Some Great Political Thrillers For Your Watchlist
Political thrillers came of age in the 1960s following the complexities of the geopolitical standoff between the USA and its allies and the Soviet Union. Films addressing espionage and political intrigue became increasingly paranoid and by the 1970s films that dealt with the power of uncontrollable forces became the norm. Here is a list of some of the best political thrillers of the last 60 years.
Enemy Of The State (1998)
Will Smith is a lawyer unwittingly given a piece of evidence sought by a rogue government faction. His family and his every movement are watched as they slowly destroy his life. A taught political thriller about government surveillance, Enemy of the State is an update of the classic 1970s paranoid political thrillers.
Touchstone, Enemy Of The State (1998)
The Conversation (1974)
A lesser-known film by The Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola, The Conversation is a key moment in 1970s political thrillers with Gene Hackman as Harry Caul, a surveillance expert. Caul is hired to secretly record a conversation between a man and a woman and he begins to think he also recorded a much darker plot. In this era of Watergate and an unprecedented mistrust of government, The Conversation taps into a growing paranoia in society.
Zoetrope, The Conversation (1974)
Blow Out (1981)
Inspired by The Conversation, director Brian De Palma directs John Travolta as a sound engineer who accidentally records an assassination plot. The visual style of the film is classic De Palma and the story about a man with secret knowledge that no one believes updates 1970s paranoia for the 1980s.
All The President’s Men (1976)
Can a film about investigative journalism be a tense political thriller? The true story of Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein and how they uncovered the Watergate scandal is an absorbing look at a pivotal moment in US history. As a political thriller, All the President’s Men and its impact comes from the fact that it is a true story.
Warner Bros., All The President’s Men (1976)
The Post (2017)
A newer film mining the same territory as All the President’s Men, The Post is about the Washington Post and its publishing of the Pentagon Papers, leaked documents exposing how Americans were misled about the conflict in Vietnam. Part of All the President’s Men’s impact was that it came out a mere two years after Watergate while The Post is a period piece. Director Steven Spielberg recreates that era and its sense of unease and mistrust that seemed to hang over the decade.
Twentieth Century, The Post (2017)
JFK (1991)
Like All the President’s Men and The Post, JFK deals with a real story, the assassination of US President John F Kennedy. Director Oliver Stone’s approach is to dive headlong into intrigue, presenting real events with a paranoid prism of conspiracy theories. Stone’s thesis is that we’ll never truly know what happened in the JFK assassination, but Stone gives us a glimpse into the chaotic workings of conspiracies and government coverups with the zeal of a true believer.
Thirteen Days (2000)
Thirteen Days is a political thriller that dives into the well-charted territory of the Cuban Missile Crisis. A tense look at a pivotal moment in John F Kennedy’s presidency, even with knowledge of the outcome, the audience still feels the uncertainty of how the events will play out, the result of which could have been nuclear annihilation.
New Line Cinema, Thirteen Days (2000)
Fail Safe (1964)
The possibility of an accidental nuclear conflict is the premise of this 1964 film, only a year after Kennedy’s demise. Two pilots are incorrectly given orders to launch an attack on the Soviet Union which would then escalate into a global nuclear conflict. The “fail safe” of the title is the systems in place to prevent such a scenario and the real tension of the film comes from the reality of living in that period where such a thing seemed all too possible.
Bridge Of Spies (2015)
The Cold War is the principal backdrop to most political thrillers before the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, and films dealing with spies and spy craft are of fascination even in period pieces made long after that time. Steven Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies involves the defection of a spy, a prisoner exchange, and the reality of the tension of life along the Berlin Wall.
DreamWorks, Bridge of Spies (2015)
Munich (2005)
A different kind of political thriller from Steven Spielberg, this is the story of the real events of the kidnapping and massacre of Israeli athletes during the 1972 Munich Olympics and the Israeli response. An elite team of Mossad agents track down the militia group Black September, who were responsible for the attacks. The film takes on the brutality of the period and addresses issues of justice versus revenge as the agents are not tasked with bringing the terrorists back alive.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
One of the most influential authors of the Cold War period and political thrillers is British writer John le Carré. His full immersion into the dark, complex, and tense world of spies makes for compelling reading and there are many excellent adaptations of his works. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a subdued and effective treatment of the material and Gary Oldman as former spy George Smiley, who is pulled from retirement to find a mole within British intelligence agency MI6.
Studio Canal, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
The Constant Gardener (2005)
Another film based on a John le Carré novel, The Constant Gardener delves into more contemporary themes of political intrigue in Kenya. Ralph Fiennes plays a British diplomat searching for answers about the mysterious demise of his wife, an Amnesty International activist, played by Rachel Weisz.
