What Is Noir? The Genre Is More Diverse Than You Think
What is noir exactly? For some, images of black-and-white films from the ’40s and ’50s might come to mind. Tales of murder set in Old Hollywood, hardened gumshoe types, femme fatales, and all the other tropes that author Raymond Chandler helped popularize. For others, it might be outcast anthems of the ’70s like “Taxi Driver” or perhaps sci-fi noir like “Blade Runner.” And over on the other side of the world there’s Nordic Noir, a distinctly colder, often more sadistic brand of the genre. So what is the connective thread? What makes noir noir? Topic investigates.
According to Merriam-Webster, noir is defined as “crime fiction featuring hard-boiled cynical characters and bleak sleazy settings.” Britannica defines film noir as a “style of filmmaking characterized by such elements as cynical heroes, stark lighting effects, frequent use of flashbacks, intricate plots, and an underlying existentialist philosophy.” A brief history of film noir will trace its origins to the 1930s, when the Great Depression and post-war disillusionment was heavily influencing art. Settings were austere, systems were corrupt, and heroes were anti.
Traditional noir at a glance:
- Brooding antihero male protagonist
- Mysterious, irresistible femme fatale antagonist
- Seedy or bleak urban setting
- Corruption and moral ambiguity
- A cynical, disillusioned view of the world
- Intricate mystery plot with many twists
- Obsession with the past
- Sharp dialogue
- Dark and dramatic lighting
- Crime and murder
Over the decades, noir has evolved and expanded, with new filmmakers paying homage to the genre but adding their own twists. Directors like Martin Scorsese and David Lynch have ushered in a new generation of neo-noir with movies like “Taxi Driver,” “Raging Bull,” and “Blue Velvet.” In the aughts, Frank Miller’s neo-noir comics series “Sin City” became a defining example of noir in the modern age, borrowing heavily from the classic tropes but executed with the groundbreaking visuals made possible by its era.
But even as special effects were introduced, brooding protagonists became more unhinged (like Travis Bickle), and femme fatales became more, well, fatale (looking at you, Sharon Stone), the core characteristics of noir have remained intact. That’s precisely what makes it such an exciting genre — like the ever-evolving little black dress, it changes with each decade but stays forever classic, forever dark…well, sort of.
In recent years, noir has further evolved to include elements that are seemingly contradictory to its definition:
- Strong female protagonists who command the screen without having to be seductive (and who exist well outside of the male gaze)
- Comedy and levity
- Bright and sunny locations
These traits may feel completely counter to what noir is all about, but titles like “Fargo,” “Breaking Bad,” and “Veronica Mars” prove that they can co-exist with the old guard.
So just how many types of noir are there? Using the connective characteristics of noir, we’ve come up with a diverse list of subgenres — including some that we created in an effort to further expand the genre — along with titles that fit under each category. Some are classics, a few might surprise you, and many are available to watch right here on Topic. Welcome to the big, wide world of noir.
Nordic Noir
Hands down our favorite subgenre, Nordic Noir, or sometimes referred to as Scandi Noir, is closely aligned with its American cousin, but where it deviates is what we love most. Instead of palm trees in LA, you’ve got concrete buildings in Copenhagen and infinite stretches of snow in Finnish Lapland. And instead of the traditional whodunit mystery, where someone is found with a simple gunshot wound, Nordic Noir favors gruesomely staged bodies, creative methods of murder, and twisted cat-and-mouse chases. There’s something in that chilly air that breeds a special class of sadism.
Here are some of our favorite Nordic Noir titles:
The Killing (Forbrydelsen) | Denmark
When the body of a young girl is found, Deputy Superintendent Sarah Lund puts her retirement plans on hold to investigate, only to become wholly consumed by the case.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonist, bleak setting, a cynical view of the world, intricate mystery plot with many twists, and, of course, crime and murder, strong female protagonist.
The Bridge (Bron/Broen) | Denmark and Sweden
A body found in the middle of the bridge that connects Sweden and Denmark sparks a joint investigation between both countries and the hunt for an elite, sadistic killer.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonists, bleak setting, a cynical view of the world, intricate mystery plot with many twists, sharp dialogue, crime and murder, strong female protagonist.
Follow the Money (Bedrag) | Denmark
This financial crime thriller goes from boardrooms to the criminal underworld, exploring human nature, greed, and the common denominator that is the pursuit of money.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonists, corruption and moral ambiguity, a cynical view of the world, intricate mystery plot with many twists, sharp dialogue, crime and murder.
