9 Movies To Watch If You Like Boston Strangler On Hulu: ‘Boston Strangler’ tells a soaring tale of two female journalists who played a crucial role in understanding the culprit/s behind the sudden killings from Boston in the early 1990s. Reporter Loretta McLaughlin became the first to establish a connection between these deaths and break the news. However, along with her colleague – Jean Cole, she faced sexism prevalent in their industry and in the outside world.
Her journey receives a riveting treatment by director Matt Ruskin, elevated by a grim world-building by Ben Kutchins’ cinematography. If you find this Keira Knightley starrer investigative drama gripping enough and want to explore similar works, you can start with these. However, please note that these are not solely serial killer dramas or true crime thrillers since this Hulu film has other elements that make it worth viewing.
1) Holy Spider (2022)
Ali Abbasi’s Palme d’Or nominated Holy Spider (Ankabut-e moqaddas) follows female journalist Rahimi who was investigating the serial killings in the Iranian city of Mashhad. Known as the Spider Killer, Saeed was intentionally targeting sex workers due to his firm religious beliefs. He thought killing these prostitutes would cleanse his Holy city of sinners and saw it as God’s work. Due to his beliefs, he was also considered a hero for committing these murders. So, Rahimi needed to fight not just this individual but the society as a whole that partook in the charade of his arrest and release.
In an interview, Ali Abbasi noted how, through its serial killer drama, he wanted to explore the cultural climate of their country from that time and how people reacted. Besides that commonality with Boston Strangler, this film is also a true crime drama that highlights sexism from a particular place in a particular time period. Another reason to watch it is an evocative acting performance by Zar Amir Ebrahimi, who won the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival.
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2) Zodiac (2007)
David Fincher’s ‘Zodiac’ follows the investigation to find the mysterious Zodiac Killer. It began when San Francisco Chronicle started receiving cryptic letters from an anonymous person. Robert Graysmith, who was working as a cartoonist there, was fascinated by this individual and obsessed with discovering his identity. With his puzzle-solving abilities, he started pursuing this case, even if it was not assigned to him. Despite his deep interest, he worked in a position that did not allow him to investigate.
In Boston Strangler, Loretta has a similar struggle, where she was not considered to work on it since she was merely a lifestyle columnist and had no experience in this type of journalism. Both she and Robert started out by joining the dots, which led them to discover the killers’ identities. They both had to continuously battle the police forces, who were trying to rush to a conclusion instead of ensuring people’s safety. Its similarly tinted color palette is yet another reason why this 2007 film is a great choice if you liked Boston Strangler.
3) She Said (2022)
Boston Strangler shows two female reporters trying to crack a case. Maria Schrader’s ‘She Said’ does the same while following their investigation into the allegations against powerful Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. The New York Times’s Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor emphasize compassion while conversing with survivors of his heinous acts. The forces that stand against them from uncovering the truth make them confront similar challenges to what Loretta and Jean faced.
Both films discuss the sexual politics behind the crimes of their investigation in detail. They also highlight how it affects the individuals who are analyzing it. Although it does not involve a serial killer, the predatory villain’s crime is just as dangerous, particularly in light of how men in both tales disregard women’s agency and coerce them into acting against their will. The commentary in She Said is subtle, and yet the resilient forces solving the case make it a compelling true crime drama.
4) Watcher (2022)
Chloe Okuno’s ‘Watcher’ follows a young actress named Julia, who moves to Romania due to her husband, Francis’ new job. While trying to fit in in a foreign country, she comes across a figure that watches her from the opposite building. This watcher continues to terrify her over weeks by making his presence felt everywhere she goes. So, she battles her loneliness with this added dread. Subsequently, she hears news of serial killings, where the killer’s MO involves stalking his victims.
Though Julia is terrified for her life, Francis casually dismisses her concerns. Like Boston Strangler’s Loretta, Julia’s hypothesis leads to eventually finding the terrifying serial killer. Watcher offers an extremely visceral look into Julia’s traumatized mental landscape, whereas Boston Strangler addresses Loretta’s emotional turmoil throughout the procedure. It also takes a look into sexual politics and shows the guilt-tripping similar to what Loretta faced. Besides having a chilling performance by the actor performing in the killer’s role (Burn Gorman), it features yet another impressive performance in this list by the film’s lead (Maika Monroe).
