Movies like Detained (2024)
The best movies like Detained (2024) are Righteous Kill (2008), Copycat (1995) and Cleaner (2007). If Detained hooked you with its thriller and mystery, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedMulholland Drive (2001)7.8/10 from 7,418 votes
- NewestSapiens (2026)Released 2026
Righteous Kill (2008)
Two veteran New York City detectives work to identify the possible connection between a recent murder and a case they believe they solved years ago; is there a serial killer on the loose, and did they perhaps put the wrong person behind bars?
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both crime & thriller
SnoozefestMovies like thisCopycat (1995)
An agoraphobic psychologist and a female detective must work together to take down a serial killer who copies serial killers from the past.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both thriller & crime
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisCleaner (2007)
Single father and former cop Tom Cutler has an unusual occupation: he cleans up death scenes. But when he's called in to sterilize a wealthy suburban residence after a brutal shooting, Cutler is shocked to learn he may have unknowingly erased crucial evidence, entangling himself in a dirty criminal cover-up.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both crime & thriller
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisAwake (2007)
While undergoing heart surgery, a man experiences a phenomenon called ‘anesthetic awareness’, which leaves him awake but paralyzed throughout the operation. As various obstacles present themselves, his wife must make life-altering decisions while wrestling with her own personal drama.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both thriller & crime
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisAll the Devils Are Here (2025)
After a heist, four criminals lay low in a remote safehouse, waiting for orders. As paranoia builds, one thing becomes clear — the real threat may not be outside, but among them.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both crime & mystery
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisStriking Distance (1993)
Demoted Pittsburgh cop Tom Hardy works river patrol while a serial killer targets women from his past, forcing him to conduct an unauthorized investigation to prove his innocence and expose a dirty cop.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both crime & mystery
SnoozefestMovies like thisIn Cold Light (2026)
Fresh out of prison, Ava's attempt to reclaim her drug operation collapses when she witnesses a brutal crime, forcing her to flee into a nightmarish underworld where allies are scarce and enemies multiply by the minute.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both thriller & crime
SnoozefestMovies like thisUntil Death (2007)
Anthony Stowe is a dirty cop who is hooked on heroin—and everyone hates him. After a serious accident, he is placed into an induced coma, but emerges from it a better person who wants to put things right.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both thriller & crime
SnoozefestMovies like thisRun (1991)
When a law student accidentally kills the son of a mob boss in a fight, he finds himself relentlessly pursued by the mob and the police.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both thriller & crime
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBlindfire (2020)
A police officer who while responding to a violent hostage call, kills the African American suspect only to later learn of his innocence. Sensing this was a set-up, and facing repercussions, he must track down the person responsible while examining his own accountability and the ingrained racism which brought him to this point.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both crime & thriller
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMy Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done (2010)
Brad has committed murder and barricaded himself inside his house. With the help of his friends and neighbours, the cops piece together the strange tale of how this nice young man arrived at such a dark place.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both crime & thriller
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Virtuoso (2021)
Danger, deception and murder descend upon a sleepy town when a professional assassin accepts a new assignment from his enigmatic boss.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both thriller & crime
SnoozefestMovies like thisInside Man (2023)
Based on true events. A disgraced police detective seeking redemption goes undercover to expose a violent crime syndicate. But as he sinks deeper into the mob, the price for absolution may be higher than he can afford.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both crime & thriller
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisFrank and Penelope (2022)
A tale of love and violence when a man on his emotional last legs finds a savior seductively dancing in a run-down strip club. And a life most certainly headed off a cliff suddenly becomes redirected - as everything is now worth dying for.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both thriller & crime
Worth the HypeMovies like thisWar (2007)
FBI agent Jack Crawford is out for revenge when his partner is killed and all clues point to the mysterious assassin Rogue. But when Rogue turns up years later to take care of some unfinished business, he triggers a violent clash of rival gangs. Will the truth come out before it's too late? And when the dust settles, who will remain standing?
