Movies like Wind River have a similar independent tone and style. Taylor Sheridan, the director of Sicario and Hell or High Water, has created a masterpiece in Wind River that is both magnificent and tragic.
A local girl is discovered dead on a Native American reservation, and a young detective (Elizabeth Olsen) works to solve the case.
A tracker (Jeremy Renner) with a troubled past in the neighborhood is with her.
Wind River has one of the most dramatic and real shootout sequences ever. It is also captivating to watch.
The savage dialogue by Taylor Sheridan features Jeremy Renner and Gil Birmingham, two excellent performers performing at the top of their game.
Here is a selection of the best movies like Wind River that you should see. Several movies like Wind River, are available to stream on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime.
1. Insomnia (2002)
- Director: Christopher Nolan
- Cast: Al Pacino, Robin Williams, Hilary Swank, Martin Donovan, Oliver ‘Ole’ Zemen, Paul Dooley, Nicky Katt, and Larry Holden
- IMDb rating: 7.2/10
Fresh off of Memento’s Success, Al Pacino and Martin Donovan feature in a suspenseful murder mystery in which Christopher Nolan instantly moves outside of his comfort zone.
They play two Los Angeles detectives dispatched to a tiny Alaskan town to look into the horrific death of a little girl.
Robin Williams plays a writer who is somehow connected to this girl’s death, while Hilary Swank plays a young local detective.
Al Pacino struggles to concentrate despite having 22 hours of sunlight each day and little sleep as the tension in the movie increases.
All moviegoers should see Insomnia since it shows off Chris Nolan’s diverse ability as a director and is one of the best movies like wind river to watch.
2. The Pledge (2001)
- Director: Sean Penn
- Cast: Jack Nicholson, Benicio Del Toro, Patricia Clarkson, Beau Daniels, Dale Dickey, Wendy Donaldson, Adrien Dorval, and Aaron Eckhart
- IMDb rating: 6.8/10
A horrifying report of the horrible murder of a young girl interrupts Jerry Black’s (Jack Nicholson) retirement party while he is enjoying himself.
Jerry is the one who informs the girl’s parents of the body’s discovery, and they are devastated to learn the news.
The girl’s mother requests his solemn promise that he would personally look into the matter.
As a result, Jack Nicholson becomes motivated to keep looking for the killer and drives this movie’s plot, justifying the title.
This could be one of Jack Nicholson’s better cinematic acting performances, including strong dialogue.
3. On Body and Soul (2017)
- Director: Ildikó Enyedi
- Cast: Alexandra Borbély, Géza Morcsányi, Réka Tenki, Zoltán Schneider, Ervin Nagy, Itala Békés, Tamás Jordán, and Éva Bata
- IMDb rating: 7.5/10
The flawlessly created On Body and Soul won the 2017 Berlin Film Festival and is a Best Foreign Language Film nominee for the Academy Awards.
Ildikó Enyedi, a Hungarian director, explores this idea in a unique play set against the unusual backdrop of a slaughterhouse.
Endre (Géza Morcsányi), a middle-aged, quiet manager, can’t help but notice Maria (Alexandra Borbély), the new hygiene manager for the slaughterhouse when she first starts working there.
They fell in love in their dreams (as two deer in a mystical, snow-covered forest), not as you would expect, during a tragic mandatory hygiene check.
It was probably necessary for the Hungarian director to take an 18-year break from filmmaking before creating anything as startling and bizarre as On Body and Soul.
4. Bone Tomahawk (2015)
- Director: S. Craig Zahler
- Cast: Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox, Richard Jenkins, Lili Simmons, Evan Jonigkeit, David Arquette, and Fred Melamed
- IMDb rating: 7.1/10
The movie Bone Tomahawk is unique since it likely marks the debut of extremely graphic violence in a Western setting.
The Wild West is often glorified as a time when people lived in communities and used guns to resolve disagreements.
This movie depicts a fictional Native American tribe capable of cannibalism, acquiring a thirst for foreigners, and frightening the whole community.
When these “Trologdytes” savages began kidnapping residents of the town, the locals resolved to look into the matter and rescue the kidnapped.
