Best Movies like Nightcrawler (2014)

Taxi Driver also centers on a loner navigating the nocturnal streets of a major city and becoming entangled in society’s underbelly, exploring moral ambiguity and the psychological impact of urban life.

Suffering from insomnia, disturbed loner Travis Bickle takes a job as a New York City cabbie, haunting the streets nightly, growing increasingly detached from reality as he dreams of cleaning up the filthy city. Taxi Driver is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 54m runtime, released in 1976 with an average rating of 8.1 by 13,607 people. The movie made an estimated total of $28,579,636 in the box office.

Network explores the ethics and sensationalism of television news, delving into how media shapes reality—echoing Nightcrawler’s focus on the pressures and manipulations of broadcast journalism for ratings and shock value.

When veteran anchorman Howard Beale is forced to retire his 25-year post because of his age, he announces to viewers that he will kill himself during his farewell broadcast. Network executives rethink their decision when his fanatical tirade results in a spike in ratings. Network is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 2m runtime, released in 1976 with an average rating of 7.8 by 2,069 people. The movie made an estimated total of $23,700,000 in the box office.

Broadcast News focuses on the cutthroat world of TV journalism, highlighting the personal and ethical conflicts faced by reporters and producers vying for compelling stories, paralleling the professional dilemmas depicted in Nightcrawler.

A high-strung news producer finds herself in a love triangle between a talented but self-doubting reporter and a charming news anchor who embodies the growing trivialization of news that she is determined to fight against. Broadcast News is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 13m runtime, released in 1987 with an average rating of 6.8 by 473 people. The movie made an estimated total of $67,330,500 in the box office.

Collateral, like Nightcrawler, is set in nighttime Los Angeles and follows characters navigating crime and moral choices, while the city backdrop intensifies the characters’ descent into the darker aspects of their professions.

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. Collateral is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 0m runtime, released in 2004 with an average rating of 7.2 by 6,384 people. The movie made an estimated total of $220,239,925 in the box office.

Gone Girl examines media manipulation and public perception surrounding crime, drawing thematic connections with Nightcrawler’s critique of news sensationalism and how ambitious individuals shape their narratives.

With his wife's disappearance having become the focus of an intense media circus, a man sees the spotlight turned on him when it's suspected that he may not be innocent. Gone Girl is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 29m runtime, released in 2014 with an average rating of 7.9 by 20,182 people. The movie made an estimated total of $370,890,259 in the box office.

Zodiac, another crime drama set in a city, follows the obsessive pursuit of crime stories, where the protagonists’ personal lives and journalistic professions intertwine, similar to the driven investigative focus seen in Nightcrawler.

Over the course of a decade, editors of the San Francisco Chronicle entice themselves in the murders of the Zodiac Killer. However, as time runs its course, interest in the case dwindles in the eyes of the professionals. The Killer stops interacting with the public. However, believing he has the answers, an amateur cartoonist from the initial sightings races against time to prevent what he believes is another murder. Zodiac is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 37m runtime, released in 2007 with an average rating of 7.5 by 11,714 people. The movie made an estimated total of $84,785,914 in the box office.

Murder by Numbers investigates the psychological motivations behind crime and the methods employed to document or solve it, aligning with Nightcrawler’s deep dive into the blurred boundaries between observer and participant.

Tenacious homicide detective Cassie Mayweather and her still-green partner are working a murder case, attempting to profile two malevolently brilliant young men: cold, calculating killers whose dark secrets might explain their crimes. Murder by Numbers is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 0m runtime, released in 2002 with an average rating of 6.2 by 1,192 people. The movie made an estimated total of $56,714,147 in the box office.

Christine profiles the personal and professional challenges faced by a real-life TV reporter, examining ambition and the darker pressures of broadcast journalism—similar to Nightcrawler’s exploration of a journalist’s relentless pursuit of compelling stories.

In 1974, television reporter Christine Chubbuck struggles with depression and professional frustrations as she tries to advance her career. Christine is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 3m runtime, released in 2016 with an average rating of 6.9 by 414 people. The movie made an estimated total of $313,465 in the box office.

The King of Comedy examines an ambitious outsider’s quest for fame within the media world, blending dark humor and an unsettling character study much like Nightcrawler’s portrayal of the lengths someone will go to achieve recognition.

Aspiring comic Rupert Pupkin attempts to achieve success in show business by stalking his idol, a late night talk-show host who craves his own privacy. The King of Comedy is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 49m runtime, released in 1982 with an average rating of 7.8 by 2,611 people. The movie made an estimated total of $2,536,000 in the box office.

