Movies like A Sinister Research (2023)
The best movies like A Sinister Research (2023) are Inside Man (2023), The Quiller Memorandum (1966) and The Initiated (2023). If A Sinister Research hooked you with its drama and thriller, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedFacing El Chapo (2026)8.7/10 from 989 votes
- NewestFacing El Chapo (2026)Released 2026
- In SpanishAll the Names of God (2023)Also in Spanish
Inside 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 thriller & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Quiller Memorandum (1966)
After two British Secret Intelligence Service agents are murdered at the hands of a cryptic neo-Nazi group known as Phoenix, the suave agent Quiller is sent to Berlin to investigate.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both thriller & drama
SnoozefestMovies like thisThe Initiated (2023)
Based on the novels by Colombian writer Mario Mendoza and on the character of detective Frank Molina, the filming of Los Initiados took place in Bogotá. In the saga of Frank Molina, which uses the books Lady Massacre, La melancolia de los feos, El diario del fin del mundo and Akelarre, the story of an alcoholic private investigator who unmasks sinister plots within the underworld of Bogotá is told.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both thriller & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Truth About Emanuel (2013)
A troubled young woman becomes obsessed with her mysterious new neighbor, who bears a striking resemblance to the girl's dead mother.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & thriller
Popcorn FlickMovies 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 & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisTyler Perry's Duplicity (2025)
High-powered attorney Marley faces her most personal case yet when she is tasked with uncovering the truth behind the murder of her best friend Fela’s husband. With the help of her boyfriend – a former cop turned private investigator – Marley’s search for what really happened leads her down a treacherous maze of deception and betrayal.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both thriller & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisAll the Names of God (2023)
After being implicated in a terrorist attack, Santi, a taxi driver, is taken hostage by one of the perpetrators.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & thriller
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Public Eye (1992)
A crime photographer gets involved in a conspiracy.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & thriller
Popcorn FlickMovies like this600 Miles (2015)
Arnulfo Rubio smuggles weapons from Arizona to Mexico for a drug cartel, but he is being investigated by agent Harris. When agent Harris blows his covers, he and Arnulfo end up in a journey where he will be the hostage of this young criminal.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both thriller & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisOne Night in Bangkok (2020)
A hit man named Kai flies into Bangkok, gets a gun, and orders a cab. He offers a professional female driver big money to be his all-night driver. But when she realizes Kai is committing brutal murders at each stop, it's too late to walk away. Meanwhile, an offbeat police detective races to decode the string of slayings before more blood is spilled.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both thriller & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisEach Dawn I Die (1939)
A corrupt D.A. with governatorial ambitions is annoyed by an investigative reporter's criticism of his criminal activities and decides to frame the reporter for manslaughter in order to silence him.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & thriller
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisPeppermint Frappé (1967)
Julián, a middle-aged single doctor, is reunited with Pablo, a childhood friend who has just married Elena, a beautiful young woman.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & thriller
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisIn Too Deep (1999)
Drug lord Dwayne Gittens rules Cincinnati with an iron fist. No wonder he's known as "God" on the streets. Determined to break Gittens' stranglehold on the city is undercover cop Jeffrey Cole. But as Cole takes on an assumed identity to penetrate Gittens' criminal empire, he makes a disturbing discovery -- he kind of likes being a gangster.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & thriller
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Quietude (2018)
Against the backdrop of a military dictatorship, Eugenia is reunited with her estranged family following her father’s stroke and is forced to confront dark secret.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both thriller & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Detective (1968)
New York City Police detective Joe Leland investigates the grisly murder of Teddy Leikman, the gay son of a politically influential department store owner. While investigating, he discovers links to official corruption in NYC in this drama that delves into a world of sex and drugs, homophobia, homosexuality and bisexuality.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
SnoozefestMovies like thisThe International (2009)
An interpol agent and an attorney are determined to bring one of the world's most powerful banks to justice. Uncovering money laundering, arms trading, and conspiracy to destabilize world governments, their investigation takes them from Berlin, Milan, New York and Istanbul. Finding themselves in a chase across the globe, their relentless tenacity puts their own lives at risk.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both thriller
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Snitch Cartel (2011)
The real life story of Andres Lopez Lopez aka "Frecita" during his years involved with the Colombian Cartel aka "Cartel Norte del Valle"
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisTogo (2022)
Togo just wants to watch his neighbors' homes, wash their cars and clean up their sidewalks. But the drug traffickers want more from him.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisFacing El Chapo (2026)
Two Mexican officers must survive the final hours of their shift after crossing a ruthless cartel boss.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both thriller
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisThe Seven-Ups (1973)
A tough detective who is part of an elite New York City unit is trying to find out who killed his partner, but uncovers a plot to kidnap mobsters for money.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both thriller
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSeparate Ways (2026)
The story follows Leah, a resilient young woman navigating a world reshaped by a sudden and terrifying outbreak. As society collapses and the threat of the undead looms, Leah struggles not only to survive the new dangers around her but also to process the emotional weight of her past. Through haunting flashbacks, we glimpse her relationship with Mason-her longtime partner-and the unresolved tensions, love, and missed moments that defined their life before everything changed. Blending intimate relationship drama with apocalyptic horror, the film explores how ordinary human conflicts are magnified in extraordinary circumstances. As Leah moves between memories of what once was and the harsh reality of what now is, she's forced to confront loss, love, and the difficult choices that come with survival.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama & thriller
The Clay Cup or The Clown (2026)
A girl trapped in a dream revisiting her past.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both thriller & drama
Wonder When You'll Miss Me (2021)
A young girl with a difficult past runs away from Italy with her overweight girlfriend. An "on the road" story set in Europe in which the two girls, having joined a circus of young artists, are forced to see their dreams come true.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Haachi (TBA)
A young couple and a married pair, both suffering from colds, argue over trivial matters, leading to a major ego clash by the end of the day.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
How To Hide It (2026)
A moment of weakness after a humiliating breakup leads Zahra, a young Muslim woman to play a forbidden lottery ticket. Her chance at escape becomes a spiritual crisis. While her coworker dreams of riches, she’s certain Allah is watching and waiting.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Interview Record of New Artists (2026)
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Pedro Navaja (2026)
The short film recreates the final scene of the 1984 film of the same name. The story centers on the encounter between Pedro Navaja and his wife Rosa, whose conflict leads to a violent confrontation that ends with the death of both characters.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like A Sinister Research?
The closest matches to A Sinister Research are Inside Man (2023), The Quiller Memorandum (1966) and The Initiated (2023). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after A Sinister Research?
Start with Inside Man (2023), the closest match to A Sinister Research.
What is the highest-rated movie like A Sinister Research?
Facing El Chapo (2026), rated 8.7/10 by 989 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like A Sinister Research?
Facing El Chapo (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there Spanish movies like A Sinister Research?
Yes: All the Names of God (2023), 600 Miles (2015) and Peppermint Frappé (1967).
How are movies similar to A Sinister Research chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside A Sinister Research, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.