The sheriff brings three other men but stupidly includes only one with fighting experience.
They disregard the dangers and think the invaders are savages, while it is the other way around.
An underappreciated quality of this exceptional Western horror thriller is its authenticity. The movie’s genre is difficult to define.
It tells the story of Americans moving in with unknown indigenous communities in exceedingly distant places during the “manifest destiny” era.
Kurt Russell (Sheriff Franklin Hunt), Patrick Wilson (Arthur O’Dwyer), Matthew Fox (John Brooder), and Richard Jenkins all provide outstanding performances in the movie.
This is undoubtedly one of the best movies like wind river.
5. The Big Sick (2017)
- Director: Michael Showalter
- Cast: Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter, Ray Romano, Anupam Kher, Zenobia Shroff, Adeel Akhtar, and Bo Burnham
- IMDb rating: 7.5/10
A movie that is both a revelation in terms of filmmaking and commercial success. Despite being unknown internationally, it has generated over $42 million at the US box office from a tiny $5 million budget.
The stand-up comedian and Silicon Valley actor Kumail Nanjiani shares his love story with his future wife, Emily V. Gordon, who also co-wrote the movie.
This movie is immensely touching because it is based on a real story and because its creators and performers loved making it.
In addition, it is modern, tackling serious issues like immigration, family dynamics, and identity.
Not to mention how amusing it is. Judd Apatow produced it as well. The big sick is one of the amazing movies like wind river.
6. Three Billboards Outside Edding, Missouri (2017)
- Director: Martin McDonagh
- Cast: Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Caleb Landry Jones, Kerry Condon, Alejandro Barrios, Clarke Peters, and Darrell Britt-Gibson
- IMDb rating: 8.1/10
Mildred (Frances McDormand) is frustrated that there has been no arrest in her daughter’s rape and death.
She leases three billboards outside of town and paints them with provocative comments directed at William Willoughby (Woody Harelson), the town’s head of police.
After that, Mildred and law enforcement engage in battle, with deputy officer Dixon (Sam Rockwell) being engaged in the entire thing.
This movie contains shocking dialogue, dark comedy, and surprising twists.
The ultimate message of this movie is to let go of the past rather than wallow in it. There were seven nominations for the movie and two wins.
7. Seven (1995)
- Director: David Fincher
- Cast: Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt, Kevin Spacey, Andrew Kevin Walker, Daniel Zacapa, Gwyneth Paltrow, John Cassini, and Bob Mac
- IMDb rating: 8.6/10
Seven is one of the amazing movies like wind river. David Fincher, the renowned director, is a guy who is making his second appearance on this list of best movies like wind river.
Homicide detectives Somerset and Mills are looking into a serial murderer who thinks he’s not doing anything wrong and instead punishes these people following the Seven Deadly Sins.
Every second that goes by brings the movie closer to its end when serial murderer John Doe (Kevin Spacey) resolves to turn himself in.
What follows is perhaps the most suspenseful in movie history.
The dialogue in Seven is spot on, and the setting seems like a character in and of itself. Kevin Spacey’s portrayal of John Doe is perhaps his most well-known and short role.
8. Hell or High Water (2016)
- Director: David Mackenzie
- Cast: Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Jeff Bridges, Gil Birmingham, Dale Dickey, William Sterchi, Buck Taylor, and Kristin K. Berg
- IMDb rating: 7.6/10
Hell or High Water, a movie by Taylor Sheridan, is about the Howard family, who are about to lose their ranch due to forfeiture by a local bank.
Both sons attempt to loot banks to make payments and keep the land.
While Texas Rangers Marcus Hamilton (Jeff Bridges) and Alberto Parker (Gil Birmingham) pursue them, Chris Pine (as Toby) and Ben Foster (as Tanner) play the sons.
Although its pacing is sluggish, Sheridan’s screenwriting makes up for it.
Ben Foster is once again fantastic in the character of the psychotic badass, and Chris Pine also suits the role rather well.
It’s a great family story about hardship and poverty in the West across many generations.
It also highlights the bizarre nature of bank thieves who live where practically everyone is armed and are always at risk of robbing banks.
