5 Must-Watch Netflix Crime Dramas Based on True Stories

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As a movie buff, I’ve definitely noticed how huge true crime has become lately. I mean, we’ve always been drawn to stories about criminals – trying to understand what drives someone to do terrible things. You see it in classic crime movies, police shows, and documentaries. But honestly, over the last few years, it’s exploded! And streaming services have become a major player, pumping out tons of true crime documentaries, limited series, and films based on actual events. It’s become a really dominant genre.

Here are five compelling Netflix crime dramas inspired by real-life events. This selection focuses on fictionalized series and excludes documentary films or series.

Lost Girls Turns a Search for a Missing Daughter into a Much Larger Investigation

The 2020 film Lost Girls is based on the true-crime book Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery by Robert Kolker. The movie centers on Mari Gilbert and her relentless search for her missing daughter, Shannan. Mari persistently pushes law enforcement to continue the investigation, becoming a determined advocate who refuses to give up or leave the search to the police alone.

The investigation into Shannan’s disappearance revealed a far wider range of crimes along the barrier islands of Long Island’s South Shore. The discovery of multiple bodies – primarily those of female sex workers – led investigators to focus on the Long Island serial killer, who had been active for nearly two decades, from 1993 to 2011. Shannan’s disappearance in 2010 ultimately brought these previously undiscovered remains to light and linked them to the serial killer.

Rex Heuermann, an architect who used to work in Manhattan, has been charged with seven murders. Investigators believe he may have killed as many as eleven sex workers, but many details of the case remain unclear. The movie Lost Girls isn’t a fast-paced thriller; instead, it takes a more thoughtful approach. However, the actors give outstanding performances, and the film handles this sensitive true crime story with care.

iHostage Tells a Real-Life Version of a Fear Everyone Has

This story is inspired by a real incident that happened in Amsterdam on February 22, 2022. It’s a Dutch crime thriller about a man who takes hostages at an Apple Store in the busy Leidseplein Square. He demands over $200 million in cryptocurrency and a safe passage out of the city.

During a hostage situation, the gunman takes tourist Petrov, from Bulgaria, captive as most shoppers escape the store. Several people hide in a storage room, and Petrov is held at gunpoint throughout lengthy talks with police. Though the names of the gunman and Petrov were altered for the movie iHostage, the film is based on a real event that occurred three years prior.

What makes this movie so gripping is that the scenario feels relatable – many of us have briefly wondered if we could ever be caught in a similar situation. We’re used to seeing movies about armed robberies at banks and other businesses, and it’s hard not to imagine ourselves in that position, because it could happen to anyone. Plus, iHostage builds to a thrilling and intense climax that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

The Good Nurse Features a Stellar Cast

Released in 2022, The Good Nurse is a suspenseful crime thriller starring Jessica Chastain as Amy Loughren. The film is based on a true story detailed in Charles Graeber’s 2013 book of the same name. It centers on Amy, a single mother battling a serious heart condition called cardiomyopathy. To qualify for a life-saving heart transplant and maintain health insurance, she continues to work at Parkfield Memorial Hospital in New Jersey, despite her failing health.

Amy was dealing with health issues when a seasoned nurse named Charles Cullen started working the night shifts with her. They quickly became friends, and Charles learned about Amy’s heart condition, promising to keep it confidential. Shortly after Charles joined the hospital staff, a patient under their care died unexpectedly after receiving an accidental overdose of insulin. This led to a police investigation, and Charles’s past began to draw suspicion.

The idea of a nurse secretly poisoning patients is a common and frightening theme in horror stories. It even appeared in the novel Rebecca. This trope plays on a deep-seated fear: we have to trust complete strangers with our lives, like doctors and nurses. While we want to believe they want to help us, we don’t actually know them or their true intentions.

Athlete A has a Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Score

Athlete A (2020) is a documentary about the decades-long sexual abuse scandal within USA Gymnastics, which first came to light in the 1990s. The film follows an Indianapolis Star reporter who, while investigating a school, receives a tip leading her to focus on USA Gymnastics (USAG). Her investigation at The Star revealed that Steve Penny, the CEO of USAG, was concealing multiple reports of coaches abusing young female gymnasts.

In 2014, an article in The Star encouraged more young women to come forward with accusations against Larry Nassar, a doctor with USA Gymnastics (USAG). Rachael Denhollander, Jessica Howard, and Jamie Dantzscher independently contacted The Star to report that Nassar had sexually abused them. The documentary primarily focuses on the lengthy investigation into Nassar’s actions, and the alleged attempts by Steve Penny to conceal years of abuse.

This documentary tackles very difficult and upsetting material, but it doesn’t flinch from portraying the horrific actions of the men involved. Athlete A has been critically acclaimed, boasting a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a ‘Certified Fresh’ designation. Viewers also overwhelmingly enjoyed it, as reflected in its 93% audience score, demonstrating the sensitivity and care taken in addressing this sensitive topic.

Woman of the Hour is Almost Too Diabolical to Be True (But It Is)

Released in 2023, Woman of the Hour is a captivating crime thriller. Anna Kendrick plays Sheryl Bradshaw, and the film centers around the true story of how she met serial killer Rodney Alcala on the game show The Dating Game. The movie skillfully weaves together two narratives: one detailing Alcala’s crimes prior to meeting Sheryl, and the other exploring Sheryl’s life in Los Angeles before she became a contestant on the show.

Okay, so before things get really twisted in The Dating Game, we get a chilling preview in Woman of the Hour. It quickly establishes that our supposed contestant, Rodney, is a dangerous criminal – we see him committing violent acts, often against women. Meanwhile, we’re introduced to Sheryl, a hopeful actress who’s really down on her luck. Her agent practically forces her to go on The Dating Game as a last-ditch effort to get some footage for her reel. She’s not thrilled about it, but she needs something to show potential employers, so she reluctantly agrees. The setup is classic dating show fare: Sheryl asks questions, but she can’t see the three bachelors vying for her attention. And, ominously, Bachelor #3? That’s Rodney.

The movie shows someone in the audience spotting Rodney while he’s on the game show, and then follows what happens afterward. After winning The Dating Game, Rodney tries to approach Sheryl, but immediately creeps her out. Sheryl barely avoided becoming another victim, and the film eventually reveals what happened to Rodney. He was linked to seven murders, but investigators suspect he may have been responsible for over a hundred.

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2026-01-10 23:08