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Last Updated: December 1st
In case you were somehow unaware:
- The world isn’t just made up of good guys and bad guys.
- People in jail didn’t necessarily commit the crimes for which they were convicted…
- but some of them did.
- Criminal activity isn’t innate and doesn’t happen in a vacuum.
- The economy intersects with the justice system.
These statements are all valid, though the world would be so much simpler if they weren’t. Plus, this list of documentaries would be a whole lot less complicated and moving.
As it stands, the list below is made up of some of the best crime documentaries on Netflix, and every one of them is a quality film with complex subject matter and compelling human interest. There are no easy answers offered, but there’s still plenty to keep you watching.
Out of Thin Air
You probably don’t know Iceland has a most notorious murder case, but it does. In 1974, two unrelated men disappeared and were never found. At the time, Iceland was a pastoral idyll, and thus, the nation was rocked by the crimes and the subsequent trials. And, though six people ended up going to prison, they allege their confessions were the result of lengthy, intensive interrogations.
This is a dark, moody doc with a lot of information, but no clean resolution.
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The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson
In 1992, Marsha P. Johnson was found floating in the Hudson River. The police declared it a suicide, but friends of the trans activist rejected that entirely. This film is set up as a mystery, using activist Victoria Cruz as a detective and a stand-in for the audience. While trying to find out whodunit, the film does a great job of celebrating Johnsons’ impact on the LGBT community and her lasting political legend.
They Call Us Monsters
The juvenile justice system is in desperate need of reform, but that hinges on being able to answer some truly difficult questions. This documentary focuses on three juvenile offenders who have signed up to take a 20-week screenwriting class. Each of them has either been convicted of attempted and/or first-degree murder. The film focuses so fully on the young men and their average teen ways that it doesn’t always take enough time to explore their crimes, but otherwise, it’s compelling viewing.
Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer
In 1992, Nick Broomfield made Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer. This is his 2003 follow-up. This time, her execution is pending and the filmmaker returns to Florida to demonstrate Wuornos’ state of mind and to attend the evidentiary hearing. Convicted of killing seven men while working as a hooker, Wuornos continued to argue until the end that the killings were self-defense but that she plead no contest after being worn down. This has it all: serial killer, death penalty issues, and courtroom drama.
Amanda Knox
Right now, the crime doc section is heavy on television shows and light on films. Among the few films are a lot of Netflix Originals, like this one. Amanda Knox was twice convicted and later acquitted of the murder of her roommate Meredith Kercher. The film recounts the murder, as well as the investigation, trials, and appeals. There are times when the viewer will want more information, but the running time doesn’t allow for every detail of the case to be covered.
It does however do a fine job of highlighting places where the investigators and journalists fumbled.
Icarus
This is one of those films that intended to be one thing and turned out to be a completely different, much better thing. Filmmaker Bryan Fogel wanted to show how easy it is to dope in competitive cycling without being caught. As part of his efforts, he met with Grigory Rodchenkov, the truly bizarre director of Moscow’s Anti-Doping Centre. As filming continued, Rodchenkov got comfortable and began laying out all of the underhanded methods he used to help Russian athletes take home gold at the Sochi Winter Olympics. It just gets stranger from there.
Audrie & Daisy
Some crime docs are exciting because they are about heists or murders. Then, there are the ones about rape. Audrie & Daisy is the story of three cases of sexual assault, with the focus on Audrie Pott and Daisy Coleman, who were 15 and 14 respectively at the time of their attacks. The documentary shows the aftermath of the incidents, including the police investigations, court records, and social media posting. The extent of the bullying that occurred once their respective towns closed ranks to protect the young men accused of these crimes is astounding. It’s not an easy watch, but it also isn’t provocative for the sake of being provocative.
Into the Abyss
Written and directed by Werner Herzog, this film focuses on a triple homicide in Conroe, Texas and the two men convicted of the crime. There isn’t a lot of narration, and you won’t spot Herzog as you do in many of his movies. Instead, it is primarily interviews with Michael Perry, who was executed eight days after filming; the families of his victims; and law enforcement. This is a subtle exploration of complicated situation, and it will leave you troubled and looking for someone you can talk to about it.
The Imposter
Your son disappears, at the age of 13, in 1994. In 1997, he is found in Spain alleging that he was kidnapped for purposes of sexual abuse and transported from Texas to Spain. This fools officials in Spain and the U.S., until a tenacious P.I. and an FBI investigator discover the truth. How can that not be fiction? The Imposter covers the underhanded work of confidence man Frédéric Bourdin and combines it with interviews, archival footage, and reenactments. This is another award-winning documentary and rightfully so.
Cocaine Cowboys
In this documentary, the 1970s and ’80s drug trade in Florida is the subject. Of particular importance? Cocaine. Distribution and the connection to Miami’s economy are given a lot of attention, as is gangland violence. A revised and extended version of the film called Cocaine Cowboys: Reloaded is also available through Netflix.
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