If you are wondering how to put your puzzle-solving skills to some good use, we got you covered. What’s better than watching a good, exciting mystery movie and trying to solve the riddle yourself? The best thing about this genre is that although it can get a bit frustrating to not know what’s coming next, the thrill of that journey makes it all worth it. No matter what the solution is, mysteries are exciting and they’re basically fuel for your brain.
So we’ve put together a list of the best of the best mystery movies you can watch on Netflix right now. From simple and straightforward murders to crime thrillers, mind-bending sci-fi, and more, each of these mystery films will have your mind racing for answers. There’s suspense, conflict, thrill, action, and some batshit crazy moments that would make you question life, the universe, and everything! So get ready for the ultimate shock-and-awe experience.
Hubie Halloween
Director: Steven Brill
Writer: Adam Sandler and Tim Herlihy
Cast: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Julie Bowen, Ray Liotta, Rob Schneider, June Squibb, Kenan Thompson, Shaquille O’Neal, Steve Buscemi, Maya Rudolph, Tim Meadows, Karan Brar, Paris Berelc, Noah Schnapp, China Anne McClain, Michael Chiklis
Not all Halloween movies are spine-chilling and spooky and not all Salem stories are about witches! Hubie Halloween proves that mysteries can be comical too. The movie follows the story of Hubie Dubois (Adam Sandler), an eccentric but simple deli-worker in Salem, Massachusetts. His good-natured, child-like persona is often mocked by the kids and adults in his neighborhood. But this one Halloween, Hubie finds himself in the middle of a mystery that he must solve to save the community that he loves. It’s fun, entertaining, with lots of LOL moments, and there’s nothing to take seriously. It’s a mystery-comedy after all.
Murder Mystery
Director: Kyle Newacheck
Writer: James Vanderbilt
Cast: Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Luke Evans, Gemma Arterton, Adeel Akhtar, Terence Stamp, David Williams, David Boon, John Cani, Sufe Bradshaw
Another mystery-comedy from the house of Adam Sandler and this time he has a partner! Jennifer Aniston teams up with the Sandman after nearly a decade for a thrilling and fun ride. In Murder Mystery, New York cop (Sandler) and his wife (Aniston) set out on a vacation to Europe to reignite the spark in their marriage. But a random encounter with the billionaire Charles Cavendish (Luke Evans) puts them in the middle of a murder turning their holiday into an investigation.
The Netflix Original admittedly had mixed reviews from critics but it did manage to bag a People’s Choice Award. A sequel is currently in development.
The Woman in the Window
Director: Joe Wright
Writer: Tracy Letts
Cast: Amy Adams, Gary Oldman, Anthony Mackie, Fred Hechinger, Wyatt Russell, Brian Tyree Henry, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Julianne Moore
If you are looking for something intense and mind-boggling, then The Woman in the Window is what you need. Child psychologist Anna Fox (Amy Adams) lives alone in her Manhattan apartment, separated from her husband and daughter. She is agoraphobic but manages her life and lifestyle well enough. She also has an investigative bone, which leads to her spying on her neighbors. But this backfires and she witnesses a crime, throwing her life into a downward spiral. With an ensemble cast and a deep psychological thriller angle, this is a movie you cannot miss.
Spenser Confidential
Director: Peter Berg
Writer: Sean O’Keefe and Brian Helgeland
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Winston Duke, Alan Arkin, Iliza Shlesinger, Bokeem Woodbine, Marc Maron, Austin Post (Post Malone)
Adapted from the novel Robert B. Parker’s Wonderland by author Ace Atkins, Spenser Confidential follows the unfortunate events in the life of, well, Spenser (Mark Wahlberg). He’s a Boston police officer who loses his job and is sent to prison but it’s after he gets released that things start getting twisted. Two Boston cops get murdered, including Spenser’s ex-captain. So Spenser teams up with his roommate and joins hands with the crime world to solve these murders. It’s a mystery-comedy and it’s got lots of action with never a dull moment.
Mute
Director: Duncan Jones
Writer: Michael Robert Johnson and Duncan Jones
Cast: Alexander Skarsgård, Paul Rudd, Justin Theroux, Robert Sheehan, Noel Clarke, Florence Kasumba, Dominic Monaghan, Sam Rockwell, Seynab Saleh, Robert Kazinsky
Mute is a follow-up to the 2009 sci-fi thriller Moon by Duncan Jones but you can easily watch one without the other.
