Here we've displayed a list of the best Private Detective films : How to Steal a Million(1966), After the Storm(2016), The Nice Guys(2016), Ace Ventura: Pet Detective(1994), Motherless Brooklyn(2019), My Favorite Brunette(1947), Lethal Weapon 4(1998), Inherent Vice(2014), Lady in the Lake(1946), A Date With the Falcon(1941), The Sign of Four(1987), 8MM(1999) ... ...
Comedy
USA
1966
127 Minutes
Audrey Hepburn Peter O'Toole Eli Wallach Charles Boyer Hugh Griffith Fernand Gravey Marcel Dalio Jacques Marin Roger Treville Eddie Malin Bert Bertram
forger art thief burglar daughter father private detective amusing witty lighthearted suspenseful museum paris france family home art forgery robbery schemes deception father/daughter relationship
The daughter of an art forger teams up with a burglar to steal one of her father's forgeries and protect his secret.
Drama
Japan
2016
117 Minutes
Hiroshi Abe Yôko Maki Kirin Kiki Taiyô Yoshizawa
private detective family estranged father son mother mourner brooding charming emotional inspiring moving rousing japan town detective agency home family relationships second chance determination
After the death of his father, a private detective struggles to find child support money and reconnect with his son and ex-wife.
Mystery & Thriller, Comedy, Action
USA
2016
116 Minutes
Russell Crowe Ryan Gosling Angourie Rice Matt Bomer Margaret Qualley Yaya DaCosta Keith David Beau Knapp Lois Smith Murielle Telio Gil Gerard
private detective enforcer missing person daughter assassin lawyer cheeky hilarious cool los angeles bar strip club apartment office car missing persons detective work unlikely allies assassination attempt search
In 1970s Los Angeles, a mismatched pair of private eyes investigate a missing girl and the mysterious death of a porn star.
Comedy
USA
1994
86 Minutes
Jim Carrey Courteney Cox Sean Young Tone Loc Noble Willingham Troy Evans Randall Cobb Raynor Scheine Udo Kier
private detective pretty woman football player criminal friend animal amusing madcap miami florida stadium apartment mental institution animals abduction football investigation ineptitude mystery discovery
A goofy detective specializing in animals goes in search of the missing mascot of the Miami Dolphins.
Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
USA
2019
144 Minutes
Edward Norton Gugu Mbatha-Raw Alec Baldwin Willem Dafoe Bruce Willis Ethan Suplee Cherry Jones Bobby Cannavale Dallas Roberts Josh Pais Radu Spinghel
private detective mentor friend thug engaging quirky creative dreamy incredible brooklyn harlem, n.y. jazz club slum tourette's syndrome clues obsession murder investigation secrets corruption pursuit
In 1950s New York, a lonely private detective afflicted with Tourette's Syndrome ventures to solve the murder of his mentor and only friend.
Comedy
USA
1947
87 Minutes
Bob Hope Dorothy Lamour Peter Lorre Lon Chaney John Hoyt Reginald Denny Charles Dingle Ann Doran Frank Puglia Willard Robertson
convict photographer private investigator damsel in distress baron witty campy prison mansion sanatorium mistaken identity mystery crime private detective underdog mystery love 1940s
Shortly before his execution on the death row in San Quentin, amateur sleuth and baby photographer Ronnie Jackson, tells reporters how he got there.
Action
USA
1998
127 Minutes
Mel Gibson Danny Glover Joe Pesci Rene Russo Chris Rock Jet Li Steve Kahan Kim Chan Darlene Love Traci Wolfe Eddy Ko
police detective partner daughter girlfriend private detective mobster engaging gripping thrilling confident ship chinatown house car freeway los angeles family organized crime marriage counterfeit money
With personal crises and age weighing in on them, LAPD officers Riggs and Murtaugh must contend with deadly Chinese triads that are trying to free their former leaders out of prison and onto American soil.
Comedy, Mystery & Thriller
USA
2014
148 Minutes
Joaquin Phoenix Josh Brolin Owen Wilson Katherine Waterston Reese Witherspoon Benicio Del Toro Martin Short Jena Malone Joanna Newsom Eric Roberts Sasha Pieterse
private detective ex-lover tycoon wife surfer stoner brash campy cool california beach apartment car police station office trouble drugs trust love free spirits
In 1970, drug-fueled Los Angeles private investigator Larry "Doc" Sportello investigates the disappearance of a former girlfriend.
