HBO has often been at the forefront of making great dramatic television, as shows like Oz and The Sopranos proved that the medium could be just as exciting as cinema. While many of HBO’s greatest dramas are praised among the best of all-time, there has never been an achievement in television quite like The Wire. David Simon’s multifaceted crime series explored the multiple levels of infrastructure involved in the drug trading scene in Baltimore, and often exposed frightening truths about the reality of America’s policing.
Praised by real law enforcement officers and educators for its amazing accuracy, The Wire is easily one of the most cinematic television shows ever made. In fact, it may be easier to compare The Wire to works of great cinema, as it has very little in common with the procedural cops shows that tend to dominate network television. Here are ten great movies to watch if you liked The Wire.
10 ‘White Boy Rick’ (2018)
Directed by Yann Demange
Image via Columbia Pictures
One of the most defining aspects of The Wire was its ability to empathize with those who were forced to take part in the criminal lifestyle; while it is easy to paint all criminals as the same, The Wire showed that the real issue was far less black and white than it was often made to seem. The excellent 2018 crime drama White Boy Rick told an incredible true story about one of the youngest gangsters in history. After becoming a drug dealer when he was a teeanger, Rick Wershe Jr. (Richie Merritt) became an undercover informant for the FBI.
Like The Wire, White Boy Rick intertwines exciting criminal action with a deeply emotional story about family and loyalty. Many of the most powerful moments in White Boy Rick are those between Wershe and his father (Matthew McConaighey), who is desperate to protect his son from being taken advantage of.
White Boy Rick
Release Date September 14, 2018
Director Yann Demange
Runtime 110
Main Genre Crime
Tagline Hustler. Informant. Kingpin. Legend.
Website http://whiteboyrick.movie
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Rent on Amazon
9 ‘Serpico’ (1973)
Directed by Sidney Lumet
Image Via Paramount
Compared to the more crowd pleasing procedural cop shows of the late 1990s, The Wire offered a far grittier depiction of law enforcement, and often took the entire justice system to task for its corrupt practices. It’s unfortunately a story that isn’t new, as Sidney Lumet’s classic 1973 crime drama Serpicoexplored the systematic corruption within the New York City Police Department. Like The Wire, Serpico examined how racial tension had resulted in many tragic instances of violence.
The Wire was well-known for giving breakout roles to many great actors, including Idris Elba, Dominic West, Michael B. Jordan, and Lance Reddick among others. Serpico is best remembered for giving Al Pacino his first great role after The Godfather. It’s the performance that solidified him as one of the great actors of the 1970s, and earned him an Academy Award nomination.
Serpico (1973)
Based on a true story, a principled police officer navigates the treacherous waters of corruption within his department. His commitment to honesty and integrity leads him on a perilous journey as he becomes an informant for the authorities, risking his career and life to expose the deep corruption embedded in law enforcement.
Release Date December 5, 1973
Cast Al Pacino , John Randolph , Jack Kehoe , Biff McGuire , Barbara Eda-Young , Cornelia Sharpe , Tony Roberts , Allan Rich
Runtime 130 minutes
Main Genre Biography
Writers Waldo Salt , Norman Wexler
Budget $3.3 million
Studio(s) Artists Entertainment Complex , Produzion De Laurentiis International Manufacturing Company S.P.A.
Distributor(s) Paramount Pictures , Columbia Pictures
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Watch on Prime Video
8 ‘Shot Caller’ (1973)
Directed by Ric Roman Waugh
Image via Saban Films
Although the series addresses such critical topics as journalism, trade, drug addiction, political corruption, and social inequity, The Wire was particularly acclaimed for its in depth examination of the flaws in the prison system. Those looking for a gritty prison drama should look no further than Shot Caller, an inventive crime thriller that explores the ability incarceration has to transform someone’s personality. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau stars as a mild-mannered businessman who is locked up in jail for a drunk driving incident; in order to survive, he must transform himself into a violent brawler.
Unlike other great crime movies, Shot Caller does not sensationalize the criminal lifestyle, nor does it go out of its way to make its lead characters seem “heroic.” The Wire contained many shocking instances of violence, but Shot Caller certainly features some brutal moments that may force even the most desensitized viewers to look away.
