Crime Thrillers Told From The Perspective Of The Criminal’s Family

Crime stories often focus on the perpetrators or the detectives hunting them down. A unique subgenre shifts the lens to the spouses, children, and parents who get caught in the crossfire of illegal activities. These narratives explore the psychological toll and physical danger faced by those related to criminals. The audience witnesses the gradual corruption of innocence or the desperate fight for survival from inside the domestic sphere.

‘Animal Kingdom’ (2010)

Joshua Cody moves in with his grandmother and uncles after his mother dies of an overdose. He quickly realizes the family business involves armed robbery and drug trafficking. The matriarch Smurf manipulates her sons and grandson to maintain control over their criminal empire. Joshua must navigate police pressure and the paranoia of his volatile uncles to survive. This Australian film offers a chilling look at a crime family from the perspective of its youngest member.

‘Widows’ (2018)

Veronica Rawlins faces a death threat after her husband dies in a failed heist and leaves behind a massive debt. She recruits the other widows of the robbery crew to execute her late husband’s planned job. The women must transform from grieving spouses into capable criminals to secure their futures. They uncover deep corruption and betrayal as they delve into the criminal underworld. Director Steve McQueen uses the heist genre to examine themes of grief and survival.

‘Winter’s Bone’ (2010)

Ree Dolly embarks on a dangerous search for her father through the Ozark mountains. Her father put their family home up for his bail bond and then vanished. Ree faces hostility from distant relatives and local criminals who want the truth to remain buried. She endures brutal violence to protect her younger siblings and sick mother from homelessness. The film depicts a stark and unforgiving landscape where family loyalty is tested by meth addiction.

‘A History of Violence’ (2005)

Edie Stall discovers her husband Tom is not the mild-mannered man she thought he was. Violence follows him home after he skillfully kills two robbers in their small town diner. She struggles to reconcile the gentle father of her children with the professional killer he used to be. Their son Jack also grapples with this revelation and begins to exhibit his own aggressive tendencies. The story questions whether a person can ever truly escape a violent past.

‘Road to Perdition’ (2002)

Michael Sullivan Jr. hides in his father’s car and witnesses a gangland execution. He learns his father works as an enforcer for an Irish mob boss in Depression-era Illinois. The father and son are forced to flee when the mob turns against them to cover up the crime. They bond on the road while the father tries to prevent his son from following in his bloody footsteps. Sam Mendes directs this somber tale of fathers and sons.

‘We Need to Talk About Kevin’ (2011)

Eva Khatchadourian lives in isolation and shame after her son commits a school massacre. She reflects on his childhood and tries to determine if his sociopathy was innate or a result of her parenting. The narrative shifts between her happy past and her grim present as a pariah in her community. Eva analyzes every interaction she had with Kevin to find signs she might have missed. This psychological thriller examines the devastating guilt of a mother who fears she raised a monster.

‘I’m Your Woman’ (2020)

Jean is forced to go on the run with her infant child after her husband betrays his criminal partners. She knows little about his business but must quickly learn to survive in a dangerous underworld. A stranger named Cal helps her navigate a series of safe houses and close calls. The film focuses entirely on the experience of the wife who is usually left on the sidelines of mob stories. Jean transforms from a passive observer into a woman capable of protecting her family.

‘Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead’ (2007)

Two brothers organize a robbery of their parents’ jewelry store in a desperate bid for quick cash. The plan goes terribly wrong and results in the death of their mother. Their father becomes obsessed with finding the culprits without knowing his own sons are responsible. The narrative loops back and forth in time to show the perspective of each family member involved. It is a tragedy fueled by greed and deep-seated family dysfunction.

‘We Own the Night’ (2007)

Bobby Green manages a nightclub frequented by Russian gangsters in late 1980s New York. He distances himself from his father and brother who are both high-ranking police officers. An assassination attempt on his brother forces Bobby to choose between his hedonistic lifestyle and his family. He goes undercover to help his family take down the drug lord using his club. The film explores the tension between blood loyalty and the allure of the criminal life.

‘At Close Range’ (1986)

Brad Whitewood Jr. seeks a connection with his estranged father who leads a rural crime ring. He and his friends form their own gang to impress the older man and earn money. The father eventually views his son as a liability when the law starts closing in on their operations. Brad realizes his father cares more about self-preservation than his own children. The story is based on real events involving a notorious crime family in Pennsylvania.

