Entertainment
10 Heaviest Crime Movies of All Time
Since a good many crime movies have a “crime doesn’t pay” thing going on (especially those made some time ago), it’s not exactly the happiest of genres. Even crime movies that focus on good people can showcase bad things happening to them, and then the really effective ones can also make you feel bad for people who themselves are doing bad things.
There’s a real variety here, and so even if all these movies stand out for being particularly bleak, they are downbeat for a wide range of reasons. They’re all among the heaviest crime movies ever made, and there will be an attempt not to go into too much detail, as far as spoilers are concerned. Knowing something is heavier than might be expected could be a spoiler, sure, but there will be an avoidance of too many details, especially regarding stuff that happens toward the end of these movies.
10
‘No Country for Old Men’ (2007)
The plot of No Country for Old Men concerns the aftermath of a drug deal gone wrong, with a man discovering the site and a large quantity of cash left abandoned there. Things get complicated because there’s also a ruthless assassin out to collect the money, and then an older sheriff is also following – and trying to solve – the whole messy case, but is continually at least one or two steps behind the assassin.
Technically, No Country for Old Men is a Western, or more specifically, a neo-Western. Either way, it ranks among the most distressing and anxiety-inducing Westerns of all time, and since it involves criminal characters and then has at least one prominent character on the right side of the law, it also fits quite neatly into the crime genre. However you want to classify it, the whole film is kind of a nightmare, albeit a very compelling one that’s nightmarish without technically belonging to the horror genre (but hey, there’s never been any rule that says a movie has to be a work of horror to feel frightening).
9
‘Se7en’ (1995)
Se7en is one of the best crime/thriller movies of the 1990s, and also a top-tier one as far as films that focus on a hunt for a serial killer are concerned. That’s almost another sub-genre in itself, with Se7en sticking out from the pack because its central killer is someone who’s basing all their murders on the seven deadly sins, and then also standing out further because of how grim it’s willing to get.
The entire film is thematically dark while also being visually dark and despondent, with a good deal of dread early on that increases in severity and intensity – infamously so – right near the film’s end. Se7en gets a lot of things right, and even if you don’t really like feel-bad movies, it’s still one worth checking out at some point, since it’s incredibly well-made on top of being, at times, incredibly morbid.
8
‘Uncut Gems’ (2019)
“Fun” might not be a very good word to use to describe Uncut Gems, yet it is probably the most traditionally entertaining movie here. Granted, you have to be okay with feeling on edge for most of its runtime, since Uncut Gems is notoriously stressful, albeit willing to balance all the anxiety with some very dark comedy (in that sense, Adam Sandler is well-utilized, since he gets some opportunities to be funny in a somewhat unusual manner here).
Basically, the whole film is about a man who gets himself in continually worsening trouble with various shady individuals, but he brings it on himself, since he’s chasing an unattainable high, and doing so involves gambling, hustling, and borrowing risky amounts of money. Uncut Gems is as much of an ordeal as its reputation suggests, yet it is darkly entertaining at times, and impressively breathless, too.
7
‘You Were Never Really Here’ (2017)
You could possibly call You Were Never Really Here a thriller of sorts if you really wanted to, though it’s certainly on the slow side of things, as far as that genre goes. Maybe it’s more of a psychological thriller/drama film, and then there’s also a noticeable crime element here, since it’s about a mercenary unraveling mentally while taking on a network of human traffickers, all in pursuit of rescuing a young girl.
The comparisons to Taxi Driver were fairly made, which is another crime movie of sorts about a troubled man who is something of a vigilante, and an exceptionally troubled one at that. You Were Never Really Here is also notable for clocking in at just an hour-and-a-half in length, but it’s fair to assume it’s the kind of thing that’ll stick with you long after it (rather quickly) comes to a close.
