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10 Must-Read Crime Screenplays You Should Download
There's something about a great crime movie that just keeps you on the edge of your seat and also makes you root for the bad guys. As a writer, I try to think about the best movies in this genre and then pick apart what makes their screenplays so wonderful. To do that, you need to read them and explore. Let's dive in. Read and Download These Crime Screenplays These are all for educational purposes only! The Godfather (1972) - Screenplay by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola. Based on Puzo's novel, this screenplay is a masterclass in character development and intricate plotting, exploring themes of family, power, and the American Dream within a Mafia setting. It won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Chinatown (1974) - Written by Robert Towne. Considered by many to be a near-perfect screenplay, "Chinatown" is a complex, neo-noir mystery with sharp dialogue and a deeply cynical worldview. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Pulp Fiction (1994) - Written by Quentin Tarantino; Stories by Quentin Tarantino & Roger Avary. This film revitalized independent cinema with its non-linear narrative, pop-culture-infused dialogue, and memorable, violent set pieces. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Goodfellas (1990) - Screenplay by Nicholas Pileggi & Martin Scorsese. Adapted from Pileggi's non-fiction book "Wiseguy," this screenplay offers a visceral and unflinching look at the rise and fall of a mob associate. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. The Usual Suspects (1995) - Written by Christopher McQuarrie. Celebrated for its intricate plot and one of the most iconic twist endings in film history, this screenplay masterfully manipulates audience perception. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Fargo (1996) - Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen. This dark comedy/crime thriller is known for its unique blend of violence, quirky characters, and distinctive regional dialogue. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. L.A. Confidential (1997) - Screenplay by Brian Helgeland & Curtis Hanson. Based on James Ellroy's novel, this complex noir expertly weaves together multiple storylines of corruption and redemption in 1950s Los Angeles. It won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. The Departed (2006) - Screenplay by William Monahan. An adaptation of the Hong Kong film "Infernal Affairs," this tense thriller about an undercover cop and a mole in the police force is lauded for its sharp dialogue and intricate plot. It won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. No Country for Old Men (2007) - Screenplay by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen. Adapted from Cormac McCarthy's novel, this bleak and suspenseful neo-western crime story is praised for its minimalist dialogue, tense atmosphere, and philosophical undertones. It won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Heat (1995) - Written by Michael Mann. This epic crime saga is renowned for its realistic portrayal of professional criminals and the lawmen who hunt them, its intricate heist sequences, and its in-depth character studies. Let me know what you think in the comments.
There's something about a great crime movie that just keeps you on the edge of your seat and also makes you root for the bad guys.
As a writer, I try to think about the best movies in this genre and then pick apart what makes their screenplays so wonderful.
To do that, you need to read them and explore.
Let's dive in.
Read and Download These Crime Screenplays
These are all for educational purposes only!
- The Godfather (1972) - Screenplay by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola. Based on Puzo's novel, this screenplay is a masterclass in character development and intricate plotting, exploring themes of family, power, and the American Dream within a Mafia setting. It won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
- Chinatown (1974) - Written by Robert Towne. Considered by many to be a near-perfect screenplay, "Chinatown" is a complex, neo-noir mystery with sharp dialogue and a deeply cynical worldview. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
- Pulp Fiction (1994) - Written by Quentin Tarantino; Stories by Quentin Tarantino & Roger Avary. This film revitalized independent cinema with its non-linear narrative, pop-culture-infused dialogue, and memorable, violent set pieces. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
- Goodfellas (1990) - Screenplay by Nicholas Pileggi & Martin Scorsese. Adapted from Pileggi's non-fiction book "Wiseguy," this screenplay offers a visceral and unflinching look at the rise and fall of a mob associate. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
- The Usual Suspects (1995) - Written by Christopher McQuarrie. Celebrated for its intricate plot and one of the most iconic twist endings in film history, this screenplay masterfully manipulates audience perception. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
- Fargo (1996) - Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen. This dark comedy/crime thriller is known for its unique blend of violence, quirky characters, and distinctive regional dialogue. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
- L.A. Confidential (1997) - Screenplay by Brian Helgeland & Curtis Hanson. Based on James Ellroy's novel, this complex noir expertly weaves together multiple storylines of corruption and redemption in 1950s Los Angeles. It won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
- The Departed (2006) - Screenplay by William Monahan. An adaptation of the Hong Kong film "Infernal Affairs," this tense thriller about an undercover cop and a mole in the police force is lauded for its sharp dialogue and intricate plot. It won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
- No Country for Old Men (2007) - Screenplay by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen. Adapted from Cormac McCarthy's novel, this bleak and suspenseful neo-western crime story is praised for its minimalist dialogue, tense atmosphere, and philosophical undertones. It won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
- Heat (1995) - Written by Michael Mann. This epic crime saga is renowned for its realistic portrayal of professional criminals and the lawmen who hunt them, its intricate heist sequences, and its in-depth character studies.
Let me know what you think in the comments.