Watch on Netflix
7 ‘Dog Day Afternoon’ (1975)
Directed by Sidney Lumet
Image via Warner Bros.
The Wire was successful because it managed to empathize with both the cops and criminals on an individual level; it’s perhaps the overarching point of Simon’s entire filmography is that systems are to blame for infrastructural issues, and not people. After the success of Serpico, Pacino and Lumet teamed up for another gritty crime thriller with Dog Day Afternoon. Loosely based on a wild true story,Dog Day Afternoon centers on a bank robber (Pacino) who holds hostages while trying to pull off an elaborate heist.
Dog Day Afternoon examined how sexuality, social inequity, over policing, and a loss of civic values result in a tragic situation, making it a relevant film today. This is a quality shared by The Wire, which contains so much insight on the way that America’s neighborhoods have changed that it is more instructive than many non-fiction works about the same subject material.
Dog Day Afternoon
Three amateur bank robbers plan to hold up a bank. A nice simple robbery: Walk in, take the money, and run. Unfortunately, the supposedly uncomplicated heist suddenly becomes a bizarre nightmare as everything that could go wrong does.
Release Date December 25, 1975
Cast Al Pacino , John Cazale , Penelope Allen , Carol Kane
Runtime 125 minutes
Main Genre Drama
Writers Frank Pierson , P.F. Kluge , Thomas Moore
Studio Warner Bros.
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Watch on Paramount Plus
6 ‘End of Watch’ (2012)
Directed by David Ayer
Image via Open Road Films
Although it’s a series that has many great characters with various loyalties, The Wire is certainly one of the best cop shows ever made; despite being highly critical of the corruption involved in the justice system, The Wire did a great job at exploring the bond between cops formed in the line of duty. David Ayer’s gritty crime drama End of Watchwas a powerful tribute to law enforcement officers who became a “family” over the course of their service. Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena star as partners who are forced into a dangerous situation when gang violence escalates in Los Angeles.
The Wire stood out compared to other drama shows because of its inventive filmmaking techniques, which contributed to the sense of realism. Similarly, End of Watch incorporated found footage elements that only heightened the suspense of the action.
End of Watch
Shot documentary-style, this film follows the daily grind of two young police officers in LA who are partners and friends and what happens when they meet criminal forces greater than themselves.
Release Date September 20, 2012
Runtime 109
Main Genre Crime
Tagline Watch your six!
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5 ‘Triple 9’ (2016)
Directed by John Hillcoat
Image via Open Road Films
The Wire is often acclaimed for having one of the greatest ensemble casts in the history of television; impressively, Simon was able to balance his extraordinary set of actors, giving them each room to grow and develop their characters over the course of five great seasons. Despite sadly underperforming at the box office, the heist thriller Triple 9 features one of the best casts of any modern crime movie.
Like The Wire, Triple 9 succeeded by casting many recognizable actors against type. The film’s ensemble included Casey Affleck as a good-hearted cop, Woody Harrelson as his eccentric uncle, Kate Winslet as a Russian gangster, Chiwetel Ejiofer as a serial bank robber, and Aaron Paul as a low-level criminal. Side performances from Gal Gadot, Teresa Palmer, Anthony Mackie, and Norman Reedus among others make Triple 9 one of the most underrated heist films within the last few decades.
Triple 9
Release Date February 19, 2016
Runtime 115
Main Genre Drama
Writers Matt Cook
Studio Open Road Films
Tagline The code on the street is never black and white
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4 ‘State of Grace’ (1990)
Directed by Phil Joanou
Image via Orion Pictures
One of the key themes in The Wire is loyalty; characters like Stringer Bell and Jimmy McNulty are forced to determine where they should pledge their fealty when caught within morally compromising situations. The excellent crime drama State of Grace explored how fungible the line between criminals and cops can be, creating a riveting and emotional character arc. Sean Penn gives a terrific performance as a former gangster who becomes an undercover cop; he’s forced to inform on a dangerous mob boss (Ed Harris) after his superior officer (John Turturro) orders him to go to his old home in New York.
