Movie

Suspect

1987 · 121 min

A measured, talky legal thriller that builds tension through courtroom maneuvering and a slow uncovering of corruption, with a touch of romance.

Tagline: She's a lawyer who broke two laws of her profession... Never get involved with a juror and don't look for clues in dangerous places.
Overview: When a Supreme Court judge commits suicide and his secretary is found murdered, all fingers point to Carl Anderson, a homeless veteran who's deaf and mute. But when public defender Kathleen Riley is assigned to his case, she begins to believe that Anderson may actually be innocent. Juror Eddie Sanger, a Washington lobbyist, agrees, and together the pair begins their own investigation of events.

Search YouTube for the trailer

Rent or buy in the UK

Apple TV Store
Amazon Video
Sky Store

More options Data from JustWatch

In your watch list

How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone: tensestrength 2 of 3
darkstrength 2 of 3
earneststrength 2 of 3
romanticstrength 1 of 3
Pacing: measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention: engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes: justice
corruption
mystery
betrayal
loyalty
Places: big city
workplace
Era: contemporary
Audience: adult
Form: twist ending
Content intensity: Gore mild
Language mild
Violence mild
Sex mild

All scales, 0 to 10

Scales, 0 to 10
Scale	Value	0 to 10
Action	3
Horror	2
Humour	2
Realism	7
Romance	4
Tension	6
Darkness	6
Complexity	6
Emotional weight	5

Titles like Suspect

TV series

Perry Mason

1957–1966

A steady, talky courtroom puzzle that rewards patience, building quiet suspense until the satisfying reveal and a wry closing joke.

Tense, earnest · about justice and mystery

Via: tense
earnest
justice
mystery
Pacing: measured
Attention: engaged
Seasons: 9

Details In your watch list

Perry MasonHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

An Innocent Man

1989

A grim, tense descent into wrongful imprisonment and a hard-won fight for justice, with a steady build to a satisfying payoff.

Same director: Peter Yates · Tense, dark · about justice and corruption · twist ending

Also: Same director: Peter Yates
Via: tense
dark
justice
corruption
twist ending
Pacing: measured
Attention: engaged
Runtime: 113 min

Details In your watch list

An Innocent ManHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

12 Angry Men

1957

A sweltering, claustrophobic pressure cooker of words and sweat, where reason slowly chips away at certainty.

Tense, dark · about justice

Via: tense
dark
justice
Pacing: slow-burn
Attention: demanding
Runtime: 97 min

Details In your watch list

12 Angry MenHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

Presumed Innocent

1990

A slow-burning legal thriller that keeps you tense and guessing, with a cold, morally murky atmosphere.

Tense, dark · about justice and corruption · twist ending

Via: tense
dark
justice
corruption
twist ending
Pacing: slow-burn
Attention: engaged
Runtime: 127 min

Details In your watch list

Presumed InnocentHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

True Believer

1989

A gritty, slow-burning legal drama that feels like a throwback to 70s paranoia thrillers, with a weary, cynical edge and a satisfying courtroom payoff.

Tense, dark · about justice and corruption

Via: tense
dark
justice
corruption
Pacing: measured
Attention: engaged
Runtime: 105 min

Details In your watch list

True BelieverHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

Primal Fear

1996

A gripping courtroom thriller that keeps you guessing, with a chilling performance that lingers long after the credits.

Tense, dark · about justice and corruption · twist ending

Via: tense
dark
justice
corruption
twist ending
Pacing: measured
Attention: engaged
Runtime: 130 min

Details In your watch list

Primal FearHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

The Lincoln Lawyer

2011

A slick, twisty legal thriller that keeps you on edge with its sharp dialogue and moral dilemmas.

Tense, dark · about justice and corruption · twist ending

Via: tense
dark
justice
corruption
twist ending
Pacing: brisk
Attention: engaged
Runtime: 119 min

Details In your watch list

The Lincoln LawyerHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

Touch of Evil

1958

A grimy, shadowy border-town descent where corruption and menace tighten around you like a slow, queasy grip.

Tense, dark · about justice and corruption · twist ending

Via: tense
dark
justice
corruption
twist ending
Pacing: measured
Attention: engaged
Runtime: 111 min

Details In your watch list

Touch of EvilHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

Bullitt

1968

A cool, methodical crime procedural punctuated by a legendary car chase, with a brooding detective navigating a morally murky world.

Same director: Peter Yates · Tense, dark · about justice and corruption

Also: Same director: Peter Yates
Via: tense
dark
justice
corruption
Pacing: measured
Attention: engaged
Runtime: 113 min

Details In your watch list

BullittHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

Witness for the Prosecution

1957

A gripping courtroom mystery that keeps you guessing, with sharp wit and a darkly satisfying twist.

Tense, dark · about justice and betrayal · twist ending

Via: tense
dark
justice
betrayal
twist ending
Pacing: measured
Attention: engaged
Runtime: 116 min

Details In your watch list

Witness for the ProsecutionHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

The House on Carroll Street

1988

A slow-burning, shadowy thriller that keeps you leaning in, with a steady undercurrent of unease and moral weight.

Same director: Peter Yates · Tense, dark · about justice and corruption · twist ending

Also: Same director: Peter Yates
Via: tense
dark
justice
corruption
twist ending
Pacing: slow-burn
Attention: engaged
Runtime: 101 min

Details In your watch list

The House on Carroll StreetHidden from your suggestions.

TV series

Criminal Minds

2005

A grim, methodical procedural that builds dread through psychological detail, offering tense case-by-case investigations with occasional glimpses of the team's private wounds.

Tense, dark

Via: tense
dark
Pacing: brisk
Attention: engaged
Seasons: 19

Details In your watch list

Criminal MindsHidden from your suggestions.

Where to watch in the UK

Rent or buy

Apple TV Store
Amazon Video
Sky Store
YouTube

Streaming data from JustWatch.All options on TMDB

Details

Genres: crime, drama, thriller
Directed by: Peter Yates
Written by: Eric Roth
Starring: Cher, Dennis Quaid, Liam Neeson, John Mahoney, Joe Mantegna, Philip Bosco, E. Katherine Kerr, Fred Melamed
Music: Michael Kamen
Cinematography: Billy Williams
Runtime: 121 min
Country: United States of America
Languages: English

TMDB IMDb Letterboxd Wikipedia Wikidata

Something wrong on this page? Tell us.

Suspect

How it feels

More like this

Titles like Suspect

Where to watch in the UK

Details