry is a small-time car dealer trying to leave his shady past behind and start a family. Martine is a beautiful model from Terry's old neighbourhood who knows that Terry is no angel. When Martine proposes a foolproof plan to rob a bank, Terry recognises the danger but realises this may be the opportunity of a lifetime.

Legend poster
Legend
2015 Β· dir. Brian Helgeland
πŸ… 60%β˜… 6.9crime Β· thriller

Both lean on grit more than on crime

Suave, charming and volatile, Reggie Kray and his unstable twin brother Ronnie start to leave their mark on the London underworld in the 1960s. Using violence to get what they want, the siblings orchestrate robberies and murders while running nightclubs and protection rackets. With police Detective Leonard "Nipper" Read hot on their heels, the brothers continue their rapid rise to power and achieve tabloid notoriety.

A History of Violence poster
A History of Violence
2005 Β· dir. David Cronenberg
πŸ… 88%β˜… 7.4drama Β· thriller Β· crimeMax

Contemplative drama in both cases

The difference: Critics rated this one higher still

An average family is thrust into the spotlight after the father commits a seemingly self-defense murder at his diner.

36th Precinct poster
36th Precinct
2004 Β· dir. Olivier Marchal
πŸ… 100%β˜… 7.1crime Β· drama Β· thriller

Contemplative thriller, and it commits to that

In Paris, two cops are competing for the vacant job of chief of police, in the middle of the search for a gang of violent thieves. The movie is directed by Olivier Marchal, a former police officer who spent 12 years with the French police before creating this story, taken in part from real events of the 1980s.

Collateral poster
Collateral
2004 Β· dir. Michael Mann
πŸ… 86%β˜… 7.5drama Β· crime Β· thrillerPrime VideoParamount+

Crime built on tension, twice over

Cab driver Max picks up a man who offers him $600 to drive him around. But the promise of easy money sours when Max realizes his fare is an assassin.

The Unjust poster
The Unjust
2010 Β· dir. Ryoo Seung-wan
β˜… 6.5crime Β· thrillerNetflix

Thriller with a pulse of grit, in both cases

An honest cop has to compromise with his principles when he is told to find a scapegoat for a high-profile serial killer case in exchange for a big promotion.

Irreversible poster
Irreversible
2002 Β· dir. Gaspar NoΓ©
πŸ… 60%β˜… 7.3drama Β· thriller Β· crime

Both lean on stillness more than on drama

A woman’s lover and her ex-boyfriend take justice into their own hands after she becomes the victim of a rapist. Because some acts can’t be undone. Because man is an animal. Because the desire for vengeance is a natural impulse. Because most crimes remain unpunished.

In the mood for more gritty?

all gritty movies β†’

The best-reviewed films that share Lord of War’s defining feeling.