‘The Place Beyond the Pines’ (2012)

Jason discovers his biological father was a motorcycle stunt rider turned bank robber. He seeks answers about his heritage while dealing with a troubled home life. His curiosity leads him into a conflict with the son of the police officer who killed his father. The narrative spans fifteen years to show how the crimes of the fathers haunt the lives of their sons. It is a generational saga about the inescapable nature of legacy.

‘Trespass Against Us’ (2016)

Chad Cutler tries to find a way out of his family’s criminal lifestyle for the sake of his children. His father Colby leads a community of outlaws who live in caravans and raid wealthy estates. Colby uses manipulation and intimidation to keep Chad involved in the family business. The police tighten their net around the group and increase the pressure on Chad to flip. The film highlights the difficulty of breaking free from indoctrination and familial expectations.

‘The Kitchen’ (2019)

Three housewives in Hell’s Kitchen take matters into their own hands when their mobster husbands are sent to prison. They take over the protection rackets and eliminate competition to support their families. The women prove to be more ruthless and efficient than the men they replaced. Their rise to power attracts the attention of the Italian mafia and causes friction within the neighborhood. The story adapts a comic book series about female empowerment in a crime-ridden setting.

‘Defending Jacob’ (2020)

Andy and Laurie Barber see their lives unravel when their teenage son Jacob is accused of murdering a classmate. Andy compromises his ethics as an assistant district attorney to protect his child. Laurie begins to doubt her son’s innocence as disturbing secrets from his past surface. The family faces intense public scrutiny and the collapse of their social standing. This limited series explores how far parents will go to deny the truth about their children.

‘Good Time’ (2017)

Connie Nikas drags his developmentally disabled brother Nick into a bank robbery that goes wrong. Nick is arrested and sent to Rikers Island while Connie narrowly escapes. Connie spends a chaotic night racing through the city to secure bail money or break his brother out. He manipulates everyone he encounters to save the only family he cares about. The film is a breathless thriller driven by a brother’s desperate and toxic love.

‘Little Odessa’ (1994)

Joshua Shapira returns to his Russian-Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn to perform a contract killing. He tries to reconnect with his dying mother and younger brother Reuben while keeping his presence a secret from his abusive father. Reuben looks up to Joshua despite knowing about his violent profession. The brothers’ bond is tested by the dangerous reality of Joshua’s work. The film captures the bleak atmosphere of Brighton Beach and the tragedy of a fractured family.

‘Bloodline’ (2015–2017)

The Rayburn family runs a popular seaside hotel in the Florida Keys and commands respect in their community. Their status is threatened when the black sheep brother Danny returns home and demands a role in the business. His involvement in drug smuggling forces his siblings to make impossible moral choices to protect the family legacy. The show reveals how past secrets and lies rot the foundation of a seemingly perfect family. Tension builds slowly as the siblings turn on one another.

‘Ozark’ (2017–2022)

Marty Byrde moves his wife and two children from Chicago to the Missouri Ozarks to launder money for a drug cartel. His wife Wendy becomes an essential partner in their criminal schemes and political maneuvering. Their children Charlotte and Jonah learn the truth and become complicit in the family’s survival tactics. The series depicts the corruption of a suburban family as they normalize violence and betrayal. Each member of the household fights for dominance and safety.

‘American History X’ (1998)

Danny Vinyard writes a paper about his older brother Derek who is serving time for a hate crime. Danny teeters on the edge of joining the same neo-Nazi gang that destroyed his brother’s life. Derek returns from prison a changed man and tries to prevent Danny from following his path. The family struggles to heal from the hate and violence that tore them apart. The story is told through Danny’s eyes as he witnesses the consequences of his brother’s ideology.

‘Run All Night’ (2015)

Mike Conlon finds himself the target of a mob boss after witnessing a murder. His father Jimmy is a retired hitman who must protect Mike from his former employer. Jimmy betrays his oldest friend to save the son he abandoned years ago. They spend a harrowing night evading police and contract killers across New York City. The film focuses on a father seeking redemption by ensuring his son survives the consequences of his own criminal past.

Please share your favorite family-perspective crime thrillers in the comments.