6
‘The Godfather Part II’ (1974)
Trying to find a problem with The Godfather (1972) is difficult, since it’s a pretty much perfect gangster movie and all. Maybe there’s a romanticization of the mafia, to some extent, which could very slightly/gently rub people a way that’s, if not quite wrong, then isn’t exactly right, but it’s a stretch. If that was a flaw, though, or if you feel it was a flaw, then The Godfather Part II goes a fair way in “correcting” it.
There were tragic scenes in The Godfather for sure, but The Godfather Part II is where the whole saga becomes an outright – and unapologetic – tragedy.
This is a much darker film, since there were a few more characters with redeeming qualities in the first movie, and they’re either dead by the time The Godfather Part II starts, or they’re in the process of shedding the redeeming qualities they might once have had (oh hi, Michael). There were tragic scenes in The Godfather for sure, but The Godfather Part II is where the whole saga becomes an outright – and unapologetic – tragedy in the classical sense.
5
‘Once Upon a Time in America’ (1984)
Another epic-length crime movie, Once Upon a Time in America condenses what could well have been a trilogy into one massive film. The sense of it being a little like a trilogy comes from the fact that it’s about three distinctive time periods, with the characters being explored as children, then as relatively young adults, and then some of them (those who survive) in old age. If told chronologically, it would make sense for three films – or three acts – to focus on each respective stage.
With Once Upon a Time in America, though, things aren’t told in a strictly chronological manner, which makes things extra interesting in ways that become more apparent as the film goes on. Also, all three stages of life depicted here are heavy in their own ways, with childhood tragedies, young adult depravities, and then old age regret making most of the movie difficult to watch and deeply troubling, just for varied reasons. It is still an incredible film, but you have to be in the right mood, and also prepared to sit with challenging stuff for almost four hours (or even a little longer, if you’re watching the longest cut of Once Upon a Time in America).
4
‘The Irishman’ (2019)
Martin Scorsese’s gangster movies made prior to 2019 certainly had their heavy moments (Casino demonstrates this particularly well), but none were quite as despair-filled as The Irishman. This one does something similar to Once Upon a Time in America, and also stars Robert De Niro (Joe Pesci is in both, too), but there’s an emphasis on old age in The Irishman, befitting the fact that its director and many of its stars were in their 70s while making the film.
The film spans many years, but drives home death as something that hangs over everyone to a particularly great extent, given the violent lifestyles they’re wrapped up in. The Irishman is one of the most effective movies about mortality of the century so far, and is uniquely heavy-going in large part thanks to the age of many important people involved in its production. If you’re not quite as old, then you can at least imagine the film hitting even harder once you are.
3
‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ (2023)
Yet for as somber as The Irishman was, Killers of the Flower Moon – which was Scorsese’s first film post-The Irishman – might’ve had it beat, in terms of sheer sadness and despair. This epic movie’s centered on a series of crimes committed against the Osage people during the 1920s, all done because the land they were on turned out to be rich in oil, and various other people wanted to do whatever they could to obtain the wealth that comes with, you know, having a lot of oil.
There Will Be Blood is more of a drama than a crime film, but deals with a somewhat similar thing, though Killers of the Flower Moon has it happening on an even greater scale, and with more death and (arguably) harder-to-watch devastation, too. Like The Irishman, it makes you feel down for a lengthy amount of time, too, since both epics clock in at just under three-and-a-half hours each.
2
‘Dancer in the Dark’ (2000)
Dancer in the Dark is a movie about a crime, and the ensuing trial, but it’s also a musical at the same time… one of the bleakest of all time, too. The main character is a woman named Selma (played by Björk), and she’s going blind while trying to earn enough money to get her son an operation that’ll prevent him from also going blind as he gets older. The musical elements come about because she’s a fan of musicals, and she daydreams her way through fantastical musical numbers to cope with the hardships of her life.
Those hardships are initially bleak, and then everything gets a lot bleaker once Dancer in the Dark eventually reveals itself as a crime movie, on top of being a musical. It’s a uniquely devastating film, and perhaps one of the rawest of the past few decades, not to mention one of those movies that’s easy to recommend people watch once, but much harder to recommend anyone revisit… the one time is probably enough.