When his girlfriend goes suddenly (and mysteriously) missing, mute bartender Leo (Alexander Skarsgård) must go on a desperate search to get her back. But his hunt takes him through the city’s seedy dark side. Set in a futuristic Berlin, Mute is a neo-noir sci-fi mystery that explores crime, violence, and a gritty future. Skarsgård stars in an intriguing role and Paul Rudd plays a character very unlike what we usually see from him. Wondering if Leo ever gets to speak or will his character remain silent (but very violent) till the end? Watch the movie.
Shimmer Lake
Director: Oren Uziel
Writer: Oren Uziel
Cast: Benjamin Walker, Wyatt Russell, Rainn Wilson, Adam Pally, John Michael Higgins, Ron Livingston, Stephanie Sigman, and Rob Corddry
The real experience of Shimmer Lake is in its narrative. The story is told and shot in reverse, spanning day-by-day accounts of a week’s event and that’s what makes this movie an interesting watch. Besides the mystery element, of course. The plot follows a small-town sheriff (Benjamin Walker) who is on a quest to solve the mystery of a bank robbery gone wrong and the three suspects involved, one of them being his own brother, Andy (Rainn Wilson).
Rebecca
Director: Ben Wheatley
Writer: Jane Goldman, Joe Shrapnel, Anna Waterhouse
Cast: Lily James, Armie Hammer, Kristin Scott Thomas, Keeley Hawes, Ann Dowd, Sam Riley
Based on a 1938 novel of the same name by Daphne du Maurier, this vintage British romance follows the life of Rebecca (Lily James). After a torrid love affair followed by a whirlwind wedding in Monte Carlo to a wealthy widower named Maxim de Winter (Armie Hammer), Rebecca accompanies her husband to his mansion in England. Newlywed and naïve, Rebecca soon encounters mysterious behavior from the housekeeper, who seems to be still devoted to Maxim’s dead wife. In case you are thinking if there’s a horror element (with a dead wife and all), then all we can say is that there are horrifying things than you might expect in the story. The rest, as they say, is the mystery and there’s no other way to find out but to watch it.
Enola Holmes
Director: Harry Bradbeer
Writer: Jack Thorne
Cast: Millie Bobby Brown, Sam Claflin, Henry Cavill, Helena Bonham Carter, Adeel Akhtar, Louis Partridge, Susie Wokoma,
We have read, seen, and heard enough of Sherlock Holmes (and occasionally Mycroft Holmes) solving the most unimaginable, unsolvable mysteries. Looks like being a supersleuth runs in the Holmes family
genes. Meet Enola (Millie Bobby Brown), the younger sister of Sherlock and Mycroft, who is left alone with her mother (Helena Bonham Carter) after her brothers go off on their own life paths. On her 16th birthday, Enola finds her mother mysteriously missing and goes on an adventurous journey to London to find her. While her brothers do join the scene, her wit and investigative skills seem to outdo theirs. The movie is based on the first book in the eponymous YA fiction series by Nancy Springer.
Teenage romance, feminism in 1800s England, a refreshingly cheerful protagonist, and a journey of self-discovery – Enola Holmes has all the ingredients of a young adult story and a classic mystery movie. It’s really a must-watch.
Unknown Origins
Director: David Galán Galindo
Writer: David Galán Galindo and Fernando Navarro
Cast: Javier Rey, Antonio Resines, Brays Efe, Verónica Echegui, Ernesto Alterio, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Álex García, Carlos Areces
It’s one thing to be a comic book nerd and it’s a whole other thing to be a comic book-inspired serial killer. A very creative and painstaking job indeed. Based on David Galán Galindo’s novel of the same name, Unknown Origins (Spanish: Orígenes Secretos) is a Spanish movie about a killer on a rampage in Madrid, who uses characters from famous superhero origin stories to kill. The investigation falls upon inspector David (Javier Rey), who has an absolute aversion to comic books and believes that they are for adults who refuse to grow up. His criticism soon comes back to bite him in the hind, when he has to become a superhero to solve the murders. But that’s not all. David has to team up with his cosplay-loving boss, Norma (Verónica Echegui), much to his distaste.
A tad campy but colorful and fun, Unknown Origins is pure entertainment, whether you are a comic book fan or not.
The Invisible Guest
Director: Oriol Paulo
Writer: Oriol Paulo
Cast: Mario Casas, Bárbara Lennie, Blanca Martinez, Iñigo Gastesi, Francesc Orella, Blanca Martínez, José Coronado, Ana Wagener, Manel Dueso, San Yélamos, David Selvas, Paco Tous
The Invisible Guest (Spanish: Contratiempo), follows the story of Adrián Doria (Mario Casas), a young and successful businessman who wakes up in a locked hotel room, next to the body of his dead lover. He meets a celebrated defense attorney, Virginia Goodman (Blanca Martinez), who, over the course of one night, devises an exceptional strategy to save Adrian.