Honour (Heder ) | Sweden
Considered Noir 2.0, this series follows four women who work as sex crime lawyers, bonded by a dark secret that makes them a target by a dangerous circle of powerful men.
Noir Traits: Corruption and moral ambiguity, a cynical view of the world, intricate mystery plot with many twists, obsession with the past, sharp dialogue, crime and murder, strong female protagonists.
Conspiracy of Silence | Sweden
Thought to be dead, Robert Kastell, a former arms dealer, emerges from exile to seek revenge on the man that tried to have him killed. But his long-lost daughter changes everything.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonist, corruption and moral ambiguity, a cynical view of the world, intricate mystery plot with many twists, obsession with the past, crime and murder.
Terribly Happy | Denmark
Following a nervous breakdown, a Copenhagen police officer is transferred to a provincial town to take on the mysteriously vacated Marshall position and gets mixed up with a married femme fatale.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonist, femme fatale, bleak setting, a cynical view of the world, intricate mystery plot with many twists, obsession with the past, crime and murder.
The Millennium Series | Sweden
Based on Stieg Larsson’s literary phenomenon, the Millennium trilogy — The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest — helped to catapult Nordic Noir onto the world stage.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonist, bleak setting, corruption and moral ambiguity, a cynical view of the world, intricate mystery plot with many twists, obsession with the past, crime and murder, strong female protagonist.
COMING SOON TO TOPIC
Wallander | Sweden
Soul-searching Detective Kurt Wallander must battle his own demons while investigating a series of bizarre crimes in southern Sweden.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonist, bleak setting, a cynical view of the world, intricate mystery plot with many twists, crime and murder.
Political Noir
Another popular noir subgenre is of the political variety. Since corruption, cynicism, and government go hand in hand, it’s only natural to set noir stories against a political backdrop.
Here are some of our favorites:
Baron Noir | France
Like “The West Wing” meets “The Sopranos,” this fast-paced thriller reveals the dirtier side of French politics. The players are shady, the sabotage is ruthless, and revenge is everything.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonist, (a lot of) corruption and moral ambiguity, a cynical view of the world, sharp dialogue, crime.
The Minister | Iceland
Meet Iceland’s radical new prime minister. Benedikt Ríkarðsson is beloved for being unconventional and revolutionary, but will the nation still love him when his demons resurface?
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonist, corruption and moral ambiguity, obsession with the past.
Peacemaker | Finland
In order to broker peace, Ann-Mari Sundell must navigate armed conflicts, corrupt governments, and powerful politicians. Welcome to international peace negotiating.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonist, corruption and moral ambiguity, a cynical view of the world, crime and murder, strong female protagonist.
Commandos | The Netherlands
No one escapes war unscathed. A gripping action thriller and existential character drama following an ex-Dutch Special Forces commander whose past comes back to haunt him.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonist, corruption and moral ambiguity, a cynical view of the world, intricate mystery plot with many twists, obsession with the past, crime and murder.
Borgen | Denmark
Centered around Denmark’s first female president, the series examines the complicated lives of the politicians, media spinners, and reporters who feed off their triumphs and failures in ‘Borgen’ (nickname for Denmark’s parliamentary building). From the creator of Follow the Money.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonist, corruption and moral ambiguity, a cynical view of the world, sharp dialogue.
Crime Noir
Take a classic police procedural, then shroud it in darkness, and you’ll get crime noir. These series are usually centered around a crime investigation — almost always involving murder — and may follow the same structure of a procedural, but the deaths are more gruesome, the killers more twisted, and everything is just a little more macabre.
Pagan Peak (Der Pass) | Austria and Germany
Though this is technically not set in a Nordic country, the series (inspired by The Bridge) embodies Nordic Noir through and through.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonist, bleak setting, a cynical view of the world, intricate mystery plot with many twists, crime and murder, strong female protagonist.
Dark Woods | Germany
Based on a real-life investigation that went unsolved for almost 30 years, the series follows a high-ranking police officer’s search for his missing sister. Shortly after two double murders in Isefort Forest, Barbara Neder disappears without a trace. Are the two cases connected?
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonist, bleak setting, corruption and moral ambiguity, a cynical view of the world, intricate mystery plot with many twists, crime and murder, strong female protagonist.
Philharmonia | France
When Hélène returns to Paris to conduct a prestigious orchestra, she must prove herself in a male-dominated field and dodge a deadly curse and clear her name.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonist, moral ambiguity, a cynical view of the world, intricate plot with many twists, sharp dialogue, crime and murder.