1
‘Angst’ (1983)
Like Se7en, Angst is about a serial killer, but unlike Se7en – and a bunch of movies concerning serial killers – Angst is not about detectives trying to hunt down and stop a serial killer. The man who does the killing here is the central character, and Angst follows him as he targets a family, invades their home, and then carries out a series of crimes against them in horrific detail.
It runs the risk of feeling like exploitation, but there’s too much by way of genuinely great filmmaking craft to make Angst feel exploitative in a detrimental way. The film’s just brutal and uncompromising, succeeding in depicting the absolute terror that would be felt, if one were targeted by a violent home invader. It’s also all in the presentation and sheer effort toward feeling grounded and believable that makes Angst uniquely mortifying, and perhaps even the heaviest crime-related movie ever made.
Angst
- Release Date
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January 1, 1983
- Runtime
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75 Minutes
- Director
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Gerald Kargl
- Writers
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Gerald Kargl, Zbigniew Rybczyński
-
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Robert Hunger-Bühler
Psychopath (voice)
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By TeeJay Small
| Published
Now that Marvel is shifting full force into the Avengers: Doomsday era, each member of the long-running franchise is preparing to enter a new chapter for their respective characters. Endgame saw major structural changes in the cinematic universe, with the loss of flagship characters like Tony Stark and Natasha Romanoff, opening up leading positions for a younger generation of heroes. Tom Holland‘s Spider-Man was expected to take a leading role among the Avengers in future installments, but the actor is already planning an exit from the franchise, per a write-up in Variety.
During a recent interview, Tom Holland described an interest in passing the torch to a younger hero, and closing the book on his iteration of the friendly neighborhood web-head. Specifically, he articulated “whoever’s next, whether that is a Miles Morales or a Spider-Gwen or a Spider-Woman or something like that, I would love to be a part of setting up the next chapter.” He then added that he’d like to “do what Downey did for me, then I would be so content swinging off into the sunset.”
No Sure Timeline Yet
For those who don’t recall, Holland’s Spider-Man was sort of back-doored into the MCU by Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man, who sought the web-slinger’s assistance during the events of Captain America: Civil War. After the success of that film, fans received three standalone Spider-Man movies with Holland at the helm, though Tony Stark loomed large over each outing. Holland’s first main-line Marvel film, Spider-Man: Homecoming, featured RDJ in a very prominent role, guiding Spidey through the dos and don’ts of local crime fighting and work-life balance.
If we’re to take Tom Holland at his word, it sounds like he only plans to stick around for a few more movies before making a graceful exit in favor of a new Spider-themed hero. This would be a bit surprising, since he hasn’t really had the chance to lead the Avengers into battle like Tony Stark and Steve Rogers have so many times before. His next main-line outing Spider-Man: Brand New Day is currently on pace to premiere in July, and the character is expected to play a major role in Avengers: Doomsday this December, but we don’t know much more about Marvel’s plans for Holland after that.
Spidey Still Makes Bank
Even if Tom Holland wants out, it’s tough to imagine Disney letting him off the hook. His MCU films tend to pull in massive box office revenue, even when compared to other flagship Marvel outings. Homecoming touts a box office return of over $880 million, while the follow-ups Far From Home and No Way Home grossed $1.1 billion and $1.9 billion respectively. That makes No Way Home the eighth highest grossing film of all time, trailing just barely behind Avengers: Infinity War.
Given Disney’s ravenous propensity to squeeze every last drop of profitability out of their IP, it feels unlikely that they’d be content to let their cash cow swing into the sunset never to return. Even Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans are returning for Doomsday, so there’s little hope of anybody getting a clean exit here. For now, we’ll just have to wait and see what the future holds, though it seems much more likely that, to borrow a phrase from Deadpool, “they’re gonna make him do this till he’s 90.”