Thief navigates criminal underworlds in an urban landscape, focusing on a protagonist whose professional drive leads to moral compromise—reminiscent of Lou Bloom’s journey through crime journalism in Nightcrawler.

Frank is an expert professional safecracker, specialized in high-profile diamond heists. He plans to use his ill-gotten income to retire from crime and build a nice life for himself complete with a home, wife and kids. To accelerate the process, he signs on with a top gangster for a big score. Thief is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 3m runtime, released in 1981 with an average rating of 7.2 by 865 people. The movie made an estimated total of $11,494,812 in the box office.

To Die For investigates the ambition and ethical boundaries of a journalist pursuing stardom through television, capturing similar thematic territory to Nightcrawler’s portrayal of media-driven success and its personal costs.

Suzanne Stone wants to be a world-famous news anchor and she is willing to do anything to get what she wants. What she lacks in intelligence, she makes up for in cold determination and diabolical wiles. As she pursues her goal with relentless focus, she is forced to destroy anything and anyone that may stand in her way, regardless of the ultimate cost or means necessary. To Die For is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 46m runtime, released in 1995 with an average rating of 6.6 by 902 people. The movie made an estimated total of $21,300,000 in the box office.

One Hour Photo, centered on a solitary protagonist whose work blurs ethical lines, parallels Nightcrawler in its exploration of obsession and the consequences of crossing personal boundaries in pursuit of one’s goals.

Sy Parrish has lovingly developed photographs for the Yorkin family since their son was a baby. But as the Yorkins' lives become fuller, Sy's only seems lonelier, until he eventually convinces himself he's part of their family. When Sy's picture-perfect fantasy collides with an ugly dose of reality, a bizarre and thrilling confrontation ensues. One Hour Photo is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 36m runtime, released in 2002 with an average rating of 6.7 by 1,952 people. The movie made an estimated total of $52,223,306 in the box office.

Shattered Glass explores journalistic integrity and moral compromise within news reporting, examining how ambition can erode ethics—connecting with Nightcrawler’s focus on the personal costs of chasing sensational stories.

Stephen Glass is a staff writer for the respected current events and policy magazine The New Republic and a freelance feature writer for publications such as Rolling Stone, Harper's and George. By the mid-90s, Glass' articles had turned him into one of the most sought-after young journalists in Washington, but a bizarre chain of events - chronicled in Buzz Bissinger's September 1998 Vanity Fair article - suddenly stopped his career in its tracks. Shattered Glass is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 34m runtime, released in 2003 with an average rating of 7.0 by 482 people. The movie made an estimated total of $2,944,752 in the box office.

Enemy, like Nightcrawler, stars Jake Gyllenhaal and delves into identity and psychological tension as the protagonist encounters unsettling doubles and blurred realities, sharing a sense of unease and character-driven suspense.

A mild-mannered college professor discovers a look-alike actor and delves into the other man's private affairs. Enemy is a movie from Canada in English, with a total 1h 31m runtime, released in 2014 with an average rating of 6.8 by 6,524 people. The movie made an estimated total of $3,396,726 in the box office.

The Insider deals with investigative journalism and the challenges journalists face when exposing corruption, providing a sharp look at media ethics similar to Nightcrawler’s critique of news professionals under ethical strain.

A research chemist comes under personal and professional attack when he decides to appear in a 60 Minutes exposé on Big Tobacco. The Insider is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 38m runtime, released in 1999 with an average rating of 7.5 by 2,110 people. The movie made an estimated total of $60,300,000 in the box office.

The Talented Mr. Ripley features a protagonist who infiltrates new environments and reshapes his identity for personal advancement, thematically aligning with Nightcrawler’s examination of ambition and shifting morality.

Tom Ripley is a calculating young man who believes it's better to be a fake somebody than a real nobody. Opportunity knocks in the form of a wealthy U.S. shipbuilder who hires Tom to travel to Italy to bring back his playboy son, Dickie. Ripley worms his way into the idyllic lives of Dickie and his girlfriend, plunging into a daring scheme of duplicity, lies and murder. The Talented Mr. Ripley is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 20m runtime, released in 1999 with an average rating of 7.2 by 4,207 people. The movie made an estimated total of $128,798,265 in the box office.

American Psycho offers a chilling perspective on a protagonist driven by ambition and amorality, exploring the consequences of personal obsession and ethical detachment, elements echoed in Nightcrawler’s character study.

