From Grim Brazilian Drama to Jackie Chan Comedy: 8 Underrated Crime Movies You Probably Haven’t Seen Before
Hardship in Pixote
The Brazilian drama Pixote follows boys at a cruel youth detention center before shifting to their lives after they escape. On the run, they turn to petty crime to survive in a world that is no less dangerous than the institution they left.
The film presents poverty and injustice through a bleak, confrontational story. Its depiction of the boys’ lives makes for a difficult viewing experience, but one that may stay with audiences.
Jackie Chan’s Unexpected Mix
Miracles is an unusual entry in Jackie Chan’s filmography, combining gangster romance and comedy with action scenes. Chan directs and stars as a man who becomes entangled with a violent gang.
The film draws on classic gangster stories as well as screwball comedy, a style popular in Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s. Chan’s handling of the contrasting genres makes it an entertaining, distinctive watch.
Bogart’s Wartime Crime Comedy
Humphrey Bogart’s All Through the Night is a lesser-known film from the many titles he made during the 1940s. Set amid World War II, it follows gamblers drawn into the conflict, mixing crime comedy with elements of a war thriller.
The story includes clear propagandist intentions, but its brisk pace and unpredictable shifts help keep it lively. Its blend of genres gives the film an unusual place among crime movies of the period.
A Japanese Yakuza Thriller
Outlaw: Gangster VIP follows a young man in the yakuza as he faces the fallout from a violent way of life. The Japanese crime thriller packs violence, betrayal, conflict and drama into a 94-minute runtime.
The film was a modest hit in Japan and spawned several sequels, yet remains relatively little-seen outside its home country. It is presented as an accessible example of yakuza cinema.
Key points
- Pixote follows boys from a cruel detention center into a dangerous life on the run.
- Miracles blends gangster romance, screwball comedy and action, with Jackie Chan directing and starring.
- All Through the Night combines a gamblers’ crime story with a World War II setting.
- Outlaw: Gangster VIP is a 94-minute Japanese yakuza thriller that spawned several sequels.