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
While many nerds will always remember him best as the Green Goblin, Willem Dafoe has had a long and absolutely kickass career filled with challenging roles, and he hasn’t slowed down yet. That is certainly clear from his thriller Inside that is now streaming on Peacock: it had us on the edge of our seats the whole time and, more importantly, reminded us there is something to stream on this service besides reruns of The Office.
If you’d like to stay on the edge of your seat, often with your hand over your eyes, we recommend you stream it today.
A Classic Setup With A Twist
Part of what makes Inside so interesting is that it combines a classic theme with a very modern setting. For example, Dafoe himself plays an art thief who has plenty of experience pilfering priceless works of art from the homes of the rich and famous. Based on this initial premise, it seems like Inside would be more like a traditional caper: basically, Entrapment meets Ocean’s Eleven. However, while he has professional contacts to help him pull off his fantastic thefts, Willem Dafoe’s character is completely on his own when he disguises himself as a handyman in order to break into the Manhattan highrise of a fabulously wealthy art collector.
It’s meant to be the kind of quick “in and out” heist he specializes in, but the aging art thief accidentally sets off the high-tech security system that guards the residence. This leads to the last outcome he was expecting: being trapped inside a stranger’s house and completely isolated, especially after his contacts abandon him to his fate.
That fate is surprisingly scary and shockingly grim for the simple fact that the wealthy homeowner doesn’t return. Soon, it’s clear that going to prison for his criminal history is the last thing that Willem Dafoe’s character must worry about.
Instead, as he is trapped inside a home with no way out, no way to communicate with others, and very little food, the urbane art thief soon finds himself in a fight for his very survival.
A Perfectly Sparse Survival Thriller
There are many reasons we love Inside as a film, and one of them is that it’s a master class in making an entire cinematic meal out of very few ingredients. For example, aside from Willem Dafoe, there are only two other actors in the entire film.
The film is mostly limited to a single interior setting, but thanks to the many rooms of this exotic house and the skills of the director, it feels just as expansive as other movies where characters keep moving from one exotic locale to another.
Speaking of the director’s skills, special credit should go to director Vasilis Katsoupis: this was his feature film debut, and given the sheer quality of Inside, we’re confident that you’re going to be seeing his name quite a bit more in the future.
Inside’s Reception From Audiences And Critics
The movie made a big splash when it premiered at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival. While it made a very modest box office of $897,190, this ambitious movie has found new life and a serious cult following on the streaming service Peacock.
Over on Rotten Tomatoes, Inside currently has a 61 percent critical rating. While some critics complained about the limited setting of the film (which was kind of the point of the movie), most of them praised Willem Dafoe’s powerful performance as one that keeps you gripped to the screen.
Since this movie is basically a survival horror film, many critics enjoyed seeing Dafoe flex some of the same horror chops that he showed off in the excellent movie The Lighthouse alongside Robert Pattinson.
Ultimately, Inside is the perfect movie to watch for audiences who have been complaining that every modern Hollywood movie is just another lame retread of what came before. It’s a movie with a great premise and interesting setting, and it forces us to constantly ask questions about the thorny relationship between art, technology, and human suffering. The powerhouse performance from Willem Dafoe is the cherry on top of a film you’re going to be thinking about for a good, long time.
New York Knicks player Jose Alvarado nearly knocked out former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg during Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals.
The Knicks point guard, 28, collided with the politician, 84, in a scary moment during the fourth quarter of the all-important game at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Monday, June 8.
Alvarado was charging after a ball when he went flying into the first row, seemingly toppling over Bloomberg from his courtside seat. Several nearby fans immediately reached over to check on Bloomberg, including NFL legend Eli Manning and New York Yankees favorite Derek Jeter.
As Alvarado emerged from the entanglement, he was patting Bloomberg’s knee and asking if he was alright. The former mayor seemed shaken but nodded “yes” to Alvarado as action on the court resumed play.
“As Alvarado dives into the stands, he checks with former New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg,” play-by-play announcer Mike Breen explained to ABC viewers.
