15 Movies Like ‘By Any Means’ You Must See If You Like Gritty True-Crime Dramas

Historical crime thrillers that examine racial injustice, clandestine alliances, and real-world federal investigations offer intense explorations of American history. Elegance Bratton’s ‘By Any Means‘ delves into the true-life dynamic between a mafia hitman and an FBI agent probing civil rights murders in 1966 Mississippi.

Viewers interested in narratives centered on undercover operations, civil rights cold cases, mob informants, and systemic corruption will find strong parallels in these historical and investigative features. The following films showcase federal agents, covert operatives, and high-stakes criminal confrontations rooted in historical conflict.

‘Mississippi Burning’ (1988)

Directed by Alan Parker, ‘Mississippi Burning’ dramatizes the 1964 FBI investigation into the disappearances and murders of three civil rights workers in Jessup County, Mississippi. Agents Rupert Anderson and Alan Ward employ contrasting investigative methods as they confront uncooperative local authorities and violent members of the Ku Klux Klan. The narrative reflects the federal government’s historical push to combat white supremacist terrorism in the Jim Crow South. The film stars Gene Hackman and Willem Dafoe as the central federal investigators navigating institutional hostility.

‘BlacKkKlansman’ (2018)

Directed by Spike Lee, ‘BlacKkKlansman’ tells the biographical story of Ron Stallworth, the first African American detective on the Colorado Springs police force. During the late 1970s, Stallworth orchestrates a covert operation to infiltrate the local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan over the telephone. He partners with his Jewish colleague Flip Zimmerman, who attends the organization’s physical meetings undercover. Together, the two officers gather intelligence to thwart planned attacks and expose local extremists.

‘Ghosts of Mississippi’ (1996)

Directed by Rob Reiner, ‘Ghosts of Mississippi’ chronicles the decades-long legal pursuit to convict the assassin of civil rights leader Medgar Evers. Decades after Evers was murdered in 1963, assistant district attorney Bobby DeLaughter reopens the cold case against white supremacist Byron De La Beckwith. DeLaughter collaborates with Evers’ widow, Myrlie Evers, to locate missing evidence and overcome institutional resistance in the Mississippi justice system. The drama stars Alec Baldwin, Whoopi Goldberg, and James Woods in the principal roles.

‘Judas and the Black Messiah’ (2021)

Directed by Shaka King, ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’ depicts the infiltration of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party in the late 1960s. Petty criminal William O’Neal agrees to become an undercover FBI informant in exchange for dropping federal felony charges against him. O’Neal rises through the organization’s ranks to monitor Chairman Fred Hampton, providing floor plans and vital intelligence to federal handlers. The film illustrates the covert operations carried out under the FBI’s counterintelligence program COINTELPRO during the civil rights era.

‘Black Mass’ (2015)

Directed by Scott Cooper, ‘Black Mass’ explores the real-world criminal alliance between Boston mobster James “Whitey” Bulger and FBI agent John Connolly. In 1975, Connolly recruits Bulger as a confidential informant under the pretext of taking down the Italian American mafia in New England. The arrangement allows Bulger’s Winter Hill Gang to expand its criminal empire across South Boston with virtual immunity from federal prosecution. Johnny Depp portrays Bulger, while Joel Edgerton stars as the compromised federal agent who orchestrates the illicit intelligence relationship.

‘In the Heat of the Night’ (1967)

Directed by Norman Jewison, ‘In the Heat of the Night’ follows Virgil Tibbs, a Black homicide detective from Philadelphia who is wrongfully detained in Sparta, Mississippi. After clearing his name, Tibbs is persuaded by his superiors to assist the prejudiced local police chief in solving the murder of a wealthy industrialist. The two lawmen must overcome mutual hostility and pervasive racial antagonism within the town to conduct their forensic investigation. The film stars Sidney Poitier as Detective Tibbs and Rod Steiger as Police Chief Bill Gillespie.

‘Donnie Brasco’ (1997)

Directed by Mike Newell, ‘Donnie Brasco’ is based on the real-life undercover operation conducted by FBI agent Joseph D. Pistone during the late 1970s. Pistone assumes the jewel thief alias Donnie Brasco to infiltrate the Bonanno crime family in New York City. Veteran mob enforcer Benjamin “Lefty” Ruggiero takes the undercover agent under his wing, unknowingly exposing internal mob operations to federal surveillance. The film stars Johnny Depp as the undercover agent alongside Al Pacino as the aging mobster.

