MesmeroWatch list, 0 saved

Movie
Poster for The January Man

The January Man

1989 · 97 min

A quirky, talky neo-noir that mixes serial-killer tension with eccentric character humor and a tangled romantic subplot.

Directed by
Pat O'Connor
Genres
Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Tagline
Catching a serial killer takes a seriously twisted cop.
Overview
Nick and Frank Starkey were both policemen. A scandal forced Nick to leave the force, now a serial killer has driven the police to take him back. A web that includes Frank's wife, bribery, and corruption all are in the background as Nick tries to uncover the secret of where the killer will strike next, and finally must lay a trap without the police.

Your rating is saved. See your suggestions, or find titles like this one below.

Rate it, and Mesmero finds titles that feel like it. You do not need an account.

Search YouTube for a trailer

Add to a list: The January Man

You have no lists yet. Name one, and this title goes into it.

All your lists

In the USNot loaded yet.
Directed by
Pat O'Connor
Genres
Crime, Mystery, Thriller
In your watch list

How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone
  • cynicalstrength 2 of 3
  • satiricalstrength 2 of 3
  • tensestrength 2 of 3
  • whimsicalstrength 1 of 3
Pacing
measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention
engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes
  • obsession
  • corruption
  • family
  • betrayal
  • mystery
Places
  • big city
  • home
Era
contemporary
Audience
adult
Form
  • twist ending
  • ensemble
Content intensity
  • Gore none
  • Language mild
  • Violence mild
  • Sex mild
All scales, 0 to 10
Scales, 0 to 10
ScaleValue0 to 10
Action3
Horror3
Humour5
Realism6
Romance4
Tension6
Darkness6
Complexity6
Emotional weight5

More like this

Titles like The January Man

Movie

Rear Window

1954

A voyeuristic slow-burn that tightens like a vise, letting you share the hero's helpless suspense and guilty thrill.

Tense · about obsession and mystery · twist ending

Via
  • tense
  • obsession
  • mystery
  • twist ending
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
113 min
Details
Rear WindowHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery

2025

A twisty, talky whodunit that balances dark satire with earnest emotion, rewarding close attention to its web of lies.

Satirical, tense · about corruption and betrayal · twist ending

Via
  • satirical
  • tense
  • corruption
  • betrayal
  • twist ending
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
145 min
Details
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out MysteryHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Laura

1944

A sleek, seductive noir that pulls you into a dead woman's world and keeps you guessing who really loved her.

Cynical, tense · about obsession and betrayal · twist ending

Via
  • cynical
  • tense
  • obsession
  • betrayal
  • twist ending
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
88 min
Details
LauraHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

No Way to Treat a Lady

1968

A tense cat-and-mouse thriller laced with dark humour and eccentric characters, keeping you unsettled yet amused.

Satirical, tense · about obsession and family · twist ending

Via
  • satirical
  • tense
  • obsession
  • family
  • twist ending
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
108 min
Details
No Way to Treat a LadyHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Dial M for Murder

1954

A taut, stage-bound cat-and-mouse game where elegant conversation conceals cold calculation, keeping you leaning in to catch every clue.

Cynical, tense · about betrayal · twist ending

Via
  • cynical
  • tense
  • betrayal
  • twist ending
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
105 min
Details
Dial M for MurderHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Basic Instinct

1992

A sleek, dangerous game of cat and mouse that keeps you tense and unsettled, with a seductive and icy edge.

Cynical, tense · about obsession and betrayal · twist ending

Via
  • cynical
  • tense
  • obsession
  • betrayal
  • twist ending
Pacing
brisk
Attention
engaged
Runtime
128 min
Details
Basic InstinctHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

The Player

1992

A wry, insider's tour of Hollywood vanity and moral compromise, laced with unease and dark laughs.

Cynical, satirical · about corruption · ensemble

Via
  • cynical
  • satirical
  • corruption
  • ensemble
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
124 min
Details
The PlayerHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

After the Thin Man

1936

A sparkling, witty whodunit that balances playful banter with a twisty mystery, making for an effortlessly charming and engaging watch.

About family and betrayal · twist ending

Via
  • family
  • betrayal
  • twist ending
Pacing
brisk
Attention
easy-watch
Runtime
112 min
Details
After the Thin ManHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Manhattan Murder Mystery

1993

A witty, meandering caper that charms with neurotic banter and a playful mystery, feeling light but clever.

Satirical · about obsession and betrayal · twist ending

Via
  • satirical
  • obsession
  • betrayal
  • twist ending
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
104 min
Details
Manhattan Murder MysteryHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

The Long Goodbye

1973

A wry, shaggy-dog detective story that drifts through sunlit LA, balancing deadpan humour with a growing sense of moral disillusionment.

Cynical, satirical · about corruption and betrayal · twist ending

Via
  • cynical
  • satirical
  • corruption
  • betrayal
  • twist ending
Pacing
slow-burn
Attention
engaged
Runtime
112 min
Details
The Long GoodbyeHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Last Looks

2022

A twisty, cynical detective yarn that keeps you guessing with a wry tone and a touch of Hollywood satire.

Cynical, tense · about corruption and betrayal · twist ending

Via
  • cynical
  • tense
  • corruption
  • betrayal
  • twist ending
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
110 min
Details
Last LooksHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Rope

1948

A single-room pressure cooker where polite chatter slowly tightens into dread, and every casual remark feels like a trap closing.

Cynical, tense · about obsession and betrayal · twist ending

Via
  • cynical
  • tense
  • obsession
  • betrayal
  • twist ending
Pacing
slow-burn
Attention
engaged
Runtime
81 min
Details
RopeHidden from your suggestions.

Cast

Where to watch in the US

Change country

We have not loaded where to watch in the US for this title yet. Check again in a day or two.

Streaming data from JustWatch.TMDB

Details