Analyst Richard Jefferson then joked, “You never know who you’ll run into at a Knick game!”
The collision may have been an omen for a difficult quarter ahead for the Knicks, as they went on to lose 115-111 to the San Antonio Spurs. (The Knicks still lead the 2026 NBA finals 2-1 going into Thursday’s Game 4 at Madison Square Garden.)
Jose Alvarado and Michael Bloomberg during Game 3 of NBA Finals. Dustin Satloff/Getty Images
Monday’s game was eventful as Cardi B performed her hits “Bodega Baddie” and “Bodak Yellow” during a special halftime show at the world’s most famous arena.
President Donald Trump also attended Game 3 along with his granddaughter, Kai Trump. The New York City crowd gave Trump a less-than-friendly welcome as he was showered with boos when shown on the jumbotron before Monday’s game.
Prior to Game 3, conservative activist Ann Coulter railed against Trump attending the game because of how it would impact businesses around Madison Square Garden.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani wasted no time in rubbing the Knicks’ dominant Eastern Conference Finals performance in the face of Ohio native and 2024 presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. Shortly after the Knicks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Monday, May 25, Mamdani, 34, re-posted a social […]
“Of all the selfish, narcissistic things Trump has done, attending MSG to see the Knicks play in person Monday night is the absolute worst,” Coulter, 64, wrote via X on Sunday, June 7. “20,000 attendees will be MASSIVELY inconvenienced for all the extra security, the Knicks Watch Party at Garden Is canceled, thousands of extra law enforcement officers will be required (paid for by taxpayers), traffic will be a disaster — all so he can sit in the Garden rather than watch the game on TV.”
Trump reportedly left his luxury box with around seven minutes to go in the fourth quarter. He had been sitting with Knicks owner James Dolan after receiving a personal invite to attend the NBA Finals game.
Other notable public figures in attendance for Game 3 included Knicks superfan Timothée Chalamet, Jay-Z, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star Mariska Hargitay, Larry David and current New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Entertainment
Old Hollywood icon Mamie Van Doren recalls 'wonderfully heart-stopping' sex with Che Guevara
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In her new memoir, “You Thought I Was Dead,” Van Doren recalls her steamy affair with the revolutionary while shooting a film in Argentina.
Entertainment
“Love Story” star Grace Gummer responds to Kennedy family member's criticism of Ryan Murphy TV show
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Gummer, daughter of legendary actress Meryl Streep, responded after Jack Schlossberg spoke out against the project.
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The “Veep” and “Seinfeld” actress had a comical piece of advice for people attending live performances.
Entertainment
The Ryan Gosling True Crime Thriller On Netflix That Gets Even Stranger, Stream It Now
By Chad Langen
| Published
Ryan Gosling is making a big splash with his most recent big-budget blockbuster, Project Hail Mary. However, his lesser-known projects, like the romantic crime thriller All Good Things, are always worth a look. Even though the movie didn’t make a lot of noise when it was released in 2010, its presence on Netflix could introduce it to a fresh audience, giving it the attention it deserves.
A Unique Blend Of True Crime And Fiction
All Good Things grips viewers with its intriguing story that blends real-life events with creative interpretation. Gosling, known for his versatility, gives a commendable performance in the film, portraying Robert Durst, a wealthy heir to a real estate empire in New York. Kristen Dunst turns in a remarkable performance as Goslin’s on-screen wife, Katie.
The plot of All Good Things is based on the life of Robert Durst, effectively portrayed by Ryan Gosling, whose privileged life takes a dramatic turn due to his complicated personal relationships. Gosling’s character is seen struggling with family pressures, an abusive childhood, and the mysterious disappearance of his wife. The narrative skillfully intertwines these elements, creating a captivating portrayal of Durst’s life that is both tense and tragic.
