Cinematic sleuths: The best movie detectives ever

Speaking of upending tropes about detectives and detective films, none have done so as masterfully as Roman Polanski’s . Using the look, sound, and structure of classic detective films, the film sees Jack Nicholson’s Jake Gittes and his journey through the corruption of 1930s Los Angeles as the ultimate embodiment of cynicism, power, and hopelessness. Nicholson reprised the role in the 1990 sequel The Two Jakes (which he also directed), and even though that one didn’t have the same cultural resonance and hold as the first film, it further cemented Gittes as one of cinema’s most emblematic detectives. Forget it, Jake, it’s Chinatown.

There’s a direct line between the corrupt Los Angeles in Chinatown and the corrupt Toontown of , and that same line connects Jake Gittes and Eddie Valiant. The 1988 Robert Zemeckis comedy serves as both an homage to and a parody of classic noir detectives, with Bob Hoskins playing a detective who’s hired to answer the titular question. When a beloved cartoon character has been framed for a horrific murder, Valiant must go into the underbelly of a Los Angeles where toons and humans begrudgingly live together. The award-winning film blends animation and live action with a wit and cleverness that has seldom been replicated since, and the charming Hoskins is able to transform from a toon-hating, down-on-his-luck man to a hero to the stars of your favorite Saturday morning cartoons.

Based on an iconic comic strip created by Chester Gould that started in the 1930s and is still running to this day, Dick Tracy is a tough, no-nonsense police detective known for using tech gadgets and science know-how to outsmart local criminals—and for his iconic yellow trench coat. Although the character was portrayed in the ’30s and ’40s in a series of films by Ralph Byrd, the most famous incarnation of the detective is the 1990 film. Starring and directed by Warren Beatty, and with supporting performances by Al Pacino and (most notably) Madonna as femme fatale Breathless Mahoney, is better remembered for its slick style, technical achievement, and arresting visuals, just like the detective itself.

“Have the lambs stopped screaming, Clarice?” Few pairings of detective and criminal are more iconic than Doctor Hannibal Lecter and the FBI’s Clarice Starling. Played by Anthony Hopkins (in his career-defining role) and Jodie Foster, respectively, the stars anchored 1991’s , which went on to dominate the Academy Awards. Julianne Moore took over for Foster in the 2001 sequel . Clarice is perhaps the best embodiment of the detective who gets too close to their subject, initially approaching Dr. Lecter for input on how to track another killer, before getting sucked into his mind games and delicious, fava bean-loving personality. Finding the perfect balance between Clarice’s fascination and fear when it comes to Lecter, the relationship features one of the most complex dynamics in film.

While on the surface Ezekiel “Easy” Rawlins may look like just another character in a long line of detectives inspired by Sam Spade and his noir aesthetics, Rawlins’ background and methods distinctly stand apart. Easy is not a licensed detective, nor does he work for any law enforcement organization. He has no training, no background, and up to a point, no desire to take on detective work. He’s just a World War II veteran trying to get by, who’s cornered into finding a missing woman. Similar to the Shaft series, the novels also incorporate elements of social and racial justice. Rawlins was played by Denzel Washington in 1995’s , even though the film is better remembered for Don Cheadle’s scene-stealing performance.

A detective is right at the brink of retirement, taking on his final case; one that has haunted him for years. His partner, a new recruit, is eager to make his mark, still hopeful about the future and his role in justice. This dynamic has been replicated to the point of cliché, but it began with David Fincher’s haunting 1995 thriller . Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman play David Mills and William Somerset, respectively, two detectives investigating a serial killer who murders his victims according to the seven deadly sins. Both are consumed by the case in different ways, and the investigation takes over their lives, up until the reveal of a special gift inside a box.

Who said you can’t catch a criminal with pure optimism and good old Midwestern kindness? The Coen Brothers’ 1996 crime comedy has become one of the most acclaimed movies in history for many reasons. For one thing, it subverts typical crime narratives by having incredibly incompetent people at the source of the violence. It also features an ingenious script, thoughtful direction, and of course, Frances McDormand’s Oscar-winning performance as Marge Gunderson, the very kind (and very pregnant) officer investigating a triple homicide and the strange circumstances behind it. McDormand is able to infuse Marge with the right amount of empathy, confidence, and mystery, creating one of cinema’s most engaging and unexpected portrayals of a screen detective.

It’s surprising that more detective fiction isn’t based around Washington, D.C. After all, so much of the criminal rot of the country seems to be concentrated in that city. Based on James Patterson’s hugely successful series of novels, the three film adaptations feature Alex Cross bringing his background as a psychologist into his field work at the nation’s capital. 1997’s and 2001’s saw Morgan Freeman in the lead role, while 2012’s reboot starred Tyler Perry. A fourth installment was planned but never completed, but a television series starring Aldis Hodge is currently in the works.

There’s nothing more dangerous than someone with nothing to lose. In Stieg Larsson’s best-selling Millennium series, Lisbeth Salander is an introverted hacker with a past full of trauma and abuse who gets roped into a murder investigation that hits too close to home. She has been portrayed in film by Noomi Rapace in the original Swedish adaptation of the book series, by Rooney Mara in an Academy Award-nominated performance in , and by Claire Foy in the decidedly less-successful follow-up . What sets Lisbeth apart is that, underneath her tough appearance, aggressive demeanor, and that giant dragon tattoo, there’s a deep desire to make things right in the world. And that is her driving force.

The latest entry into the canon of famous detectives, Daniel Craig’s performance as world-famous detective Benoit Blanc in both of Rian Johnson’s whodunits has become an instant touchstone of his career. With a delicious Southern accent, an impeccable sense of fashion, and a keen eye for detail (and bullshit), Benoit is the clear heir to Hercule Poirot. There’ve only been two films in the franchise so far, but with its self-contained narratives and rotating all-star casts, a world can easily exist in which Benoit Blanc films are as prominent and wide-reaching as your yearly Marvel flick. (If only.)