There’s a lot of legal drama involved but at the core, The Invisible Guest is a proper murder mystery. Despite mixed reviews, the movie was a box office success and inspired remakes in three different languages.
The Baztán Trilogy
Director: Fernando González Molina
Writer: Luiso Berdejo and Dolores Redondo
Cast: Marta Etura, Paco Tous, Francesc Orella, Elvira Mínguez, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Colin McFarlane
Based on the eponymous novels by Dolores Redondo, the Spanish crime thriller movie series comprises of three films – The Invisible Guardian, The Legacy of the Bones, and Offering to the Storm.
The stories follow police inspector Amaia Salazar (Marta Etura) and her experiences while solving crimes in her hometown of Baztán, in Navarre. The Invisible Guardian introduces Salazar – a former FBI agent and now a cop in the town of Pamplona, the capital of Navarre. She is sent on an investigation to Baztán to solve the mysterious ritualistic murder of a teenage girl, which appears to be connected to the local Basque mythology. While tracing the criminals, Salazar must also face her disturbing past. In the second movie, Salazar returns to the Baztán valley again to investigate a series of suicides that seem to have an uncanny pattern. In the final chapter of the trilogy, Salazar must uncover the origins of her nightmares that haunt her and dig into the darkest secrets of the Baztán valley. Shrouded in mystery and eerie crimes, this series is as intense as you can imagine. We recommend that you binge-watch all three to get the complete experience.
Handsome
Director: Jeff Garlin
Writer: Jeff Garlin and Andrea Seigel
Cast: Jeff Garlin, Natasha Lyonne, Chris Redd, Dana Powell, Amy Sedaris, Leah Remini, Christine Woods, Steven Weber, Megan Ferguson, Timm Sharp, Hailee Keanna Lautenbach, Eddie Pepitone, Joe Kenda, Kaley Cuoco
What happens when personal problems get in the way of solving a murder? Unwanted complications, for starters. And if it’s someone like Gene Handsome (Jeff Garlin) leading the investigation, then expect nothing but all madness and chaos. LA detective Handsome is skilled at solving crimes but his personal problems keep butting in. When his neighbor’s babysitter is murdered in a gruesome way, things just get crazy for Handsome and his partner. As the creator, director, and lead actor in the movie, Jeff Garlin and brings every ounce of his comedic talent to this Netflix Original murder-comedy flick. Although a mystery, it’s super fun and perfect when you need a bit of both.
Mirage
Director: Oriol Paulo
Writer: Oriol Paulo and Lara Sendim
Cast: Adriana Ugarte, Chino Darín, Javier Gutiérrez Álvarez, Álvaro Morte, Nora Navas
This sci-fi mystery thriller focuses on Vera (Adriana Ugarte), a young mother of one. On the night of an eerie thunderstorm, she manages to save a young boy but, in the process, finds her daughter missing. Vera’s simple act of good deed causes a chain of disturbing and unexpected events and disturbs the space-time continuum, altering reality for her and everyone around her. If you are in the mood for an exciting and mind-bending sci-fi mystery that leaves you burning with questions, then Mirage (Spanish: Durante la Tormenta) is the movie to watch.
A Fall from Grace
Director: Tyler Perry
Writer: Tyler Perry
Cast: Crystal Fox, Phylicia Rashad, Bresha Webb, Mehcad Brooks, Cicely Tyson, Tyler Perry, Adrian Pasdar
Tyler Perry’s first Netflix movie, A Fall from Grace follows the story of Grace Waters (Crystal Fox), who is accused of murdering her husband. Being a law-abiding, straight-arrow citizen, Grace pleads guilty. But her lawyer, Jasmine Bryant (Bresha Webb) has other opinions and believes that a larger conspiracy is at work. A sensational trial follows and unexpected information about everyone involved is brought into the light. This movie also features the late Cicely Tyson and serves as her last movie.
A classic Tyler Perry work, this movie has all the elements that you would expect in a good legal thriller – murder, mystery, trial, witnesses, and hard-hitting lawyers.
In the Shadow of the Moon
Director: Jim Mickle
Writer: Gregory Weidman and Geoff Tock
Cast: Boyd Holbrook, Michael C. Hall, Cleopatra Coleman, Bokeem Woodbine, Rudi Dharmalingam, Rachel Keller
The obsession for solving a mystery, no matter the cost, can come for… well, a huge cost. Like it happens for officer Thomas “Locke” Lockhart (Boyd Holbrook). Set in 1988, the story follows a string of mysterious killings in Philadelphia. Police officer Lockhart starts tracking the killer but the murders seem alien to anything that he has seen or known. When the killer resurfaces after nine years, Lockhart’s investigation sends him down a rabbit hole. From determined to desperate, Lockhart’s fixation on finding the killer and serving justice could cost him his job, personal life, and probably also his mind.