Crime, Drama
USA
1946
103 Minutes
Robert Montgomery Audrey Totter Lloyd Nolan Tom Tully Leon Ames Jayne Meadows Morris Ankrum Lila Leeds Ellen Ross William Roberts Kathleen Lockhart
private detective editor publisher wife boss philip marlowe suspenseful offbeat melodramatic los angeles publishing house office cottage car lake detective work missing persons marital problems conspiracy murder
The lady editor of a crime magazine hires Phillip Marlowe to find the wife of her boss. The private detective soon finds himself involved in murder.
Mystery & Thriller
USA
1941
63 Minutes
George Sanders Wendy Barrie James Gleason Allen Jenkins Mona Maris Victor Kilian Frank Moran Russ Clark Ed Gargan Eddie Dunn Alec Craig
private detective fiancée police officer scientist twin thug suspenseful thrilling emotional taxi hotel room apartment nightclub new york city street missing persons wrongfully accused schemes marriage investigation
Gay Lawrence, aka The Falcon, is about to depart the city to marry his fiancée, Helen Reed, when a mystery girl, Rita Mara, asks for his aid in disposing of a secret formula for making ... See full summary »
Mystery & Thriller, Drama
UK
1987
100 Minutes
Jeremy Brett Edward Hardwicke Jenny Seagrove Rosalie Williams Robin Hunter Alf Joint John Thaw Kiran Shah
sherlock holmes private detective sidekick brash confident creative fascinating gripping 221b baker street london england india mystery disappearance murder treasure quest mystery victorian era
While taking a holiday in the country with his mother, Dennis hits on a scheme to impress a girl so that she'll go away on a trip with him as his girlfriend. Although he fails to gain any ... See full summary »
Mystery & Thriller
Germany|USA
1999
123 Minutes
Nicolas Cage Joaquin Phoenix James Gandolfini Peter Stormare Anthony Heald Chris Bauer Catherine Keener Myra Carter Amy Morton Jenny Powell Anne Gee Byrd
private detective wife widow daughter pornographer video store clerk dark spirited shocking family home pennsylvania hollywood, calif. video store lair snuff films missing persons illicit business guilt sexual taboo vengeance
A private investigator is hired to discover if a "snuff film" is authentic or not.
Mystery & Thriller
USA
1991
98 Minutes
Tom Berenger Bob Hoskins Greta Scacchi Joanne Whalley-Kilmer Corbin Bernsen Theodore Bikel Debi A. Monahan Bert Rosario Jedda Jones Scott Getlin Kellye Nakahara
husband wife fortuneteller private detective neighbor businessman gripping suspenseful tense california car hospital room family home bedroom amnesia car crash deception family dark secrets the past
After a horrific car wreck leaves him an amnesiac, a man slowly begins to unravel his shocking past.
Comedy, Action, Drama
USA
2013
129 Minutes
Mark Wahlberg Dwayne Johnson Ed Harris Anthony Mackie Tony Shalhoub Rob Corddry Ken Jeong Bar Paly Rebel Wilson
gym instructor gym member businessman wealthy man private detective motivational speaker brash unrestrained miami gym mansion warehouse kidnapping crime weightlifting extortion attempted murder pursuit wretched excess 1990s
A trio of bodybuilders in Florida get caught up in an extortion ring and a kidnapping scheme that goes terribly wrong.
Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama, Gay & Lesbian
Canada|USA
2008
90 Minutes
Chad Allen Sebastian Spence Sebastien Roberts Brittney Wilson Jason Poulsen Daryl Shuttleworth Nelson Wong
lawyer private investigator murderer murder suspect murder victim dark chilling tense suspenseful united states murder murder investigation private detective mystery crime discovery mystery pursuit 2000s
Tim Callahan, aide to New York Senator Lauren Platt, is disappointed that all of the $3 million funding has been pulled from his latest pet project, a safe zone for children and youth. His ... See full summary »
Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
USA
2013
108 Minutes
Mark Wahlberg Russell Crowe Catherine Zeta-Jones Jeffrey Wright Barry Pepper Kyle Chandler Natalie Martinez Alona Tal James Ransone Michael Beach Griffin Dunne
ex-cop mayor wife lover colleague private detective cool suspenseful intricate thrilling emotional new york city apartment office city hall big city investigation political intrigue set-up second chance
In a city rife with injustice, ex-cop Billy Taggart seeks redemption and revenge after being double-crossed and then framed by its most powerful figure: Mayor Nicholas Hostetler.
Mystery & Thriller, Drama
USA
1998
94 Minutes
Paul Newman Susan Sarandon Gene Hackman Reese Witherspoon Stockard Channing James Garner Giancarlo Esposito Liev Schreiber Margo Martindale John Spencer M. Emmet Walsh
private detective movie star friend daughter police officer chauffeur uneasy brooding cool intricate mexico los angeles california mansion malibu, calif. apartment aging friendship infidelity murder
A retired detective accepts a simple task, unaware that it will tear open old, forgotten, but deadly wounds.
Mystery & Thriller
USA
1938
69 Minutes
Boris Karloff Grant Withers Evelyn Brent Maxine Jennings Lucien Prival William Gould John Hamilton Lee Tung Foo John St. Polis Hooper Atchley Frank Bruno
private detective police officer factory owner scientist secretary murder victim suspenseful gripping san francisco chinatown office police station mansion investigation corporate espionage inventions murder mystery 1930s
When a chemical manufacturer is killed after asking detective James Wong to help him, Wong investigates this and two subsequent murders. He uncovers a international spy ring hoping to steal... See full summary »
Crime, Drama
USA
2013
114 Minutes
Colin Firth Reese Witherspoon Dane DeHaan Mireille Enos Bruce Greenwood Elias Koteas Stephen Moyer Alessandro Nivola Amy Ryan Kevin Durand Collette Wolfe
mother private detective murderer murder suspect child melodramatic intense emotional disturbing brooding memphis, tenn. woods child murder grief desperation isolation investigation pursuit quest rescue
The savage murders of three young children sparks a controversial trial of three teenagers accused of killing the kids as part of a Satanic ritual.
Mystery & Thriller
USA
1939
71 Minutes
Boris Karloff Marjorie Reynolds Grant Withers Peter George Lynn William Royle Huntley Gordon James Flavin Lotus Long Richard Loo Bessie Loo Angelo Rossitto
private detective princess captain reporter police captain bank president charming intricate suspenseful san francisco house chinatown docks ship murder investigation chinese-american culture political intrigue forgery swindling royalty
A pretty Chinese woman, seeking help from San Francisco detective James Lee Wong, is killed by a poisoned dart in his front hall, having time only to scrawl "Captain J" on a sheet of paper.... See full summary »
Comedy, Action
USA
1994
100 Minutes
Keenen Ivory Wayans Charles S. Dutton Jada Pinkett Smith Salli Richardson-Whitfield Andrew Divoff Corwin Hawkins Carlos Cervantes Gregory Sierra
private detective secretary dea agent drug lord friend old flame amusing madcap thrilling los angeles restaurant office car california loss of job redemption drug trade investigation assumed identity teamwork
An ex-cop, now a private detective, takes on the search for the millions stolen by a drug lord.
Comedy, Drama
USA
2004
95 Minutes
Ed Burns David Krumholtz Max Baker Connie Britton Kevin Kash Chris Parnell Elizabeth Regen Rachel Dratch
baseball coach private detective wife rock star brooding emotional amusing poughkeepsie, n.y. new york city roof grand central station hotel room pizzeria loss unlikely friendship search abandonment grief husband/wife relationship transformation
A high school baseball coach (Krumholtz) and a down-on-his-luck private investigator (Burns) form a bond as they scour New York City for the coach's wife, who's run away with a second-rate ... See full summary »
Crime, Drama
USA
1936
75 Minutes
Bette Davis Warren William Alison Skipworth Arthur Treacher Marie Wilson Winifred Shaw Porter Hall Olin Howland Charles Wilson
private detective pretty woman client partner englishman secretary airy amusing intricate city office docks detective work murder search deception crime artifact quest temptation
A double-crossing woman, the two-timing P.I. she hired, the corpulent "empress of crime", and a gentleman thief are all after a legendary priceless eighth-century ram's horn.
