These crime dramas and comedies explore both sides of the law.

10 quintessential cop movies you can stream right now

These crime dramas and comedies explore both sides of the law.

By Jordan Hoffman

Jordan Hoffman

Jordan Hoffman is a writer at **, mostly covering nostalgia. He has been writing about entertainment since 2007.

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May 9, 2026 12:00 p.m. ET

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The three classic cop outfits: gray blazer, white tank top, all-black tailored suit. Credit:

Paramount; 20th Century Fox; Moviestore/Shutterstock

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Since the dawn of storytelling, we’ve always been interested in those who ignore the rules. But every yin needs a yang, and every bandit, marauder, and brigand eventually feels the long arm of the law. While American folklore has long found sympathy with the outlaw, by and large, Hollywood films back the boys in blue.

If you're in the mood to see the push-pull of crime and punishment, we’ve got some *arresting *recommendations for you. These 10 cop movies are streaming right now.

48 Hrs. (1982)

Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte multitasking: 1) watching a perp; 2) coming up with their next zinger.

Paramount/Everett

One day, Eddie Murphy was a standup comic doing bits on *Saturday Night Live*; seemingly overnight (or, you could say, in 48 hours), he became an A-list Hollywood actor.

This quintessential action-comedy from director Walter Hill paired Nick Nolte as a tough San Francisco detective hunting down a pair of killer mobsters with Murphy as a wisecracking burglar currently in the can.

Murphy knows one of the wanted men inside, so Nolte takes custody of him for (aha!) 48 hours to help with the case, with the promise of early release. Neither guy really trusts the other, but nothing earns trust like a series of high-wire hijinks, like Murphy putting on a tough-guy front at a hostile redneck bar.

Where to watch *48 Hrs.*: Paramount+

Die Hard (1988)

Yippee-ki-yay, Mr. McClane: Bruce Willis just before everything goes to hell in 'Die Hard'.

20th Century Fox

In addition to being among the more legendary Christmas movies (no controversy there!), *Die Hard *is Bruce Willis’ masterwork as a smart-alecky tough guy.

Willis stars as a New York detective whose estranged wife works in an L.A. office tower captured by terrorists on Christmas Eve. He singlehandedly takes down the baddies, cracking jokes as he jumps off the roof, runs across broken glass, and rocks an undershirt.

John McTiernan’s marvelous direction keeps you fully aware of the building’s interior geography at all times, and Alan Rickman cemented himself as one of cinema’s best villains in this all-time classic.

Where to watch *Die Hard*: Amazon Prime

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Dirty Harry (1971)

Clint Eastwood's eyes dart around the precinct, just looking for some punk to make his day.

Silver Screen Collection/Getty

Don’t come to this law-and-order classic looking for Clint Eastwood to say “make my day.” He didn’t do that until the fourth entry in this franchise. But he’s still a tough-as-nails San Francisco cop who gets results no matter what. (Even if that means a little police brutality now and then.)

The first *Dirty Harry *is loosely based on the real life Zodiac Killer (and is therefore featured in the movie *Zodiac*), and was among the first “rogue cop” films, which was so much it kinda became the norm.

It’s also a remarkable vision of Nixonian “silent majority” thinking — a reactionary film on the heels of the dominant counter-culture narrative of the ’60s.

Where to watch *Dirty Harry*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

The French Connection (1971)

Gene Hackman waves to Fernando Rey in 'The French Connection'.

FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty

Winner of five Academy Awards — including Best Picture, Best Director for William Friedkin, and Best Actor for Gene Hackman — *The French Connection *broke new ground for gritty, on-location shooting, particularly in New York City. Most famous, of course, is the still-thrilling manic chase between the baddies riding an elevated train and Hackman’s Popeye Doyle pursuing in a car underneath.

Like *Dirty Harry*, it examines urban paranoia and deteriorating cities, and features a central character who may not always be the most likable guy. The film, like the world it represents, is messy, rough, and absolutely unforgettable.

Where to watch *The French Connection*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

Heat (1995)

Robert De Niro and Amy Brenneman talk about metals in 'Heat'.

Warner Brothers/Everett

Assuming you’ve got a spare 171 minutes, there are few better cop movies than *Heat*, Michael Mann’s epic that finally locked Al Pacino (the cop) and Robert De Niro (the robber) into an existential showdown. (They meet at a diner.)