A wealthy New York investment banking executive hides his alternate psychopathic ego from his co-workers and friends as he escalates deeper into his illogical, gratuitous fantasies. American Psycho is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 42m runtime, released in 2000 with an average rating of 7.4 by 12,485 people. The movie made an estimated total of $34,269,748 in the box office.

Uncut Gems follows a central character driven by relentless ambition and risky decision-making in a high-stakes urban setting, much like Lou Bloom’s determined pursuit of success in Nightcrawler.

A charismatic New York City jeweler always on the lookout for the next big score makes a series of high-stakes bets that could lead to the windfall of a lifetime. Howard must perform a precarious high-wire act, balancing business, family, and encroaching adversaries on all sides in his relentless pursuit of the ultimate win. Uncut Gems is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 16m runtime, released in 2019 with an average rating of 7.2 by 5,474 people. The movie made an estimated total of $50,023,780 in the box office.

Perfect Blue explores the psychological toll of ambition and fame as its protagonist struggles with the blurred lines between reality, performance, and media perception, echoing themes of personal transformation found in Nightcrawler.

Rising pop star Mima Kirigoe quits singing to pursue a career as an actress. After she takes up a role on a popular detective show, her handlers and collaborators begin turning up murdered. Harboring feelings of guilt and haunted by visions of her former self, Mima's reality and fantasy meld into a frenzied paranoia. Perfect Blue is a movie from Japan in Japanese, with a total 1h 21m runtime, released in 1998 with an average rating of 8.3 by 3,275 people. The movie made an estimated total of $2,743,097 in the box office.

Peeping Tom presents a character whose obsession with recording disturbing events leads to dangerous consequences, paralleling Nightcrawler’s exploration of voyeurism and the ethics of capturing violent acts for media.

Loner Mark Lewis works at a film studio during the day and, at night, takes racy photographs of women. Also he's making a documentary on fear, which involves recording the reactions of victims as he murders them. He befriends Helen, the daughter of the family living in the apartment below his, and he tells her vaguely about the movie he is making. Peeping Tom is a movie from United Kingdom in English, with a total 1h 41m runtime, released in 1960 with an average rating of 7.5 by 917 people. The movie made an estimated total of $83,957 in the box office.

The Assistant features a workplace setting where ethical boundaries are questioned and the protagonist is complicit in a toxic system, resonating with Nightcrawler’s themes of complicity and moral erosion within professional environments.

A searing look at a day in the life of an assistant to a powerful executive. As Jane follows her daily routine, she grows increasingly aware of the insidious abuse that threatens every aspect of her position. The Assistant is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 28m runtime, released in 2020 with an average rating of 6.3 by 537 people. The movie made an estimated total of $1,338,881 in the box office.

Heat also features Los Angeles as a vibrant backdrop for professional criminals and those who pursue them, linking character motivation and urban atmosphere with Nightcrawler’s portrait of morally complex protagonists.

Obsessive master thief Neil McCauley leads a top-notch crew on various daring heists throughout Los Angeles while determined detective Vincent Hanna pursues him without rest. Each man recognizes and respects the ability and the dedication of the other even though they are aware their cat-and-mouse game may end in violence. Heat is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 50m runtime, released in 1995 with an average rating of 7.9 by 8,529 people. The movie made an estimated total of $187,400,000 in the box office.

Under the Silver Lake investigates shadowy urban mysteries in Los Angeles, following a character who becomes fixated on deciphering the city’s lurking secrets—echoing Nightcrawler’s use of L.A. as a character and stage for obsession.

Young and disenchanted Sam meets a mysterious and beautiful woman who's swimming in his building's pool one night. When she suddenly vanishes the next morning, Sam embarks on a surreal quest across Los Angeles to decode the secret behind her disappearance, leading him into the murkiest depths of mystery, scandal and conspiracy. Under the Silver Lake is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 19m runtime, released in 2018 with an average rating of 6.3 by 1,632 people. The movie made an estimated total of $2,053,469 in the box office.

The Guilty is set within the world of crime response and decision-making under pressure, focusing on a protagonist whose actions blur traditional boundaries, similar to the professional risks and dilemmas faced in Nightcrawler.

Police officer Asger Holm, demoted to desk work as an alarm dispatcher, answers a call from a panicked woman who claims to have been kidnapped. Confined to the police station and with the phone as his only tool, Asger races against time to get help and find her. The Guilty is a movie from Denmark in Danish, with a total 1h 25m runtime, released in 2018 with an average rating of 7.3 by 1,862 people.

Burning involves a character drawn into obsession and ambiguity surrounding unsolved events, touching on themes of unreliable perception and interpersonal mystery echoing Nightcrawler’s narrative of blurred lines and shifting motives.