True Detective | USA
An anthology series in which police investigations unearth the personal and professional secrets of those involved, both within and outside the law. The first season stars Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson as partners hunting a serial killer in Louisiana over the course of 17 years.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonist, moral ambiguity, intricate plot with many twists, sharp dialogue, crime and murder.
Sci-Fi/Tech Noir
One of the most exciting developments in noir’s history is its entrance into the future — the far future. In 1982, “Blade Runner” proved that noir and science fiction were a match made in heaven. Over the years, the subgenre, also known as tech noir, has produced countless iconic series and films.
The Grave | Israel
When an earthquake unburies three skeletons, an investigation unfolds that defies all logic and a group of interconnected people are thrown into a mind-bending mystery filled with inexplicable phenomena.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonists, corruption and moral ambiguity, a cynical view of the world, intricate mystery plot with many twists, obsession with the past, sharp dialogue, crime and murder.
The Last Fisherman | Vietnam
A lone Vietnamese fisherman trying to survive in an apocalyptic future encounters an android he hoped would have remained in his dark past. Sci-fi and nature collide in this dystopian story set against the lush and expansive South China Sea.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonists, femme fatal, bleak setting, a cynical view of the world, obsession with the past.
Minority Report | USA
Based on a story by Philip K. Dick, “Minority Report” is an action-detective thriller set in Washington D.C. in 2054, where police utilize a psychic technology to arrest and convict murderers before they commit their crime.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonists, corruption and moral ambiguity, a cynical view of the world, intricate mystery plot with many twists, obsession with the past, sharp dialogue, crime and murder.
Gattaca | USA
A genetically inferior man (Ethan Hawke) assumes the identity of a superior one (Jude Law) in order to join the Gattaca space program, where he falls in love with Irene (Uma Thurman). But an investigation into the death of a Gattaca officer (Gore Vidal) complicates his plans.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonists, femme fatal, corruption and moral ambiguity, a cynical view of the world, intricate mystery plot with many twists, sharp dialogue, crime and murder.
Pandemic Noir
If every era breeds its own version of noir, forged in the defining traits of the time, then 2020 gave birth to the pandemic noir. Many of these titles existed long before COVID-19, but the current situation warrants giving them their own classification.
Here are some prominent ones:
Arctic Circle (Ivalo) | Finland
When a dying sex worker is found with a mysterious virus in her system, an officer and a virologist team up to catch a serial killer and stop a full-blown pandemic.
Noir Traits: Bleak setting, a cynical view of the world, intricate mystery plot with many twists, crime and murder, strong female protagonist.
Release | USA
When a deadly pandemic spreads across the outskirts of a large US city, a group of interconnected people are impacted in different ways, but they must all fight to survive.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonists, bleak setting, moral ambiguity, a cynical view of the world, dark and dramatic lighting, crime.
Turning Point | USA
Directed by Joe Penna (who also directed Release), this short film follows a woman who has been exposed to a deadly contagion and must struggle to make it through the night alone.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonist, bleak setting, a cynical view of the world, dark and dramatic lighting.
Contagion | USA
Following healthcare professionals, government officials, and everyday people in the midst of a pandemic as the CDC works to find a cure, Steven Soderbergh’s 2011 thriller feels eerily familiar.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonists, bleak setting, corruption and moral ambiguity, a cynical view of the world, sharp dialogue.
Panic in the Streets | USA
This 1950 film noir classic by Elia Kazan follows a doctor dealing with a pneumonic plague outbreak among the immigrant community in New Orleans.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonists, bleak setting, corruption and moral ambiguity, a cynical view of the world, sharp dialogue, dark and dramatic lighting.
The Killer That Stalked New York | USA
Giving new meaning to femme fatale, this 1950 noir follows a female jewel thief who also happens to be a smallpox carrier spreading the deadly virus throughout New York City.
Noir Traits: Femme fatale, bleak setting, corruption and moral ambiguity, a cynical view of the world, sharp dialogue, dark and dramatic lighting.
Supernatural Noir
Like sci-fi noir, another natural marriage is between noir and the supernatural. Paranormal elements like black magic, spirits, and religious miracles take the genre to another, otherworldly level. These stories border on horror, but are grounded by the same human conflicts that define the noir genre.