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both crime & thriller
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisTwilight (1998)
A retired detective accepts a simple task, unaware that it will tear open old, forgotten, but deadly wounds.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both crime & thriller
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Rookie (1990)
Veteran cop Nick Pulovski is used to playing musical partners; many of the partners he's had in the past have died on the job, and often as a result of Nick's risky tactics. But the rookie who's been assigned to help Nick bust a carjacking ring is almost as hotheaded as he is … and when Nick gets kidnapped, his newbie partner is his only hope.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both crime & thriller
SnoozefestMovies like thisThe System (2022)
When a young soldier, newly returned from war, gets caught up in a drug bust, he is recruited by the authorities to go undercover in a notoriously dangerous prison in order to figure out what is really going on.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both crime & thriller
Worth the HypeMovies like thisNeighborhood Watch (2025)
When a mentally ill young man thinks he witnesses an abduction and the police refuse to believe him, he reluctantly turns to his next door neighbor – a bitter, retired security guard – to help him find the missing woman.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both thriller & crime
Popcorn FlickMovies like this180 (2026)
When an unexpected road rage incident puts his son in critical condition, an enraged father spirals down a dark path of emotional turmoil and vengeance.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both thriller & crime
SnoozefestMovies like thisThursday (1998)
A former Los Angeles drug dealer moves far away to Texas, making a new life for himself as a married architect in the suburbs. His old crime partner unexpectedly shows up with heroin and gangster business, attracting a slew of violent unsavory characters.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both thriller & crime
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSicario (2015)
An idealistic FBI agent is enlisted by a government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S. and Mexico.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both crime & thriller
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Forgotten (2004)
Telly Paretta is a grieving mother struggling to cope with the loss of her 9-year-old son. She is stunned when her psychiatrist reveals that she has created nine years of memories about a son she never had. But when she remembers a man who had a similar experience, Telly embarks on a search to prove her son's existence, and her sanity.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both thriller & mystery
SnoozefestMovies like thisThe Jacket (2005)
A military veteran goes on a journey into the future, where he can foresee his death and is left with questions that could save his life and those he loves.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both mystery & thriller
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisUnknown (2006)
Five men wake up in a locked-down warehouse with no memory of who they are. They are forced to figure out who is good and who is bad to stay alive.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both mystery & thriller
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisAdikkurippu (1989)
Basheer is rescued by a cargo ship while lost at sea. Basheer has had a partial memory loss and he struggles to find out what has happened to him. The captain of the ship tries to get him back to land, but he runs into several legal troubles due to the lack of documents with Basheer to prove his identity. Bhaskara Pillai, a lawyer decides to help out Basheer seeing his plight. The plot thickens when there's an attempted murder on Basheer.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both mystery & thriller
Amnesia: The James Brighton Enigma (2005)
A young man wakes up naked on a pallet on the street in Montreal. Who is he, what is his name? How did he get here? The only thing he seems to remember is that he's gay. And so begins one of the most compelling gay-themed mysteries we’ve seen. Based on a true story, this young man has been through some trauma that caused his memory loss -- or is he an imposter avoiding the law in some way?
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both mystery & thriller
Sapiens (2026)
Na Do-han, a man with Dissociative Identity Disorder, shares his body with four different identities. One dawn, he wakes up in a motel with blood-soaked hands and the word 'Run!' scrawled on a mirror. Soon linked to the disappearance of a wealthy corporate heir, Do-han becomes the prime suspect. Concurrently pursued by corporate lawyer Seo Hee-jae, he must interrogate his own identities, each concealing a secret.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both thriller & mystery
Mulholland Drive (2001)
Blonde Betty Elms has only just arrived in Hollywood to become a movie star when she meets an enigmatic brunette with amnesia. Meanwhile, as the two set off to solve the second woman's identity, filmmaker Adam Kesher runs into ominous trouble while casting his latest project.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both thriller & mystery
Worth the HypeMovies like thisPilgrim (2000)
A beautiful artist helps an amnesiac piece together his identity and evade a gangster on his trail.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both thriller & mystery
Like Detained and something else?
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Detained?
The closest matches to Detained are Righteous Kill (2008), Copycat (1995) and Cleaner (2007). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Detained?
Start with Righteous Kill (2008), the closest match to Detained.
What is the highest-rated movie like Detained?
Mulholland Drive (2001), rated 7.8/10 by 7,418 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Detained?
Sapiens (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like Detained?
Yes: Righteous Kill (2008), Copycat (1995) and Cleaner (2007).
How are movies similar to Detained chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Detained, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.