Deliveryman Jong-su is out on a job when he runs into Hae-mi, a girl who once lived in his neighborhood. She asks if he'd mind looking after her cat while she's away on a trip to Africa. On her return, she introduces to Jong-su an enigmatic young man named Ben, who she met during her trip. One day Ben tells Jong-su about his most unusual hobby. Burning is a movie from South Korea in Korean, with a total 2h 28m runtime, released in 2018 with an average rating of 7.4 by 1,849 people. The movie made an estimated total of $6,591,038 in the box office.

Man Bites Dog satirically follows a crew documenting a criminal, criticizing media complicity in violence and addressing ethical boundaries, themes closely related to Nightcrawler’s scrutiny of journalistic opportunism and spectacle.

The activities of rampaging, indiscriminate serial killer Ben are recorded by a willingly complicit documentary team, who eventually become his accomplices and active participants. Ben provides casual commentary on the nature of his work and arbitrary musings on topics of interest to him, such as music or the conditions of low-income housing, and even goes so far as to introduce the documentary crew to his family. But their reckless indulgences soon get the better of them. Man Bites Dog is a movie from France in French, with a total 1h 36m runtime, released in 1992 with an average rating of 7.2 by 1,019 people. The movie made an estimated total of $205,569 in the box office.

Ace in the Hole delves into the moral compromises of a journalist exploiting tragedy for personal gain, aligning with Nightcrawler’s assessment of ambition and media sensationalism at the expense of ethics and truth.

An arrogant reporter exploits a story about a man trapped in a cave to revitalize his career. Ace in the Hole is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 52m runtime, released in 1951 with an average rating of 7.8 by 760 people. The movie made an estimated total of $1,300,000 in the box office.

Hardcore confronts a protagonist’s entry into dangerous urban subcultures while searching for truth, paralleling Nightcrawler’s navigation of the city’s darker corners and the ethical ambiguities of its central journey.

A conservative Midwest businessman ventures into the sordid underworld of pornography in search of his runaway teenage daughter who’s making hardcore films in the pits of Los Angeles. Hardcore is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 48m runtime, released in 1979 with an average rating of 6.7 by 325 people.

Big Nothing presents characters who become entangled in criminal activity out of desperation, exploring how ambition and chance encounters can spiral into unethical choices—an angle also prevalent in Nightcrawler.

A frustrated, unemployed teacher joins forces with a scammer and his girlfriend in a blackmailing scheme. Big Nothing is a movie from United Kingdom in English, with a total 1h 26m runtime, released in 2006 with an average rating of 6.5 by 487 people.

Snake Eyes explores the intersection of crime investigation and media attention during major public events, placing characters at the center of manipulative schemes—paralleling Nightcrawler’s critical look at crimes shaped by the media spotlight.

All bets are off when shady homicide cop Rick Santoro witnesses a murder during a boxing match. Determined to solve the crime, he quickly learns that his search for answers will only uncover yet more questions in an ever-widening web of conspiracy, intrigue, and danger. Snake Eyes is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 38m runtime, released in 1998 with an average rating of 6.2 by 1,543 people. The movie made an estimated total of $103,900,000 in the box office.

The Informant! offers a study of an unconventional protagonist whose actions blur fact and fiction, drawing on themes of self-invention and moral slipperiness present in Nightcrawler’s portrayal of ambition-driven reporting.

A rising star at agri-industry giant Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Mark Whitacre suddenly turns whistleblower. Even as he exposes his company’s multi-national price-fixing conspiracy to the FBI, Whitacre envisions himself being hailed as a hero of the common man and handed a promotion. The Informant! is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 48m runtime, released in 2009 with an average rating of 6.2 by 995 people. The movie made an estimated total of $41,771,168 in the box office.

Caché addresses the invasion of privacy and unsettling revelations through surveillance, reflecting Nightcrawler’s interest in observation, documentation, and the psychological effects of exposure to violence.

Georges, host of a television show focusing on literature, receives videos shot on the sly that feature his family, along with disturbing drawings that are difficult to interpret. He has no idea who has made and sent him the videos. Progressively, the contents of the videos become more personal, indicating that the sender has known Georges for a long time. Caché is a movie from France in French, with a total 1h 58m runtime, released in 2005 with an average rating of 7.0 by 1,282 people. The movie made an estimated total of $16,197,824 in the box office.

The Conversation focuses on a character obsessively recording and analyzing the lives of others, delving into voyeurism and moral consequences, which closely mirror the central preoccupations of Nightcrawler.