On the one hand, *Heat *is about planning a heist, but it’s also about men who “live by a code,” and how, ironically, there may be more honor on the wrong side of the law. (Deep!)

It’s also a highly stylized picture with incredible shootouts and slick cinematography, not to mention a deep bench of supporting actors like Val Kilmer, Tom Sizemore, Natalie Portman, Wes Studi, Ashley Judd, and many more.

Where to watch *Heat*: Amazon Prime Video

Hot Fuzz (2007)

Nick Frost and Simon Pegg in 'Hot Fuzz,' just before their ice-cream headaches kick in. Matt Nettheim/Focus

This is one of the best parody films ever made, because it also works better as an actual action movie than many of the films it’s spoofing. By which I mean this Edgar Wright-directed film starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (the second in an unofficial trilogy) is foremost a comedy, but when it kicks into gear, it’s actually quite thrilling.

In the sleepiest of English countryside towns, Pegg (overachieving try-hard cop) and Frost (lovable knucklehead cop) find themselves in the midst of a folktale-driven murder conspiracy. While silly characters and dopey gags abound, the film’s chases and firearms mayhem live up to genre classics.

Where to watch *Hot Fuzz*: Apple TV (to rent)

Lethal Weapon (1987)

Mel Gibson and Danny Glover, one of whom is getting too old for this s***, in 'Lethal Weapon'.

Warner Bros./Everett

These Mel Gibson-Danny Glover buddy movies became such a phenomenon of the action-comedy genre that it's easy to forget *Lethal Weapon*'s dark origins. Gibson’s Martin Riggs is mourning the loss of his wife and about to blow his brains out in the franchise's first entry. Released from caring about the consequences, he suddenly becomes the loosest of loose cannon cops, ready to get results!

Naturally, his partner is a family man who is counting the days until his retirement. (Ah, yes, the birth of that little trope.) But together, this oil-and-water team brings justice and harmony into the world, with their brains and their brawn.

Where to watch *Lethal Weapon*: Apple TV (to rent)

The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)

Look, it's Enrico Palazzo from 'The Naked Gun'!.

Paramount/ Everett

Spoof kings Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker turned their sights on law enforcement in this idiotic masterpiece packed with blink-and-you’ll-miss-it gags.

The great Leslie Nielsen mugs his way through a conspiracy that involves mind control, Queen Elizabeth, and the California Angels. He bumbles, pratfalls, and embarrasses himself through a series of misadventures trying to woo Priscilla Presley and take down Ricardo Montalban with a posse that includes George Kennedy and (yes, yes) O.J. Simpson.

This movie is just *one* release from 1988 that included a steamroller.

Where to watch *The Naked Gun*: Paramount+

Stakeout (1987)

Richard Dreyfuss, Emilio Estevez, and their matching mustaches in 'Stakeout'.

Buena Vista Pictures/ Everett

From the great populist John Badham (*Saturday Night Fever*, *WarGames*), *Stakeout *is rarely on the tip of anyone’s tongue as some kind of masterpiece, but it is one of the more watchable buddy cop pictures of its era.

Richard Dreyfuss and Emilio Estevez are assigned to surveil the ex-girlfriend (Madeleine Stowe) of a criminal (Aidan Quinn) who's escaped from prison. It seems like a simple assignment, but one thing after another goes wrong, primarily when Dreyfuss and Stowe start having an affair. (Whoopsie!)

In addition to showing off cool spycraft tactics, *Stakeout* works as a rich character piece, nicely blending genuine thrills and sophisticated humor.

Where to watch *Stakeout*: Amazon Prime (to rent)

The Untouchables (1987)

Sean Connery and Kevin Costner talk about their accents in 'The Untouchables'.

Paramount Pictures/ Everett

“*That’s* the Chicago way!”

Brian De Palma’s highly stylized (and rarely matched) Prohibition-era tale of gangsters and coppers was created to be a salute to the classics of the 1930s (as well as foundational texts of early Soviet cinema), but quickly became a classic in its own right.

Kevin Costner’s Elliot Ness faces down Robert De Niro’s Al Capone, but this movie is rightly remembered for Sean Connery’s performance as tough Irishman Jimmy Malone. He won the Oscar for his turn; if anyone else’s name was called that night, there might have been a riot.

Where to watch *The Untouchables*: Tubi

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