The cast of All Good Things includes Ryan Gosling, Kirsten Dunst, and Frank Langella, who portrays Gosling’s powerful and intimidating father, Sanford. Additional standout performances come from Lily Rabe, Philip Baker Hall, Michael Esper, Nick Offerman, and Kristen Wiig. Each actor enriches the film with compelling performances that bring their respective characters to life.
All Good Things, produced by Marc Smerling and Andrew Jarecki, delivers a riveting exploration of a notorious crime, striking a balance between stark reality and cinematic allure. By filming primarily in New York, where the real events took place, the film’s authenticity is heightened, which deepens viewers’ engagement with Ryan Gosling’s depiction of Durst. Each component, from cinematography to production design, aligns with the director’s vision to adhere closely to the real-life narrative.
Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction
All Good Things, despite director Andrew Jarecki’s dedication to presenting Robert Durst’s true story, was met with mixed reviews upon its release. Ryan Gosling and Kirsten Dunst’s performances received praise from many critics, though some critiqued the film’s narrative pacing. However, amidst these diverse opinions, the film succeeded in amassing a loyal cult following over the years.
Interestingly, Robert Durst, the real-life figure that Ryan Gosling’s character is based on, actually cooperated with the movie’s production. Despite the film’s rather unflattering portrayal, Durst admitted that the movie accurately represented his life. In fact, he spent more than 20 hours talking with Andrew Jarecki over a multi-year period.
The impact of All Good Things is perhaps best exemplified by its connection to the true crime documentary, The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst. Andrew Jarecki, the director of both, leveraged the narrative elements and Ryan Gosling’s haunting performance in the film to create an even more compelling exploration of Durst’s life. This documentary was instrumental in Durst’s eventual arrest, as it brought fresh attention to the decades-old crimes associated with him.
The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst, which came out in 2015, was sparked by Durst’s expressed admiration for All Good Things. After the film’s release, Durst reached out to Andrew Jarecki, offering himself for an interview, a departure from his history of refusing to collaborate with journalists. This phone conversation was recorded and later integrated into the documentary.
All Good Things is a gripping film that makes a deep impression on its audience. Its riveting storyline, potent performances, and correlation with actual events create a distinctive cinematic experience that remains with viewers long after the credits roll. Notably, the film’s significance extends beyond entertainment as its influence on The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst, and its consequential role in Durst’s arrest highlight the undeniable cultural importance and impact this film holds within society.
All Good Things is currently available to stream on Netflix.
Entertainment
Kevin Costner’s Troubled Western Series Is the Quietly Becomes a Streaming Sleeper Hit
The Western is particularly popular right now, and, in recent memory, few faces are as synonymous with the genre as Kevin Costner. As John Dutton in Taylor Sheridan‘s hugely popular Yellowstone, Costner helped revitalize the Western for a new audience, with the years since packed with big streaming hits, often from other Sheridan projects. However, in May 2023, it was announced that Costner would hang up his cowboy hat and leave Paramount’s flagship series, instead opting to apply his entire focus to a long-time passion project.
Not satisfied with directing, co-writing, producing, and starring in his supposed four-part Western epic Horizon: An American Saga, Costner would also largely self-fund the project that reportedly took him 35 years to make. All the hype surrounding the opening chapter, released in theaters in June 2024, quickly dissipated, as the movie became one of the year’s most high-profile box office flops by earning just $38 million against a supposed $50 million production budget. Following this disaster, the wheels quickly came off the Horizon wagon, as the future of the whole saga was put into doubt.
Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2, which was filmed at the same time as Chapter 1, was then quickly put back on the shelf, despite being screened at the Venice Film Festival in 2024. The public still awaits the next installment of the epic Western saga, although Costner remains adamant it will see the light of day, telling the Savannah Film Festival that they were looking for “the right distribution partner.” Truthfully, the dramatic Western saga we’ve all been glued to has been happening off-screen, as the many twists and turns in the Horizon story look likely to entice a greater audience to the release of the sequel.