Out of Time | India
In this mind-bending film, a troubled young man whose father has mysteriously disappeared goes to a British mansion, where he gets stuck in a never-ending time loop and discovers astonishing facts about his past.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonist, bleak setting, corruption and moral ambiguity, a cynical view of the world, intricate mystery plot with many twists, obsession with the past, dark and dramatic lighting, crime and murder.
Soul City | USA
New Orleans lore collides with dark magic in this anthology series. Created by Coodie & Chike and starring Chad Coleman, PJ Morton, and Omar Dorsey, these “Twilight Zone”-style tales expose chilling corners of the Big Easy.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonist, bleak setting, corruption and moral ambiguity, a cynical view of the world, intricate mystery plot with many twists, obsession with the past, dark and dramatic lighting, crime and murder.
Dead Mountain: The Dyatlov Pass Incident | Russia
This mind-boggling mystery is based on the real-life case surrounding the gruesome death of nine hikers found in the Russian Ural Mountains in 1959, which has spawned 60 years of conspiracy theories.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonist, femme fatale, bleak setting corruption and moral ambiguity, a cynical view of the world, intricate mystery plot with many twists, obsession with the past, dark and dramatic lighting, crime.
Intruders | UK
A paranormal thriller about a secret society that chases immortality by seeking out human hosts. When ex-cop Jack Whalen’s wife goes missing, he starts an investigation that forces him to confront his past. Based on Michael Marshall Smith’s novel.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonist, corruption and moral ambiguity, a cynical view of the world, intricate mystery plot with many twists, obsession with the past, dark and dramatic lighting, crime and murder.
The Miracle | Italy
Are miracles always good? When a Madonna statuette weeping human blood is discovered, it reveals unimaginable powers, upending lives and beliefs. Now the government, mafia, and church are all after it. Originally aired in Italy as Il Miracolo.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonist, corruption and moral ambiguity, a cynical view of the world, intricate mystery plot with many twists, crime and murder.
Sunny Noir
OK, just hear us out. Yes, “noir” literally means black, making “sunny noir” a bit of an oxymoron, but if we’ve learned anything today, it’s that noir comes in all forms. Its connective threads are so strong that a story can be a noir even without its namesake trait, darkness. But just because the cinematography is brighter doesn’t mean the characters’ moral conflicts and internal battles aren’t as deep and complex. In fact, a sunny locale provides the perfect stark background against which to juxtapose the dark storylines. Likewise, sunny noir introduces humor and levity as a highly entertaining foil to all that murder.
Here’s what we mean:
Happily Married | Canada
How did two ordinary suburban married couples become the greatest criminals in Quebec’s history? The dark comedy follows four friends whose marital strife opens a gateway to murder, arson, and a life of organized crime. Meet the Sainte-Foy Killers.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonist, corruption and moral ambiguity, a cynical view of the world, sharp dialogue, strong female protagonist, comedy and levity, bright and sunny location.
Sakho & Mangane | Senegal
In the African city of Dakar, mismatched partners Commander Sakho and Lieutenant Mangane are forced to work together to solve supernatural murder mysteries involving black magic.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonist, corruption and moral ambiguity, intricate plot with many twists, sharp dialogue, crime and murder, comedy and levity, bright and sunny location.
An Ordinary Woman | Russia
On the surface, Marina is a loving wife and mother in suburban Moscow. But underneath, she’s hiding a shocking double life: she’s the madam of a lucrative escort service. When one of her girls ends up dead, she’ll have to clean up the mess while keeping her family together.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonist, bleak setting, corruption and moral ambiguity, a cynical view of the world, intricate mystery plot with many twists, sharp dialogue, crime and murder, strong female protagonist, comedy and levity.
State of Happiness | Norway
When a small fishing town discovers something big, six individuals must seize a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. This Nordic drama follows the history-making events that created modern Norway.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonist, corruption and moral ambiguity, sharp dialogue, strong female protagonist, bright and sunny location.
Inherent Vice | USA
In 1970, a pot-smoking Los Angeles private investigator Larry “Doc” Sportello (played by Joaquin Phoenix) investigates the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonist, femme fatale, corruption and moral ambiguity, a cynical view of the world, intricate plot with many twists, obsession with the past, sharp dialogue, crime and murder, comedy and levity, bright and sunny location.
Drive | USA
Starring Ryan Gosling, this neo-noir set in sunny LA follows a nameless stunt driver with a mysterious past who unleashes deadly skills after a robbery gone wrong.
Noir Traits: Antihero protagonist, femme fatale, corruption and moral ambiguity, a cynical view of the world, sharp dialogue, crime and murder, bright and sunny location.