Kids & Family, Adventure
Luxembourg|UK|Germany
2006
98 Minutes
Aaron Taylor-Johnson Jasper Harris Carole Boyd Bob Goody Jim Carter Rollo Weeks George MacKay Alice Connor Lathaniel Dyer Alexei Sayle Caroline Goodall
young boy teen boy orphan private detective thief father figure amusing heartwarming suspenseful cheeky venice, italy movie theater street canal alley city brother relationship magic gangs family
After their mother dies, two boys flee their mean aunt and head for Venice, Italy, where they meet Scipio, the mysterious "Thief Lord." Along with a small gang of abandoned kids, the boys start robbing the rich to support themselves.
Action
USA
1983
86 Minutes
Willie Colón Ruben Blades Fred Williamson Joe Spinell Darlanne Fluegel Don King Sal Carollo Nick Corello Tony Sirico Nereida Mercado Izzy Sanabria
boxer promoter girlfriend thug gangster private detective rousing suspenseful dark boxing ring new york city times square street police station murder crime investigation debt boxing gambling
Singer-turned-boxer Andy 'Kid' Clave (Ruben Blades) signs a contract with a shady promoter Joaquin Vargas (Willie Colon). But Clave turns against Vargas when the promoter's thugs kill Clave's girlfriend when he thinks about backing out of the contract. While seeking a way to get revenge against Vargas, Clave learns that he has a blood clot in his head. But nothing will deter him from getting his ... See full summary »
Mystery & Thriller
USA
2000
90 Minutes
Megan Ward Kristin Minter Linden Ashby David Dukes John Ratzenberger Hedy Burress
beautiful woman wife best friend millionaire stranger private detective intricate sultry melodramatic suspenseful house bar parking lot town car office murder plot loveless marriage infidelity inheritance
A wealthy man becomes suspicious of his younger wife and hires a private detective in time to thwart her plans to have him killed.
Action, Comedy
USA
2012
94 Minutes
Miley Cyrus Jeremy Piven Mike O'Malley Joshua Bowman Lauren McKnight Kelly Osbourne Eloise Mumford Megan Park Morgan Calhoun Alexis Knapp Matthew Settle
teenager private detective lighthearted playful sorority fbi miley cyrus criminals pursuit 2010s
A tough, street-smart private eye is hired by the FBI to go undercover in a college sorority.
Horror
USA
1943
61 Minutes
John Carradine Robert Lowery Veda Ann Borg Gale Storm Mantan Moreland Mauritz Hugo Barry Macollum Bob Steele
brother private detective servant doctor secretary wife creepy spirited incredible louisiana family home laboratory dining room zombies scientific experiments nazism free will murder investigation pursuit
Scott Warrington and his hired detective, Larry Adams, arrive at an old mansion in the middle of a Louisiana swamp to meet his brother-in-law, Dr. Max von Altermann shortly after the death ... See full summary »
Mystery & Thriller, Action
China
2017
95 Minutes
Orlando Bloom Simon Yam Lynn Hung Yu Xing Hannah Quinlivan Jing Liang Da Ying Rong Chang Lyon Zhang
private detective security expert englishman chinese man thief crime boss frenetic suspenseful thrilling shanghai conspiracy theft ambush crime crime syndicate redemption mystery escape pursuit rescue
A washed-up private security agent has to escort a valuable Chinese antique out of Shanghai but is ambushed en route.
Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
USA
2018
85 Minutes
Duke Williams Victoria Wallace John Mertens Ed Glynn Miranda Plant Paul C. Kelly Victoria Freire Anthony Coppola Patrick Heraghty Stacy Kessler
private investigator runaway stripper client hitman tense dark gritty gripping apartment strip club parking lot restaurant stripping estrangement private detective mysterious strangers attempted murder mystery adventure
An inexperienced private investigator accidentally uncovers the murder of a politician's mistress.