A paranoid, secretive surveillance expert has a crisis of conscience when he suspects that the couple he is spying on will be murdered. The Conversation is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 55m runtime, released in 1974 with an average rating of 7.5 by 2,065 people. The movie made an estimated total of $4,794,457 in the box office.

The Asphalt Jungle centers on criminal enterprise in a metropolitan setting, featuring morally complex characters making desperate choices—an approach resonating with the urban criminal dynamics in Nightcrawler.

Recently paroled from prison, legendary burglar "Doc" Riedenschneider, with funding from Alonzo Emmerich, a crooked lawyer, gathers a small group of veteran criminals together in the Midwest for a big jewel heist. The Asphalt Jungle is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 53m runtime, released in 1950 with an average rating of 7.5 by 542 people.

The Night of the Hunter examines the threat posed by an outsider within a community and the resulting tension from predatory ambition, themes reminiscent of the outsider’s driven journey in Nightcrawler.

In Depression-era West Virginia, a serial-killing preacher hunts two young children who know the whereabouts of a stash of money. The Night of the Hunter is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 33m runtime, released in 1955 with an average rating of 7.9 by 1,865 people.

Blow Out features a protagonist who becomes embroiled in crime after recording a violent act, linking the act of documenting real-life violence with larger dangers—parallels to the premise explored in Nightcrawler.

While recording sound effects for a slasher flick, Jack Terry stumbles upon a real-life horror: a car careening off a bridge and into a river. Jack jumps into the water and fishes out Sally from the car, but the other passenger is already dead — a governor intending to run for president. As Jack does some investigating of his tapes, and starts a perilous romance with Sally, he enters a tangled web of conspiracy that might leave him dead. Blow Out is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 48m runtime, released in 1981 with an average rating of 7.4 by 1,706 people. The movie made an estimated total of $12,000,000 in the box office.

Inside Man unfolds around a tense crime scenario with multiple shifting perspectives on right and wrong, offering a nuanced take on urban morality and professional stakes that tie into Nightcrawler’s themes.

When an armed, masked gang enter a Manhattan bank, lock the doors and take hostages, the detective assigned to effect their release enters negotiations preoccupied with corruption charges he is facing. Inside Man is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 9m runtime, released in 2006 with an average rating of 7.4 by 6,463 people. The movie made an estimated total of $186,003,591 in the box office.

Kill the Messenger investigates the dangers faced by journalists uncovering criminal activity, spotlighting the ethical quandaries and personal risks inherent in investigative reporting as seen in Nightcrawler.

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. Kill the Messenger is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 52m runtime, released in 2014 with an average rating of 6.6 by 933 people. The movie made an estimated total of $5,200,000 in the box office.

Wind River presents a crime investigation in a remote setting, with attention to procedural detail and the emotional impact of violence on those who report on or witness it, echoing Nightcrawler’s intersection of observation and involvement.

An FBI agent teams with the town's veteran game tracker to investigate a murder that occurred on a Native American reservation. Wind River is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 47m runtime, released in 2017 with an average rating of 7.4 by 5,866 people. The movie made an estimated total of $44,998,252 in the box office.

The China Syndrome involves broadcast journalists entangled in a crisis that exposes ethical issues within the media and industry, offering another look at the responsibilities and pressures faced in news reporting as in Nightcrawler.

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. The China Syndrome is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 2m runtime, released in 1979 with an average rating of 7.1 by 526 people. The movie made an estimated total of $51,718,367 in the box office.

Eyes Wide Shut follows a protagonist through a psychological journey set against an alternately alluring and threatening city backdrop, sharing Nightcrawler’s fixation on nocturnal exploration and blurred lines between danger and opportunity.

After Dr. Bill Harford's wife, Alice, admits to having sexual fantasies about a man she met, Bill becomes obsessed with having a sexual encounter. He discovers an underground sexual group and attends one of their meetings -- and quickly discovers that he is in over his head. Eyes Wide Shut is a movie from United Kingdom in English, with a total 2h 39m runtime, released in 1999 with an average rating of 7.5 by 7,174 people. The movie made an estimated total of $162,100,000 in the box office.

The Gift centers on personal secrets and retribution intersecting with everyday lives, with a focus on the unforeseen consequences of individual actions, which is also a key element in Nightcrawler’s narrative structure.

Simon and Robyn are a young married couple whose life is going as planned until a chance run-in with Simon's high school acquaintance sends their world into a tailspin. The Gift is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 48m runtime, released in 2015 with an average rating of 6.7 by 3,543 people. The movie made an estimated total of $58,978,653 in the box office.