Movies Like The Border (1982)

The Border is a 1982 crime, drama film from Tony Richardson with a MovieMagicScore of 6.1/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Sicario and Undocumented.

Crime Drama

Sicario

2015

An idealistic FBI agent is enlisted by a government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S. and Mexico.

7.4

MagicScore

Undocumented

2010

A documentary film crew runs afoul of sadistic radicals when they follow illegal immigrants sneaking over the U.S. border.

6.0

MagicScore

Gone Baby Gone

2007

When 4 year old Amanda McCready disappears from her home and the police make little headway in solving the case, the girl's aunt, Beatrice McCready hires two private detectives, Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro. The detectives freely admit that they have little experience with this type of case, but the family wants them for two reasons—they're not cops and they know the tough neighborhood in which they all live.

7.3

MagicScore

El Norte

1983

Brother and sister Enrique and Rosa flee persecution at home in Guatemala and journey north, through Mexico and on to the United States, with the dream of starting a new life.

7.1

MagicScore

Layer Cake

2004

When a seemingly straight-forward drug deal goes awry, XXXX has to break his die-hard rules and turn up the heat, not only to outwit the old regime and come out on top, but to save his own skin...

6.9

MagicScore

No Code of Conduct

1999

A cop, his partner, and his father uncover a plot by city elders to smuggle drugs from Mexico into Phoenix, Arizona.

5.4

MagicScore

Middle Men

2009

Chronicles Jack Harris, one of the pioneers of internet commerce, as he wrestles with his morals and struggles not to drown in a sea of conmen, mobsters, drug addicts, and pornstars.

6.5

MagicScore

Deep Cover

1992

Black police officer Russell Stevens applies for a special anti-drug squad which targets the highest boss of cocaine delivery to LA—the Colombian foreign minister's nephew. Russell works his way up from the bottom undercover, until he reaches the boss.

6.8

MagicScore

Vigilante

1983

New York City factory worker Eddie Marino is a solid citizen and regular guy, until the day a sadistic street gang brutally assaults his wife and murders his child. When a corrupt judge sets the thugs free, he goes berserk and vows revenge.

6.2

MagicScore

#10

Chiko

2008

This is the story of Isa, who grows up in a Hamburg suburb. It might be one of the world's richest cities but every beast has its belly and here, in the very underbelly, Chiko lives in a world where violence, staking and keeping a claim, and drug taking are the norm. Where down is not an option, Chiko is determined to rise to the top, whatever and whomever it costs.

6.3

MagicScore

#11

No Country for Old Men

2007

Llewelyn Moss stumbles upon dead bodies, $2 million and a hoard of heroin in a Texas desert, but methodical killer Anton Chigurh comes looking for it, with local sheriff Ed Tom Bell hot on his trail. The roles of prey and predator blur as the violent pursuit of money and justice collide.

7.9

MagicScore

#12

Cleopatra Jones

1973

After federal agent Cleopatra Jones orders the burning of a Turkish poppy field, the notorious drug lord Mommy vows to destroy her.

5.7

MagicScore

#13

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada

2005

When brash Texas border officer Mike Norton wrongfully kills and buries the friend and ranch hand of Pete Perkins, the latter is reminded of a promise he made to bury his friend, Melquiades Estrada, in his Mexican home town. He kidnaps Norton and exhumes Estrada's corpse, and the odd caravan sets out on horseback for Mexico.

7.0

MagicScore

#14

We're the Millers

2013

A veteran pot dealer creates a fake family as part of his plan to move a huge shipment of weed into the U.S. from Mexico.

6.8

MagicScore

#15

Let's Be Cops

2014

Best pals Ryan and Justin are stalled in their respective careers -- a fact that is painfully driven home when they go to a college reunion. Dressed as police in the mistaken belief that they were to attend a costume party, Ryan and Justin find that the uniforms earn them much respect and attention. Although Justin is uncomfortable with the idea, Ryan decides to continue with the charade, putting them both in increasingly dangerous situations. When these newly-minted “heroes” get tangled in a real life web of mobsters and dirty detectives, they must put their fake badges on the line.

6.5

MagicScore

#16

Frozen River

2008

After her husband deserts her, working-class mother Ray Eddy is in great need of money to find a home. Lured by the possibility of easy cash, she joins Lila, a widowed Mohawk who earns a living by smuggling immigrants from Canada to the U.S. across the St. Lawrence.

6.6

MagicScore

#17

Elite Squad: The Enemy Within

2010

After a bloody invasion of the BOPE in the High-Security Penitentiary Bangu 1 in Rio de Janeiro to control a rebellion of interns, the Lieutenant-Colonel Roberto Nascimento and the second in command Captain André Matias are accused by the Human Right Aids member Diogo Fraga of execution of prisoners. Matias is transferred to the corrupted Military Police and Nascimento is exonerated from the BOPE by the Governor.

7.8

MagicScore

#18

The War Boys

2009

David, George, and Greg, best friends since high school, are “The War Boys”. They used to perch on the US-Mexican border, waiting to spot illegal immigrants who were trying to run into the United States. Sometimes, without a thought for the immigrants, the boys chased them across the wasteland and back across the border – just for fun. It was just one of those games boys played to make themselves feel big. But high school’s over now. David is unexpectedly home from his freshman year of college and the War Boys have been reunited.

5.9

MagicScore

#19

Slow Burn

2000

A woman's lifelong pursuit of lost family diamonds is interrupted by the appearance of two escaped convicts.

4.3

MagicScore

#20

The Way of the Gun

2000

Two criminal drifters without sympathy get more than they bargained for after kidnapping and holding for ransom the surrogate mother of a powerful and shady man.

6.3

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like The Border?

The top films similar to The Border by MovieMagicScore are Sicario (7.4), Undocumented (6.0), Gone Baby Gone (7.3). Each shares crime/drama themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is The Border worth watching?

The Border holds a MovieMagicScore of 6.1/10 from 137 viewer ratings.

What kind of movie is The Border?

The Border (1982) is a crime, drama film directed by Tony Richardson, starring Jack Nicholson, Harvey Keitel, Valerie Perrine.

Where can I find more recommendations like The Border?

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more crime recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like Sicario Movies like Undocumented Movies like Gone Baby Gone Movies like El Norte Movies like Layer Cake Movies like No Code of Conduct

About movies like The Border

This ranked list pairs The Border (1982), a crime and drama film from Tony Richardson, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Jack Nicholson take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

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