Streaming
Including Wild Bill, Calm With Horses, The Sweeney, and more.
Nothing’s better than a good movie night, until you run out of things to watch that is. If you’ve managed to power through most of what streaming services have to offer, how about digging into the best British thrillers on Netflix?
British suspense movies are ideal if you’re looking for something that’s gripping without being too scary. I'm not talking horror-level freak-out — just the right amount of suspense to make you grip the edge of your seat and feel slightly apprehensive when turning off the lights,
Maybe you're better suited to a crime thriller that makes you stay up into the night researching the innermost details of Britain's criminal underworld like The Sweeney. (Turns out, London is a hotspot for dirty cops and mob bosses. Who knew?) Maybe you're in the mood for something rooted in a specific part of British culture history like Green Street.
Either way, there are plenty to choose from on the holy grail that is Netflix, but here are seven of the best British thriller movies on the streaming site that will have you falling off your settee with suspense. You'll definitely need to be wrapped in a duvet for these films.
1
‘The Sweeney’
Based on the legendary ‘70s UK series of the same name, The Sweeney sees Ray Winstone play detective Jack Regan who is released from prison to those putting the lives of his colleagues in the Flying Squad of London’s Metropolitan police at risk.
Along with Winstone, The Sweeney has a star-studded cast of British faves including Hayley Atwell, Damian Lewis, and rapper Plan B.
2
‘Close’
Based on the work of Jacquie Davis, one of the world’s best female bodyguards, Noomi Rapace plays Sam, a bodyguard tasked with keeping a wealthy heiress safe from being taken hostage or killed by those against her father’s business.
Per Entertainment Weekly, Davis has protected some of the world’s most famous faces, including J.K. Rowling, Nicole Kidman, and members of the British royal family. Davis was a consultant on the film, and regularly met with Rapace to give her tips and advice on her character.
3
‘The Courier’
Any film with Gary Oldman portraying the baddie is a plus, and The Courier is no different. Here Oldman plays a London crime lord who enlists an unnamed courier (Olga Kurylenko) to deliver a bomb to someone who is set to testify against him in court.
4
‘Alleycats’
Starring Poldark’s Eleanor Thompson, this British thriller revolves around the most unlikeliest of crimes – illegal bike racing. After her brother dies in an accident during one of said races, she decides to investigate his death herself and ends up getting far deeper into the corrupted world than her brother had.
5
‘Wild Bill’
Fans of Snatch will love Wild Bill, which merges the best of what British crime thrillers have to offer with a generous dose of black comedy.
Charlie Creed-Miles is the eponymous ‘Wild’ Bill, who after receiving parole from an eight-year prison sentence is tasked with the most dangerous job of all – looking after his two teenage sons (Will Poulter and Sammy Williams) who were inadvertently abandoned by their mother while he was doing time.
6
‘Green Street’
Alternatively titled as Green Street Hooligans, this film follows an American college student (Elijah Wood) who moves to London and inadvertently joins a hooligan firm of West Ham supporters known as the Green Street Elite.
Also starring Charlie Hunnam, Claire Forlani, and Leo Gregory, the film didn’t sit very well with the actual residents of Green Street -- which is located near West Ham’s old home stadium in Newham. The Mayor of the London Borough called the film “irresponsible” at the time of its release, and said that the filmmakers had “taken the name of a vibrant, bustling, multicultural street [...] and labelled it a violent place which it is not.”
7
'Calibre'
A nice weekend hunting trip to the Scottish highlands doesn't particularly turn out well for Marcus (Martin McCann) and Vaughn (Jack Lowden), who end up with more than they were prepared for in Matt Palmer's Calibre.
I won't spoil it — obviously — but you definitely won't want to follow in their footsteps, I assure you.
8
‘The Foreigner’
If a cat-and-mouse type chase is your type of thriller, The Foreigner is the perfect fit. With Jackie Chan at the helm and Pierce Brosnan as the baddie, this film sees Chan play a father with a shady past on the hunt for revenge after his daughter is inadvertently killed in a political terrorist attack.
9
Calm With Horses
Set in rural Ireland, Calm with Horses sees ex-boxer Douglas ‘Arm’ Armstrong (Cosmo Jarvis) who inadvertently falls into the criminal underworld by becoming an enforcer for the Devers — a family of drug-dealers.
After being ordered to kill for the first time, Douglas must decide whether to fully commit to being a criminal or dedicate his life to be a good father for his five-year-old son.
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