Focus Features, The Constant Gardener (2005)
The Day Of The Jackal (1973)
The Day of the Jackal is a deeply tense and compelling film about a professional assassin codenamed Jackal who is hired by French veterans to eliminate French president Charles de Gaulle. The story is fictional but it captures the mood of the time and examines the amoral existence of someone such as the Jackal.
Universal, The Day Of The Jackal (1973)
The Parallax View (1974)
1970s paranoia is in full swing with The Parallax View. Warren Beatty is a reporter present during the public assassination of a presidential candidate. As the reporter digs deep into the case, he’s drawn into a vast conspiracy and the efforts used to silence any witnesses lead to one of the more shocking and bleak endings of any film during this period.
Paramount, The Parallax View (1974)
Three Days Of The Condor (1975)
Finding yourself amid a conspiracy with no one to trust is the theme of Three Days of the Condor, a 1975 thriller starring Robert Redford as CIA analyst Joe Turner. Turner is low in the spy hierarchy and his involvement in a complex cover-up is the result of mere dumb luck. Turner himself becomes a key suspect in an attack on CIA agents and the levels of betrayal and twists in the overall conspiracy are riveting.
Wildwood Enterprises, Three Days of the Condor (1975)
Marathon Man (1976)
1970s political thrillers dealing with deep paranoia reached a peak with Marathon Man. Rather than spies and cover-ups, this film deals with a man named Babe, played by Dustin Hoffman, unwittingly drawn into a situation where he is targeted by a former Nazi doctor (loosely modeled on the real-life Joseph Mengele) who is convinced Babe is involved. Marathon Man’s infamous torture scene will live with you for some time.
Paramount, Marathon Man (1976)
The Report (2019)
Long after the fall of the Soviet Union, political thrillers moved away from recreating the past in period pieces and toward contemporary concerns, often dealing with terrorism. The Report evokes the moods of those earlier films from the 1970s but focuses on the aftermath of 9/11 and the conduct of the CIA. Government coverups are still a crucial theme but in this case, it’s the CIA’s use of torture in investigating terrorism.
Vice Studios, The Report (2019)
Argo (2012)
The Iranian hostage crisis of the late 1970s and early 1980s was a real-life drama and Argo focuses on the attempts to rescue American hostages in Iran. A tense thriller, Argo leaves out some detail (such as the Canadian involvement in the story) and the film uses humor in a way other political thrillers don’t attempt.
The Contender (2000)
Joan Allen stars as a politician selected to step in as vice president after the demise of the previous vice president. She soon finds herself the target of attempts to discredit her character. This film is more about the nuances and palace intrigue of the US government than most political thrillers but it still mines some of the tensions and paranoia that are crucial aspects of governments.
Cinerenta, The Contender (2000)
The Ides Of March (2011)
Ryan Gosling is an idealistic campaign advisor who loses faith in the politician he worked for and believed in. The film focuses on the world of political campaigning and strategy, rather than fast-paced action. Where the thriller aspect comes in is when Gosling’s character is faced with a truth he doesn’t want to accept and his difficulty trusting anyone.
Columbia, The Ides of March (2011)
State Of Play (2009)
Russel Crowe is an investigative journalist whose old friend is a congressman embroiled in scandal. As he digs deeper into the story, he finds a complex conspiracy that goes beyond party politics. The film is fast-paced and complex dealing with the realities of contemporary politics and corporate interests.
Universal, State Of Play (2009)
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Even in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we can find political intrigue. Captain America: The Winter Soldier tells the story of Steve Rogers/Captain America as he uncovers a dangerous secret within the SHIELD organization where he works as an agent. The combining of a comic book story and political thriller works well and it helps to keep the comic book genre rooted in the real world.
Marvel, Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
V For Vendetta (2006)
Another comic book political thriller, V for Vendetta, based on Alan Moore’s graphic novel, takes place in a future where the UK is under totalitarian rule and all dissent is suppressed. A symbol of freedom comes in the form of a masked vigilante who seeks to bring down the corrupt government.
Warner Bros., V for Vendetta (2005)
Good Night, And Good Luck (2005)
Back to reality, Good Night, And Good Luck is the true story of journalist Edward R Murrow and his efforts to stand against the fearmongering and red-baiting of far-right US Senator Joseph McCarthy. McCarthy’s campaign to root out supposed communists in the government and other sectors of American life was a pivotal and polarizing moment in US history during the 1950s and the film is a celebration of Murrow’s dogged pursuit of the truth.