Movies like Wind River are fantastic when you want to mix action and crime with some good drama for a change.
9. Graduation (2016)
- Director: Cristian Mungiu
- Cast: Adrian Titieni, Maria Dragus, Lia Bugnar, Mãlina Manovici, Vlad Ivanov, Gelu Colceag, Rares Andrici, and Petre Ciubotaru
- IMDb rating: 7.3/10
In Cluj-Napoca, Romeo, a 49-year-old physician, practices medicine. He is proud of and committed to his daughter Eliza, who will attend Cambridge University on a scholarship if she does well on her last high school test.
Elisa is sexually assaulted outside her school the day before her test, breaking her wrist.
Elisa’s prospects of passing her test are in jeopardy because of the incident, which haunts the family.
Romeo promises to do whatever it takes to prevent the attack from ruining his daughter’s future since he is still committed to seeing her succeed.
The movie follows a father and daughter struggling against a corrupt yet rapidly evolving Romanian system.
10. Prisoners (2013)
- Director: Denis Villeneuve
- Cast: Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, Melissa Leo, Maria Bello, Terrence Howard, Paul Dano, and Dylan Minnette
- IMDb rating: 8.1/10
Two little daughters, Joy and Anna, go missing, and their parents decide to investigate independently.
Hugh Jackman and Maria Bello perform in their respective roles as Keller and Grace Dover, Anna’s parents, while Terrence Howard and Viola Davis play Joy’s parents.
The only possible suspect, in this case, is a white RV that was parked in front of the girls’ home just before they were kidnapped.
When Jake Gyllenhaal’s Detective Loki, impersonating a mentally challenged guy named Alex Jones, is discovered driving this RV, the case is sent to him.
Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal have strong performances, and this movie also has some of the greatest cinematography and directing work ever.
This is one of the best movies like wind river since it is full of powerful sequences with breathtaking suspense.
11. Cold in July (2014)
- Director: Jim Mickle
- Cast: Michael C. Hall, Sam Shepard, Don Johnson, Don Johnson, Vinessa Shaw, Ken Holmes, Nick Damici, Brogan Hall, and Rachel Zeiger-Haag
- IMDb rating: 6.7/10
Based on a novel by Joe Lansdale and directed by Jim Mickie, Cold in July is an indie crime thriller.
Both of them collaborated with Nick Damici to write it. Don Johnson, Sam Shepard, and Michael Hall are its main actors.
The movie starts with Richard Dane (Hall), a typical regular person, accidentally shooting an intruder in his home.
It turns out that this invader is the son of former felon Ben Russell (Shepard). Ben seeks revenge on Richard but ends up being caught.
When Richard realizes he did not shoot his son, things change. Richard secretly follows Ben after he is quickly arrested by the police, only to learn that they have drugged him and are leaving him to die.
Richard saves Ben, who also persuades him of the invader’s identity. They quickly reach an awkward agreement as they search for the truth about Ben’s son and why the cops won’t admit the obvious.
Things get much more entertaining when Jim Bob (Don Johnson) joins the scene. Ben hired a noisy private investigator Jim to learn more about his son.
It quickly becomes clear that there are many more unsettling secrets to learn and that Freddy may be connected to some very evil schemes.
Movies like wind river are unquestionably excellent indie movies with a compelling plot, exciting action, unexpected twists, and excellent acting.
12. Sicario (2015)
- Director: Denis Villeneuve
- Cast: Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, Benicio Del Toro, Jon Bernthal, Victor Garber, Daniel Kaluuya, Jeffrey Donovan, and Raoul Max Trujillo,
- IMDb rating: 7.6/10
This movie follows an uptight FBI agent who the government chooses to aid in the fight against the drug war in the region along the US-Mexico border.
She is exposed to harsh realities and how sometimes some norms are bent or broken to accomplish what’s right.
Benicio Del Toro portrays a highly suspicious man capable of horrible acts of violence, while Josh Brolin serves as her mission supervisor.
With the help of Taylor Sheridan’s excellent story and Denis Villeneuve, a contemporary suspense classic that often leaves you gasping for air is produced.