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5) Spotlight (2015)
Tom McCarthy’s ‘Spotlight’ follows four journalists from Boston Globe who pursue a story about child molestation charges against numerous Catholic priests from the local church. Newly-hired editor Marty Baron pushes these journalists to investigate this case and bring to spotlight this widespread, systemic issue. It highlights the failure of institutions that we hold in high regard and presents a highly engaging procedural drama that slowly unfolds the details of their investigation.
Boston Strangler does the same to the point where it felt like an inspiration for how the film tackles the aspect of journalistic integrity without rushing through its procedure. Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy’s screenplay deals with how the cultural elements enable such obscene behavior while the preparators roam free without remorse. Keira Knightley’s film also looks into the institution of family and how it binds people to act in archaic manners.
So, Spotlight is a great suggestion in the genre of true crime dramas that will interest you if the deliberate pacing of Boston Strangler intrigues you.
6) The Good Nurse (2022)
Tobias Lindholm’s ‘The Good Nurse’ follows Amy Loughren, a night nurse who suspects that her co-worker Charles Cullen is a serial killer. Amy starts noticing a pattern of discrepancies in his behavior that make her suspicion against him stronger over the period. Furthermore, she connects the dots and follows the case herself with the intention of saving the innocent people who might be under his radar. Amy pursues it due to a concern that patients put their utmost faith in a medical professional.
Besides being backed by this noble cause, Amy’s journey also focuses on clever deductions and an informed understanding. Despite having to witness Charlie’s menacing presence, she diligently pursues the case like the journalists from Boston Strangler. While it gradually unravels her search for evidence for a case against him, this true-crime drama becomes soul-crushing due to the central performances by Jessica Chastain and Eddie Redmayne. Like Boston Strangler, it also scrutinizes how those in power avert their organizations from getting any bad rep.
Also, Read: 6 Films to Watch If You Like “The Good Nurse” on Netflix
7) Fargo (1996)
In 1996, the Coen brothers pulled a trick on their film’s viewers. ‘Fargo’ came with a note saying that it was based on true incidents. Later on, they clarified that the claim was false. By doing that, they took a dig at our perception of true crime dramas and how we are conditioned to be terrified by a story if it is based on truth. Experiments apart, this black comedy crime drama is worth watching for its intelligent script.
It follows an investigation of a triple homicide in Minnesota. Frances McDormand stars as Marge Gunderson, a pregnant police chief tasked with finding the culprit. She appears as an unlikely protagonist for this task. Besides subverting the archetypes by having such a woman find the culprit, the film also becomes a clever game of motives and deceptions that lead to a couple of connected killings.
While tonally dissimilar from Boston Strangler, Fargo is guaranteed to keep you gripped by the investigation of how Marge slowly understands the details. Frances McDormand is magnificent here, which is another reason to watch it.
8) Memories of Murder (2003)
Any list revolving around serial killers would be incomplete without mentioning Bong Joon Hoo’s seminal work – ‘Memories of Murder.’ This South Korean crime thriller film follows two detectives, Park Doo-man and Seo Tae-yoon, leading an investigation into a string of rapes and murders that took place in Hwaseong in the late 1980s. They also stumble upon a pattern that leads them to an understanding that a single mind is behind all these crimes. These two, who have different work disciplines, work as a team to come to a conclusion.
I won’t give away the conclusion to those who haven’t yet seen the movie’s hypnotic effects, even though it still surprises me that anyone hasn’t seen it. Obviously, it should be on your list if you liked Boston Strangler because the element of mystery permeates both crime narratives toward discovering the killer’s identity. Besides, it is another drama that impacts the lives of the mystery-solvers. It is also set in a particular place and shows how terror was imbued in their respective atmospheres.
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9) The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Often regarded as one of the finest psychological horror films, Jonathan Demme’s ‘The Silence of the Lambs looks into the crimes of the terrifying serial killer, Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Clarice Starling is assigned to the case, who is a young FBI trainee. She engages in thorough discussions with this man and covertly tries to understand his motives behind committing the murders. Moreover, she hopes to find another serial killer named Buffalo Bill through that informed understanding.
Clarice tries to find out what ticks them and what pleases or annoys them to get an emotional assessment of a similar mindset. While it is not a procedural drama like Boston Strangler, the psychological evaluation of these offenses is exceptionally intriguing. In their ping-pong ball-like exchanges, the details gradually get unraveled, impacting her emotional state. Besides being a fascinating serial killer drama, it deserves a viewing specifically for the performances of Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster.
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Boston Strangler (2023) Movie Links: IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes
Boston Strangler (2023) Movie Cast: Keira Knightley, Carrie Coon, Chris Cooper
Where to watch Boston Strangler