A sci-fi thriller at its core, this murder mystery has some fascinating moments where past, present, and future collide.
The Paramedic
Director: Carles Torras
Writer: David Desola and Hèctor Hernández Vicens
Cast: Mario Casas, Déborah François, Celso Bugallo, Raúl Jiménez, Pol Monen, Gerard Oms, Guillermo Pfening, Maria Rodríguez Soto
Revenge is best served not just cold but when deadly obsession takes over. The Paramedic (Spanish: El Practicante) is the story of (you guessed it) a paramedic named Angel Hernandez (Mario Casas) who loses his mobility in an accident. Unable to deal with his new situation, he gets fixated on the idea that his girlfriend, Vanesa (Déborah François) is cheating on him with his co-worker. His frustration leads him to gaslight and mentally torment Vanesa, pushing her to leave him. What happens next is the mystery and to find out, you have to watch the movie or it would all be spoilers. The mystery thriller may seem to have a classic “obsessed lover” trope but there’s more to the story than what meets the eyes.
The Occupant
Director: David Pastor and Àlex Pastor
Writer: David Pastor and Àlex Pastor
Cast: Javier Gutiérrez, Mario Casas, Bruna Cusí, David Selvas, David Verdaguer, Vicky Luengo
Unemployment can drive people to unimaginable extents. Like wanting to get the old life back, for instance. The Occupant (Spanish: Hogar) revolves around the story of Javier Munoz (Javier Gutiérrez), a successful advertising executive whose life turns upside down after he loses his job. He has to sell his plush apartment that he cannot afford anymore. Later, he realizes that the old keys are still with him. He suddenly gets wild about getting his apartment back and restoring his life, no matter what it takes. And so he takes some extreme steps, including stalking the new owners of the flat and wrecking their lives. You may think that there’s not much secret in this story per se, since we already know what happens and why. But a good mystery is also about the narrative and the character’s arc and how predictable or unpredictable they become. And that’s what this mystery thriller is all about.
Velvet Buzzsaw
Director: Dan Gilroy
Writer: Dan Gilroy
Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Toni Collette, Zawe Ashton, Tom Sturridge, Natalia Dyer, Daveed Diggs, Billy Magnussen, John Malkovich
It’s not every day that you get to learn about a supernatural force interested in the world of art or seeking justice for forgotten artists. So, here’s something for you.
When an unknown artist leaves a stash of paintings, an ambitious gallery owner and her assistant steals them to showcase them in her gallery. But their art critic friend, upon researching the dead artist, discovers unsavory facts and fears that something is not right. Mysterious deaths and unsettling events follow. There’s horror, mystery, and lots of edge-of-the-seat moments in this thriller, along with a strong Nightcrawler vibe, which could be because of Jake Gyllenhaal leading both the movies. But be warned, this is not a film for everyone.
The Da Vinci Code
Director: Ron Howard
Writer: Akiva Goldsman
Cast: Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Ian McKellen, Alfred Molina, Jürgen Prochnow, Paul Bettany, Jean Reno
The first movie in the Robert Langdon series, The Da Vinci Code is based on Dan Brown’s bestselling novel of the same name. Both the book and the movie are a part of the quadrilogy involving Robert Langdon. The Da Vinci Code focuses on Langdon (Tom Hanks), a professor of symbology at Harvard University who becomes the prime suspect in an unusual murder that only leaves cryptic clues. Teaming up with cryptologist and police officer Sophie (Audrey Tatou), Langdon sets out on a quest for the Holy Grail. Literally!
A story of religious conspiracy, ancient secrets, and more, The Da Vinci Code invited a lot of controversies and criticism. But the film still rocked the box office and was a huge success, which means, that hundreds of people watched it and probably liked it too. If cryptic clues, religious history, and ancient treasure hunts are your wheelhouse, then this is a movie to watch. The Da Vinci Code was followed by its sequel – the next title on our list.
Angels & Demons
Director: Ron Howard
Writer: David Koepp and Akiva Goldsman
Cast: Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor, Ayelet Zurer, Stellan Skarsgård, Pierfrancesco Favino, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Armin Mueller-Stahl
Robert Langdon returns to solve another mystery but this time, it’s to save the world. Tom Hanks reprises his role as Langdon and joins Ayelet Zurer as Dr. Vittoria Vetra as they set out to recover missing antimatter, finding terrorists, the secret society of the Illuminati, and more.
Although released as a sequel to The Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons is the first book of the series. So, if you want to go in order, watch this before The Da Vinci Code.