This director is at the top of his game and is very experienced.
13. Mystic River (2003)
- Director: Clint Eastwood
- Cast: Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Kevin Bacon, Emmy Rossum, Laurence Fishburne, Marcia Gay Harden, Laura Linney, and Kevin Chapman
- IMDb rating: 7.9/10
Based on the same-named book, this movie is about three friends: homicide detective Sean (Kevin Bacon), ex-con Jimmy (Sean Penn), and Dave (Tim Robbins).
Sean and his colleague Whitey (Laurence Fishburne) investigate Katie’s murder when she is discovered battered and dead.
The plot of the movie centers on Dave’s possible involvement in the crime and his troubling background.
This movie, which Clint Eastwood brilliantly directed, keeps you on the edge the whole time.
It got six Oscar nominations, and Tim Robbins and Sean Penn were the winners for best leading and supporting actors, respectively. This is among the best movies like wind river.
14. I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore (2017)
- Director: Macon Blair
- Cast: Melanie Lynskey, Chris Doubek, Marilyn Faith Hickey, Jared Roylance, Macon Blair, Cristy Miles, Gary Anthony Williams, and Michelle Moreno
- IMDb rating: 6.9/10
Macon Blair made his directing debut with the darkly comedic thriller I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore.
The lengthy title is an adaptation of the same-named old gospel song. Elijah Wood and Melanie Lynskey play Tony and Ruth, respectively, in it.
Ruth learns that her home has been broken into and that some of her valuables, including a laptop, have been taken.
Since she is upset, Ruth decides to question some of her neighbors whether they saw anything odd.
She runs into Tony and asks him, and he chooses to assist her since he is outraged that a neighbor was wronged.
To their amazement, a smartphone app finds the laptop’s location, and they look it up.
They follow the laptop, which it turns out was purchased from a resale store, and this takes them further and farther, revealing information about the culprits that draws their interest even more.
They get into trouble when they attempt to stumble out of a situation after realizing they’ve taken on more than they can handle.
The duo is ideal for their characters, and the movie is profoundly amusing.
Its initially depressing tone transforms into a trip of self-appreciation, which will undoubtedly amuse many viewers who appreciate these independent movies on the weekends.
I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore is excellent if you love movies like wind river.
15. No Country for Old Men (2007)
- Director: Ethan Coen and Joel Coen
- Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson, Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt, Tess Harper, and Barry Corbin
- IMDb rating: 8.2/10
Thanks to the 2007 epic crime thriller No Country for Old Men, which Ethan and Joel Coen wrote and directed, this is among the most well-known dialogue in popular culture today.
Josh Brolin (Llewelyn Moss) discovers a bundle of cash after discovering a dispersed cocaine transaction somewhere in Texas.
The movie is built up as a pursuit between Josh Brolin and Javier Bardem, with Javier always seeming to be one step ahead of Brolin.
Javier Bardem (Anton Chigurh) portrays the person who wants this bag and will very certainly murder anybody who stands in his way.
A local police officer, played by Tommy Lee Jones, is attempting to investigate this murder scene.
This movie’s core is tough, raw, violent, and filled with exciting action. Javier Bardem won the well-deserved Oscar for his outstanding performance, while the movie got 8 Oscar nominations and four wins. This is one of the best movies like wind river.
16. Columbus (2017)
- Director: Kogonada
- Cast: John Cho, Haley Lu Richardson, Parker Posey, Michelle Forbes, Rory Culkin, Erin Allegretti, Shani Salyers Stiles, and Reen Vogel
- IMDb rating: 7.2/10
Jin (John Cho), a Korean-born guy stranded in Columbus without a clear purpose, finds himself there when his architect father falls into a coma.
The son must physically be there when a parent passes away, following Korean customs for them to be able to grieve.
He meets Casey (Haley Lu Richardson), an ambitious architect who is also stranded in Columbus due to her mother while waiting to see what would happen to his father.
This is a beautiful movie that explores real-life themes and circumstances. Audiences who don’t mind a slow plot in return for a beautifully made movie will like this movie.
This is undoubtedly one of the best movies like wind river.