‘Detroit’ (2017)

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow, ‘Detroit’ recounts the real-life events surrounding the Algiers Motel incident during the 1967 12th Street Riot in Detroit, Michigan. Following reports of gunshots, local police officers, state troopers, and National Guard personnel storm the motel annex and violently interrogate its predominantly Black occupants. The incident leads to the deaths of three young men and severe beatings of several others, followed by a controversial civil rights trial. John Boyega, Will Poulter, and Anthony Mackie portray central figures caught in the investigation and subsequent legal proceedings.

‘A Time to Kill’ (1996)

Directed by Joel Schumacher, ‘A Time to Kill’ adapts John Grisham’s novel regarding racial violence and legal warfare in Canton, Mississippi. Following the assault of a young Black girl, her father kills the perpetrators and faces capital murder charges in a racially divided Southern community. Young defense attorney Jake Brigance takes on the defense case, triggering aggressive retaliation from the local branch of the Ku Klux Klan. The ensemble cast includes Matthew McConaughey, Samuel L. Jackson, Sandra Bullock, and Kevin Spacey.

‘American Gangster’ (2007)

Directed by Ridley Scott, ‘American Gangster’ dramatizes the rise and fall of Harlem heroin kingpin Frank Lucas during the Vietnam War era. Lucas builds a direct smuggling pipeline from Southeast Asia to dominate the illicit drug market in New York and New Jersey. Honest detective Richie Roberts leads a specialized federal narcotics task force dedicated to dismantling Lucas’s sophisticated criminal network. Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe star as the rival historical figures whose paths converge during a massive federal sweep.

‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ (2023)

Directed by Martin Scorsese, ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ chronicles the serial murders of wealthy Osage Nation citizens in Oklahoma during the 1920s. As local authorities fail to solve the suspicious deaths tied to Osage oil wealth, federal agent Tom White leads an undercover investigation on behalf of J. Edgar Hoover’s Bureau of Investigation. The federal team uncovers a widespread conspiracy orchestrated by influential local figures seeking to inherit the victims’ oil headrights. The historical crime drama stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone, and Jesse Plemons.

‘Rosewood’ (1997)

Directed by John Singleton, ‘Rosewood’ dramatizes the historical 1923 massacre of a predominantly Black town in Levy County, Florida. After a false accusation triggers mob violence from neighboring white communities, a World War I veteran and a white store owner work together to evacuate survivors. The narrative depicts the breakdown of civil order and the systemic racial violence that destroyed the flourishing rural community. The film stars Ving Rhames, Don Johnson, and Jon Voight as individuals navigating the escalating crisis.

‘The Untouchables’ (1987)

Directed by Brian De Palma, ‘The Untouchables’ portrays federal Prohibition agent Eliot Ness assembling an uncorruptible law enforcement team in 1930s Chicago. Ness enlists veteran officer Jimmy Malone and other trusted agents to combat the bootlegging empire of mob boss Al Capone. The special task force employs unconventional tactics and aggressive raids to gather financial evidence against organized crime syndicate members. Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, and Robert De Niro head the cast of the historical crime thriller.

‘The Departed’ (2006)

Directed by Martin Scorsese, ‘The Departed’ focuses on a dual infiltration of the Massachusetts State Police and an Irish American organized crime syndicate in Boston. Undercover state trooper Billy Costigan embeds himself within the crew of mob boss Francis “Frank” Costello, while criminal mole Colin Sullivan rises through the police ranks. Both sides race to discover the identity of the informant within their respective organizations before their covers are blown. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, and Mark Wahlberg in principal roles.

‘The Irishman’ (2019)

Directed by Martin Scorsese, ‘The Irishman’ explores the intersection between organized crime, labor unions, and federal investigations over several decades. Truck driver Frank Sheeran becomes a high-level hitman for the Bufalino crime family and a close confidant of Teamsters leader Jimmy Hoffa. The narrative follows Sheeran’s involvement in major underworld operations while federal law enforcement agencies conduct persistent surveillance and prosecutions. Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci lead the cast as key figures in mid-twentieth-century American crime history.

Share your favorite historical crime thrillers and tell us which of these titles you plan to watch next in the comments.