What are great drama/corruption/intrigue movies?
September 5, 2011 11:10 PM Subscribe
I really liked Edge of Darkness, State of play, Michael Clayton - what movies are similar to these?
This seems to be a fairly recent change of taste of mine so older movies (20 years +) I will have missed welcomed, as well as new. I think it's the morally corrupt business greed / Government crookery I like but open to all suggestions.
This seems to be a fairly recent change of taste of mine so older movies (20 years +) I will have missed welcomed, as well as new. I think it's the morally corrupt business greed / Government crookery I like but open to all suggestions.
Sweet Smell of Success
posted by From Bklyn at 12:02 AM on September 6, 2011
posted by From Bklyn at 12:02 AM on September 6, 2011
You could do worse than tracking down the original BBC version of State of Play. Much better than the Kelly-Macdonald-less American version (and it's a deeper experience at six hours vs. two).
posted by blueberry at 12:16 AM on September 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by blueberry at 12:16 AM on September 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Boy, this describes about half the movies ever made. Here's an earlier, similar question with a lot of good answers: http://ask.metafilter.com/20360/Great-Conspiracy-Movies
posted by The Lamplighter at 12:43 AM on September 6, 2011
posted by The Lamplighter at 12:43 AM on September 6, 2011
The Departed is a great film. Has corruption and greed and intrigue and a fantastic cast to boot.
posted by badmoonrising at 3:16 AM on September 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by badmoonrising at 3:16 AM on September 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Syriana
The Parallax View
Capricorn One is along the same lines with a sci-fi edge.
Either version of The Manchurian Candidate.
China Syndrome and if you like that then the "based on a true story" Silkwood.
The Insider
Following blueberry's recommendation, the original Edge of Darkness is also a BBC series, and regarded by many in the UK as one of the best TV dramas ever.
IMDB search wise then 'cover up' should throw up some more films of interest.
posted by biffa at 3:25 AM on September 6, 2011 [2 favorites]
The Parallax View
Capricorn One is along the same lines with a sci-fi edge.
Either version of The Manchurian Candidate.
China Syndrome and if you like that then the "based on a true story" Silkwood.
The Insider
Following blueberry's recommendation, the original Edge of Darkness is also a BBC series, and regarded by many in the UK as one of the best TV dramas ever.
IMDB search wise then 'cover up' should throw up some more films of interest.
posted by biffa at 3:25 AM on September 6, 2011 [2 favorites]
You could also do a lot worse than track down the original BBC series of Edge of Darkness, too. (With Michael Kamen / Eric Clapton theme - both deeply 80s and magnificently sombre and twangtastic). Though I have no idea how you'd find it, if you can't get hold of the Region 2.
(Ah, already mentioned. I took too long.)
Also the upcoming film version of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy might by up your street (along with the BBC versions of that and Smiley's People)
And Callan, starring Edward Woodward - a prime time ITV series from the late 60s and early 70s, but if you can adjust to that, quite gripping. When I found a torrent of the series few years ago I was amazed. The same sort of moral ambiguities of le Carre, terrific performances by Woodward and Russell Hunter. It has the same sort of relationship to The Equalizer that Danger Man does to The Prisoner, except in this case I rate the former series far higher.
posted by Grangousier at 3:27 AM on September 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
(Ah, already mentioned. I took too long.)
Also the upcoming film version of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy might by up your street (along with the BBC versions of that and Smiley's People)
And Callan, starring Edward Woodward - a prime time ITV series from the late 60s and early 70s, but if you can adjust to that, quite gripping. When I found a torrent of the series few years ago I was amazed. The same sort of moral ambiguities of le Carre, terrific performances by Woodward and Russell Hunter. It has the same sort of relationship to The Equalizer that Danger Man does to The Prisoner, except in this case I rate the former series far higher.
posted by Grangousier at 3:27 AM on September 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
After you watch the original Edge of Darkness and State of Play, try The Last Enemy
posted by loosemouth at 3:33 AM on September 6, 2011
posted by loosemouth at 3:33 AM on September 6, 2011
Again with a series rather than a film, but The State Within?
Though you've almost certainly seen it, All the President's Men is a journalists-investigating-a-conspiracy film. Just with a lot less action than State of Play.
posted by hoyland at 3:38 AM on September 6, 2011
Though you've almost certainly seen it, All the President's Men is a journalists-investigating-a-conspiracy film. Just with a lot less action than State of Play.
posted by hoyland at 3:38 AM on September 6, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks all - I have some great viewing coming up. And Lamplighter thanks for the link...'conspiracy' wasn't a word I searched - silly me.
posted by fatmouse at 3:50 AM on September 6, 2011
posted by fatmouse at 3:50 AM on September 6, 2011
Three Days of the Condor
No Way Out
Enemy of the State
Sneakers
Spy Game
The Firm
posted by Ellemeno at 4:43 AM on September 6, 2011
No Way Out
Enemy of the State
Sneakers
Spy Game
The Firm
posted by Ellemeno at 4:43 AM on September 6, 2011
Best answer: There have been two movie versions of ALL THE KING'S MEN, but the Robert Redford movie being referred to in the first comment is ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN, as other have recommended. ATPM is a good bellwether as to how well your temperament suits art cinema-inflected New Hollywood-vintage movies. If you really dig ATPM, then I strongly recommend THE PARALLAX VIEW, maybe my favorite military/industrial paranoia movie, and THE PRESIDENT'S ANALYST, one of the top 10 comedies in this genre. DUPLICITY, the follow-up from the writer/director of MICHAEL CLAYTON, is another on that top 10. And after you've seen John Frankenheimer's original THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE, don't miss Frankenheimer's SECONDS -- one of the most wrenching conspiracy movies, although if what you dig most about these stories is the global stakes, you might consider its secret society somewhat minor.
posted by blueshammer at 7:17 AM on September 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by blueshammer at 7:17 AM on September 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
If you're willing to include TV you should definitely try the House of Cards trilogy (House of Cards, To play the King and The Final Cut). You might also enjoy Spooks and although Yes (Prime) Minister is probably too light-hearted for your taste it's still a brilliant bit of political satire.
posted by rjs at 11:22 AM on September 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by rjs at 11:22 AM on September 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
Another possibilitiy is the Millennium series, based on the books by Stieg Larsson, though it may not be political enough for your taste (there's plenty of corruption, though).
posted by rjs at 11:26 AM on September 6, 2011
posted by rjs at 11:26 AM on September 6, 2011
Don't miss The Verdict, directed by the incomparable Sidney Lumet and starring the equally incomparable Paul Newman. Also, they're a mixed bag but still great viewing: the Bourne movies. Along similiar lines, one of my all-time favorites is Marathon Man.
posted by thinkpiece at 4:22 PM on September 6, 2011
posted by thinkpiece at 4:22 PM on September 6, 2011
And Callan, starring Edward Woodward - a prime time ITV series from the late 60s and early 70s, but if you can adjust to that, quite gripping.
There is also a film version of Callan, if you can get hold of it. Notably, it is referenced quite heavily in the recent League of Extraordinary Gentleman - 1969.
posted by biffa at 12:40 PM on September 8, 2011
There is also a film version of Callan, if you can get hold of it. Notably, it is referenced quite heavily in the recent League of Extraordinary Gentleman - 1969.
posted by biffa at 12:40 PM on September 8, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
Breach
Wag the Dog
All the King's Men and The Candidate both with Robert Redford
JFK by Oliver Stone
The Conversation
posted by Juicy Avenger at 11:26 PM on September 5, 2011