‘Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1’ Is a Streaming Hit
The fascinating story of Horizon behind-the-scenes has helped encourage viewers to check out what all the fuss is about. After its arrival on the streamer recently, Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 has officially placed as one of the ten most-streamed movies on Prime Video in the U.S., at the time of writing. This is despite facing some tough competition from other popular movies, including Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Despicable Me 4, the Oscar-winning One Battle After Another, and the brand-new Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War.
Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 is streaming now on Prime Video. Stay tuned to Collider for more streaming stories.
- Release Date
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June 28, 2024
- Runtime
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182 minutes
- Producers
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Howard Kaplan, Mark Gillard
Entertainment
Prime Video’s 4-Part Spy Thriller Is So Good, It Resurrected an Entire Genre on Streaming
Jack Ryan is a character whose creation felt like a novelty, as he was highly distinct among the other heroes that emerged in the 1980s. Based on the first novel in Tom Clancy’s popular series of “Ryanverse” novels, The Hunt for Red October introduced Ryan as a fiercely intelligent, deeply honorable CIA agent who later became the lead character in several films, portrayed by acclaimed actors such as Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, Ben Affleck, and Chris Pine. However, modern interpretations struggled to remain relevant because Clancy’s politics were grounded in the Cold War, and espionage looked much different in a post-9/11 era. Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan is a great adaptation because it retains the spirit of the author’s original stories yet applies Clancy’s approach to modern issues.
‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan’ Isn’t a Traditional Origin Story
As was the case with the original films, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan turned the character into an unlikely hero because he was an analyst, not someone with any fieldwork experience. John Krasinski’s version of Ryan is the CIA’s sharpest expert on international relations and initially teams up with station chief James Greer (Wendell Pierce) to track down a series of irregular bank transfers linked to Middle Eastern terrorists. It would have been easy to pick out different international groups and make them each a “villain of the week,” but Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan doesn’t have the same reverence for American exceptionalism as some of its predecessors did. The most interesting update the series made to the source material is its depiction of Ryan as someone deeply conflicted about his work with the CIA; while he knows that institutional corruption clouds all his actions, it also provides him with an opportunity to do some good.
Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan doesn’t need to delve deeply into Ryan’s backstory because he begins to pick up skills and develop his worldview as he gains more experience. Krasinski’s performance works because he embodies the best traits of his predecessors; he has the quiet intelligence of Baldwin, the moral impeccability of Ford, the sense of humor of Affleck, and even the undeniable charisma of Pine. Krasinski’s Ryan ends up getting into a lot more of the action than the character ever did in the original Clancy books, and it’s not just because a fast-paced television series needed a star who would be willing to do their own stunts. In a modern world where decisions are made from behind a desk or in a secret meeting, Ryan is best able to assess a situation by being there personally. Most international conflicts are a lot more complicated than they are framed as being by Western media, and Ryan frequently comes to the defense of marginalized groups who have been scapegoated.
John Krasinski’s Jack Ryan is pulled back into danger for a surprisingly hollow mission.
Although Krasinski’s performance is what helped to bring the show into existence, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan isn’t just a star vehicle, as it does a great job of developing some of the supporting figures in the “Ryanverse.” Pierce’s performance as Greer is interesting because he has a deeper connection to America’s intelligence community and must fight a different battle to ensure that Ryan’s investigations don’t cause international incidents. Michael Kelly is also a great addition to the show as Mike November, a complex character who left the CIA for ethical reasons to become a private contractor. Since Ryan, Greer, and November have distinct perspectives on justice, the show reaches its peak when the characters work as a triumvirate.
‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan’ Is a Modern Spy Thriller
Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan feels most indebted to its cinematic predecessors because each season feels like a standalone adventure, even if it isn’t directly based on one of Clancy’s books. Season 1 explored a terrorist threat to the United States, while also showing the efforts by peaceful Muslims to take down the extremists within their culture; Season 2 looked at the combustible situation in Venezuela in an intelligent way that actually preceded developments in the real world. Season 3 was perhaps the show’s most politically outspoken installment because it called out the failure of democratic nations to stop Russia from amassing significant military power and becoming a dictatorship, while Season 4 ventured even further by showing how vulnerable the United States was to internal threats.
Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan managed to develop Ryan into the type of character who would fit into the later installments in the novel series, and the franchise continued with the sequel Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War, which set the stage for further adventures. Beyond helping to reintroduce Clancy’s writing to a new generation of fans, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan was highly influential on the subgenre of military and espionage-themed action shows that Prime Video would begin churning out, including Reacher, Cross, The Terminal List, and Citadel. Although it’s likely that Krasinski will reprise his role as Ryan in some other project in the near future, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan has played a significant role in redefining the franchise’s legacy.
Love Island USA‘s Beatriz Hatz made some revelations about her dating history — including the significant age difference between her and her ex.
During the Monday, June 8, episode of the Peacock series, Beatriz, now 25, spoke with Gabriel Vasconcelos about the relationships she had in the past and mentioned an ex-boyfriend, saying, “I had two adult relationships. I dated this guy for three years but we would break up and get back together. It wasn’t healthy. He was a lot older than me.”
Gabriel asked the exact difference and Beatriz mentioned a 20-year age gap. In response, Gabriel said he had an ex who was 18 years older than him.
Beatriz isn’t the only one to share a surprising story in the villa. Earlier in the week, the Islanders had to read out sex facts and figure out which of them it was about. One of the revelations was that an Islander slept with someone in their 50s.
Love Island USA is all about coupling up — so which Islanders are currently together and which have already called it quits in the villa? Peacock’s popular dating show returned in June 2026 with contestants Aniya Harvey, Beatriz Hatz, Bryce Alakai Dettloff, KC Chandler, Mackenzie “Kenzie” Annis, Melanie Moreno, Sincere Rhea, Sean Reifel, Trinity Tatum […]
“I was out and I was having a good time with my friends. She started talking to me and she was hot as f*** for her age,” Gabriel, who is 26 years old, said about his encounter with the 52-year-old. “We had a good night together. She had a lot of experience.”
Gabriel’s sexual history was then joked about when narrator Iain Stirling compared him to a “reverse Leonardo DiCaprio” due to the actor’s dating history. In addition to Gabriel and Beatriz, season 8 of Love Island USA features Aniya Harvey, Bryce Alakai Dettloff, KC Chandler, Mackenzie “Kenzie” Annis, Melanie Moreno, Sincere Rhea, Sean Reifel, Trinity, Corbin Mims, Kayda Bosse and Zach Georgiou.
The Peacock show was also meant to feature Vasana Montgomery, who was cut from season 8 of Love Island USA after resurfaced social media posts showed her using a slur. Vasana was removed from the show before she got a chance to enter the villa. Both clips were leaked from her private social media, which meant producers weren’t privy to the posts while casting the season.
“I want to address a couple videos from my teen years that have recently resurfaced,” she wrote via her Instagram Story this month. “In those videos, I used a racial slur. I am embarrassed and disappointed by my words.”
Vasana noted that she wanted to take accountability for her actions.
“I take full responsibility for what I said and understand why it has hurt and upset people,” she continued. “Since then, I have grown a lot as a person and taken the time to educate myself, listen, learn, and better understand the impact that language can have.”
She added, “That growth does not erase my mistake, and 1am not asking anyone to excuse it. I believe people should be held accountable for their actions, but I also believe in growth, learning, and becoming better. To anyone I hurt or disappointed, I am truly sorry.”
New episodes of Love Island USA are released six days a week — except for Wednesdays — on Peacock.
Join Us Weekly and Bracketology.tv in our first-ever Love Island USA fantasy league! This is your chance to predict who you think will win Season 8 and rank the Islanders weekly based on how confident you are that they will survive the next elimination. You will be playing against our editors, get access to exclusive content and have the chance to win fun prizes. Sign up for free today!
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