If you like nail-biting suspense and edge-of-the-seat drama, then movies like The Next Three Days are a great point of reference to find other great titles.
Based on the French release Pour Elle, this adaptation shows a family’s life being turned upside down when Lara Brennan (Elizabeth Banks) is wrongly convicted of murdering her boss. Having lost the court battle, husband John (Russell Crowe) takes justice into his own hands to help his wife break out.
Directed by Paul Haggis, this film features non-stop drama and a pulsating narrative which puts its protagonist to the test to see if he really has the courage of his convictions. If this sounds like your idea of a great film, then stay tuned for our lowdown on the top movies like The Next Three Days.
Top 10 Gritty Thriller Movies like The Next Three Days
1. Hell or High Water (2016)
A divorced father and his ex-con older brother resort to a desperate scheme in order to save their family’s ranch in West Texas, in this vividly rendered neo-Western heist film.
Directed by David Mackenzie and written by Taylor Sheridan, the film features Chris Pine and Ben Foster in the central roles. This Oscar-nominated film also features music from soulful crooner Nick Cave.
In its depiction of filial loyalty against authority, this begins our list of movies like The Next Three Days.
2. The Town (2010)
While preparing for his new job, a career criminal tries to balance his feelings for a bank manager connected to one of his earlier heists, as well as the FBI agent looking to bring him and his crew down.
Based on a true story, the film was co-written and directed by Ben Affleck, who also plays a starring role. It is a faced paced, frantic work that features many gripping set pieces that will leave you glued to the screen.
For fans of movies like The Next Three Days, The Town represents a similarly compelling thriller.
3. 3:10 to Yuma (2007)
An adaption of the 1953 western of the same name, a small-town rancher and Civil War veteran agrees to hold a captured outlaw awaiting a train to go to court in Yuma. A battle of wills ensues as the outlaw attempts to outsmart and outmaneuver the steely rancher.
Starring Russell Crowe and Christian Bale in the lead roles, James Mangold’s action film presents a visually stunning spectacle, as the pair engage in a battle of wits. Described as the ‘best Western since Unforgiven’, this remake offers some thoroughly compelling viewing.
As a similarly absorbing ‘escape drama’, 3:10 to Yuma joins our list of movies like The Next Three Days.
4. The Prestige (2006)
Two 19th century stage magicians engage in competitive one-upmanship in an attempt to create the ultimate stage illusion.
With a star-studded cast including Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, and a cameo from the legendary David Bowie, this dazzling movie is full of twists and turns, and – like all good thrillers – we never know what’s going to happen next.
The ability to outsmart your opponent is a key theme of Christopher Nolan’s work. And if you’re into such chess-games played out on the big screen, then consider The Prestige as the perfect inclusion in our list of movies like The Next Three Days.
5. The Mist (2007)
Based on a Stephen King novella, a freak storm unleashes a species of bloodthirsty creatures in a small town, where a small band of citizens hole up in a supermarket and fight for their lives.
Directed by Frank Darabont, this film explores how an ‘us vs them’ dynamic plays out amid such apocalyptic circumstances, with all the best and worst parts of human nature represented. Full of unexpected twists and turns, you never quite know which characters to back, or who is going to make it out alive.
With its gripping sequence of set-pieces, viewers who appreciate movies like The Next Three Days will find a lot to love about this nightmarish 2007 release.
6. Ex Machina (2014)
A young programmer is chosen to participate in an ethically dubious experiment involving an artificial humanoid, reporting to an enigmatic and unfeeling CEO. This psychological thriller explores the concept of moral responsibility in a synthetic universe, while posing interesting questions about our relationship with AI.
Directed by Alex Garland, the film features Domhnall Gleeson and Oscar Isaac in starring roles, as they face off across opposite ends of the moral spectrum.
Sometimes doing the right thing involves resorting to extreme measures. This film joins our list of movies like The Next Three Days that explore this compelling topic.
7. Prisoners (2013)
When Keller Dover’s daughter and her friend go missing, he takes matters into his own hands as the police pursue multiple leads and the pressure mounts.
Darkness prevails in this stylish and introspective film, with Denis Villeneuve’s directing imparting a somber tone to the movie. Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal star in this film about taking justice into your own hands.
For people who love movies like The Next Three Days, Prisoners provides a great follow up.
8. I Spit on Your Grave (2010)
Taking the revenge horror genre to a whole new level, I Spit on Your Grave tells the story of Jennifer Hills, a writer who exacts revenge on each of her tormentors after being gang-raped and left for dead.
With its extreme violence generating controversy upon its 2010 release, Steven R. Monroe’s work stars Sarah Butler, who administers justice in the most merciless way possible.
Spawning two sequels, this harrowing work is perfect supplementary viewing for those who enjoy movies like The Next Three Days.
9. Payback (1999)
What happens when your crime partners leave you for dead, depriving you of the spoils of a successful heist? You enact cold, hard revenge. Adapted from Donald E. Westlake’s The Hunter, the film follows the attempts of Porter to serve his own form of justice.
This 1999 work stars Mel Gibson and is full of breathtaking action sequences that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The film’s dark humor also adds a nice flourish.
The revenge theme is absorbingly presented in this work and is a great one to consider!
10. Law Abiding Citizen (2009)
Clyde Shelton’s family is murdered in a brutal home invasion, and the criminal justice system is unable to convict its perpetrators. Shelton, therefore, decides to dish out his own form of law and order.
With many twists and turns along the way and some frenetic action sequences, F. Gary Gray’s film features strong starring roles for Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx.
Law Abiding Citizen features a protagonist who takes his own initiative when there’s no one else to help him.