2929 Productions, Good Night, And Good Luck (2005)
Michael Clayton (2007)
George Clooney is Michael Clayton, a fixer for a law firm who takes care of problems for the firm’s clients, often in a less-than-legal manner. Clayton inadvertently exposes a conspiracy and the film’s tense storytelling underscores Clayton’s amoral stance that is challenged by exposure to a deeper truth.
Castle Rock, Michael Clayton (2007)
Missing (1982)
This is a tense film dealing with idealism, pragmatism, and faith in one’s government that is tested by complex world events. A young writer disappears during the Chilean coup d'état in September 1973 and his wife turns to her conservative father-in-law to find him. The writer’s father, a believer in all things American, comes to witness first-hand the actions of the CIA in the overthrow of a democratically elected government and how his son pays the price for American political interference in Latin America.
No Way Out (1987)
No Way Out is a thriller about a Navy Intelligence operative (played by Kevin Costner) who unwittingly forms a connection with the mistress of a member of the US Cabinet. Her demise becomes a scandal, with Costner’s character becoming a scapegoat.
Orion Pictures, No Way Out (1987)
The Hunt For Red October (1990)
The Hunt for Red October is based on a Tom Clancy novel and deals with a Soviet submarine missing in international waters. Released only a year before the fall of the Soviet Union, The Hunt for Red October is the last political thriller to come out of that period and it features much of the political intrigue central to thrillers of the time.
Paramount, The Hunt For Red October (1990)
Fair Game (2010)
A true story based on Valerie Plame's memoir, Plame's double life as a CIA operative and wife unravels when her identity is leaked to the press. A somewhat fictional account of the period of Bill Clinton’s presidency, Fair Game is nevertheless a tense political thriller.
River Road Entertainment, Fair Game (2010)
The Mauritanian (2021)
Another film dealing with the aftermath of 9/11, The Mauritanian is the story of a man held at Guantanamo Bay for 14 years without charges. A combination of thriller and legal drama, The Mauritanian tells its tense story about injustice and makes for a gripping thriller.
Wonder Street, The Mauritanian (2021)
Beirut (2018)
This is a story about a former US diplomat who returns to Beirut to rescue a friend from a terrorist group. This film is a throwback to earlier spy films and makes for a tense political thriller updated for contemporary stories.
Syriana (2005)
Syriana is a complex story about the Middle East oil industry and the international interests in the region. A geopolitical thriller, Syriana takes a cue from earlier spy films while remaining fully rooted in contemporary issues.
The Ghost Writer (2010)
The Ghost Writer stars Ewan McGregor as a writer hired to write the memoirs of a former UK Prime Minister. As he digs into his subject's story, it’s clear that more than meets the eye and the prime minister’s slick and off-handed way of brushing aside unpleasant truths underscores the writer’s pursuit of the unvarnished truth.
R.P. Films, The Ghost Writer (2010)
The Courier (2020)
During the Cuban Missile Crisis, a British businessman, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, is dragged into the middle of a political conflict. Based on a true story, this contemporary look at 1960s espionage is a compelling update of the spy genre. The story is complex, and the film is well-acted and paced.
FilmNation Entertainment, The Courier (2020)
Tetris (2023)
A recent film, Tetris is a compelling political thriller based on real events and is unusual for a film of this genre. Henk Rogers’ real-life efforts to secure the right to the Soviet computer game Tetris is the heart of the story. Although not your usual political thriller fare, the story is nonetheless compelling and makes for a tense and watchable film.
Eye In The Sky (2015)
A contemporary political thriller, Eye in the Sky stars Helen Mirren as a British colonel who faces a critical situation when a young girl inadvertently enters into the physical location of a planned government action. The film is tense and deals with moral conflicts with a great deal of suspense.
Raindog Films, Eye In The Sky (2015)
Page Eight (2011)
The story of a veteran MI5 officer who finds a mysterious file after the demise of his boss. A literate film with some of the best dialogue in the genre, this taut thriller manages to take a small incidental story and create a complex narrative.
Heyday Films, Page Eight (2011)
Miss Sloane (2016)
A film dealing with governmental drama, it focuses on the efforts of a lobbyist to pass legislation on gun control. This thriller addresses the world of government bureaucracies and those who fight within the system.
EuropaCorp, Miss Sloane (2016)
Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow, Zero Dark Thirty follows CIA operatives and tracking down Osama bin Laden. A tense contemporary political film, it was not without controversy as some believed it encouraged questioning authority. Worse, many people thought it glorified the CIA’s use of torture, at a time when society was becoming far more critical of such practices, particularly after the world heard about the prisoner abuses at Guantanamo Bay. As such, Zero Dark Thirty belongs to a lineage of films going back at least to the 1970s, when it was understood that the government isn’t necessarily the good guys.
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