21 Best Films Of The 21st Century By Genre

While the entry on this list most definitely could easily qualify under the guise of noir, we have instead included this under the 'Mystery' genre. The film refuses to play all its cards at once, laying out each part of the mystery until we think we know what's happening, before slowly pulling the rug from under our feet.

The opening sequence sees three childhood friends, Jimmy, Dave and Sean playing together in the streets, when we witness Dave being kidnapped, before being raped and tortured. The true impact of this moment isn't clear until many years later, when Jimmy's daughter is murdered and all the evidence points to Dave having committed the crime.

Sean Penn and Tim Robbins are both deserving Oscar winners in their pitch perfect characterisations of ex crim Jimmy and the still traumatised Dave. However it is Kevin Bacon's incredibly nuanced performance as the adult Sean that really holds the film together. This film is really about Sean's development as a person, his role as Detective allowing him to see the worst society has to offer while making him realise what truly matters in life.