While it was sadly overshadowed by Goodfellas at the box office, State of Grace is the type of old-fashioned crime epic that the industry doesn’t make anymore. Side performances by Gary Oldman as an eccentric gangster and Robin Wright as the main love interest only complicate the nuanced interpersonal dynamics at the center of State of Grace.
State of Grace (1990)
Terry Noonan comes back to Hell’s Kitchen, New York, after years away and reconnects with his old friend Jackie Flannery. However, Terry’s return has a hidden agenda—he is an undercover cop tasked with penetrating the Irish-American gang led by Jackie’s brother, Frankie. As Terry navigates the dangerous underworld, he finds himself torn between his allegiance to his past and his obligations as a law enforcement officer.
Release Date September 14, 1990
Director Phil Joanou
Runtime 135 Minutes
Main Genre Drama
Writers Dennis McIntyre
Studio Orion Pictures
Studio(s) Cinehaus
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3 ‘State of Play’ (2009)
Directed by Kevin Macdonald
Image via Universal Pictures
Although it was largely regarded as being the weakest installment of the series, the fifth season of The Wire delved into the world of journalism, exploring how disinformation and deception could result in serious consequences. Based on the critically acclaimed BBC miniseries of the same name, State of Play offered a powerful look at journalistic integrity and its effect on civil action. Russell Crowe stars as a veteran journalist who works alongside a new partner (Rachel McAdam) to investigate the death of a young staffer who was sexually involved with a shamed politician (Ben Affleck).
Like The Wire, State of Play shows the power that great journalism can do to make a difference, and why the public should be entitled to an objective understanding of the truth. The film is also highly detailed in its depiction of city politics in the same way that The Wire was.
State of Play (2009)
Release Date April 17, 2009
Runtime 132
Main Genre Drama
Writers Matthew Michael Carnahan , Tony Gilroy , Billy Ray , Paul Abbott
Tagline Nothing is off the record.
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2 ‘Boyz n the Hood’ (1991)
Directed by John Singleton
Image via Columbia Pictures
The Wire was seen as a breakthrough in the television landscape because it dared to focus on impoverished communities in a way that did not feel exploitative; it was evident that Simon and his collaborators had a genuine interest in spotlighting a diverse perspective. John Singleton changed the film industry forever with his classic crime drama Boyz n the Hood, which examined a group of friends dealing with gang violence in their community. Singleton became one of the youngest Oscar nominees in history when he earned Academy Award recognition for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay.
The Wire is both a great work of entertainment and a politically relevant text, which is often cited as instructive when discussing issues about crime. Similarly, Boyz n the Hood offers crushing truths about the cycle of violence that have made it just as important to watch today as it was in 1991.
Boyz n the Hood
Release Date July 12, 1991
Director John Singleton
Cast Hudhail Al-Amir , Lloyd Avery II , Angela Bassett , Mia Bell , Lexie Bigham , Kenneth A. Brown
Runtime 102 minutes
Main Genre Crime
Writers John Singleton
Studio Columbia Pictures
Tagline Once upon a time in South Central L.A… It ain’t no fairy tale.
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Watch on Tubi
1 ‘The Standoff at Sparrow Creek’ (2019)
Directed by Henry Dunham
Image via RLJE Films
The Wire stood out from other crime shows because of its inventive filmmaking techniques; episodes would often focus on close quarter brawls and standoffs, and only rarely developed large scale action sequences. Fans that enjoyed those idiosyncratic qualities may enjoy the underrated crime film The Standoff at Sparrow Creek, which turns the “claustrophobic thriller” genre on its head. The Standoff at Sparrow Creek focuses on a group of cops and military members that attempt to solve a mystery after a mass shooting and police funeral.
Like The Wire, The Standoff at Sparrow Creek is quite unsparing in its depiction of law enforcement, as each of its characters are fundamentally flawed. While it’s certainly not for the faint of heart, The Standoff at Sparrow Creek has all the suspense, double crossing, and intrigue that may appeal to fans of The Wire.
Rent on Amazon
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