Movies Like Palmetto (1998)

Palmetto is a 1998 crime, mystery, thriller film from Volker Schlöndorff with a MovieMagicScore of 5.9/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Messenger of Death and Seven Psychopaths.

Crime Mystery Thriller

Messenger of Death

1988

A Denver reporter investigates the mass murder of a family of Mormons in rural Colorado.

6.0

MagicScore

Seven Psychopaths

2012

A struggling screenwriter inadvertently becomes entangled in the Los Angeles criminal underworld after his oddball friends kidnap a gangster's beloved Shih Tzu.

6.8

MagicScore

Cop

1988

An obsessive, insubordinate homicide cop is convinced a serial killer is loose in the Hollywood area and disobeys orders in order to catch him.

6.2

MagicScore

All the Money in the World

2017

The story of the kidnapping of 16-year-old John Paul Getty III and the desperate attempt by his devoted mother to convince his billionaire grandfather Jean Paul Getty to pay the ransom.

6.5

MagicScore

L.A. Confidential

1997

Three detectives in the corrupt and brutal L.A. police force of the 1950s use differing methods to uncover a conspiracy behind the shotgun slayings of the patrons at an all-night diner.

7.8

MagicScore

London Fields

2018

Clairvoyant femme fatale, Nicola Six has been living with a dark premonition of her impending death by murder. She begins a tangled love affair with three uniquely different men — one of whom she knows will be her murderer.

5.0

MagicScore

China Moon

1994

Detective Kyle Bodine falls for Rachel Munro who is trapped in a violent marriage. After she shoots her husband, Kyle relucantly agrees to help hide the body, but his partner is showing an unusual flair for finding clues.

6.1

MagicScore

Hammett

1982

Chinatown, San Francisco, 1928. Former private detective Dashiell Hammett, a compulsive drinker with tuberculosis who writes pulp fiction for a living, receives an unexpected visit from an old friend asking for help.

6.2

MagicScore

The Driver

1978

The Driver specializes in driving getaway cars for robberies. His exceptional talent has prevented him from being caught yet. After another successful flight from the police a self-assured detective makes it his primary goal to catch the Driver. He promises pardons to a gang if they help to convict him in a set-up robbery. The Driver seeks help from The Player to mislead the detective.

7.2

MagicScore

#10

Eileen

2023

During a bitter 1964 Massachusetts winter, young secretary Eileen becomes enchanted by Rebecca, the glamorous new counselor at the prison where she works. Their budding friendship takes a twisted turn when Rebecca reveals a dark secret — throwing Eileen onto a sinister path.

5.9

MagicScore

#11

In the Palm of Your Hand

1951

A con artist seduces the widow of a millionaire, only to learn she'd plotted with her lover to murder the late husband. A tense game of cat-and-mouse ensues—but who's the cat?

6.0

MagicScore

#12

Everybody Knows

2018

Laura, a Spanish woman living in Buenos Aires, returns to her hometown outside Madrid with her Argentinian husband and children. However, the trip is upset by unexpected events that bring secrets into the open.

6.5

MagicScore

#13

Manhattan Night

2016

Porter Wren is a Manhattan tabloid writer with an appetite for scandal. On the beat he sells murder, tragedy, and anything that passes for the truth. At home, he is a dedicated husband and father. But when Caroline, a seductive stranger asks him to dig into the unsolved murder of her filmmaker husband Simon, he is drawn into a very nasty case of sexual obsession and blackmail--one that threatens his job, his marriage, and his life.

5.9

MagicScore

#14

Scarlet Street

1945

Cashier and part-time starving artist Christopher Cross is absolutely smitten with the beautiful Kitty March. Kitty plays along, but she's really only interested in Johnny, a two-bit crook. When Kitty and Johnny find out that art dealers are interested in Chris's work, they con him into letting Kitty take credit for the paintings. Cross allows it because he is in love with Kitty, but his love will only let her get away with so much.

7.6

MagicScore

#15

It's a Wonderful World

1939

Detective Guy Johnson's client, Willie Heywood, is framed for murder. While Guy hides him so he can catch the real killer, both of them are nabbed by the police, tried, convicted and sentenced to jail: Guy for a year with Willie to be executed. On the way to jail, Guy comes across a clue and escapes from the police.

6.3

MagicScore

#16

Saving Mr. Wu

2015

Mr. Wu, a Hong Kong movie star, is kidnapped in Beijing by Zhang Hua's gang. The police quickly form a task force and begin the search, ignoring that detectives in charge have only twenty hours before the deadline.

6.4

MagicScore

#17

Murder Mystery 2

2023

After starting their own detective agency, Nick and Audrey Spitz land a career-making case when their billionaire pal is kidnapped from his wedding.

6.4

MagicScore

#18

Zero Woman: Red Handcuffs

1974

Agent Zero is a cop that uses her own methods for dealing with criminals. After she unlawfully kills a rapist in a violent fashion, she is sent to prison and stripped of her badge. But very soon after, a rich politician's daughter is kidnapped by a ruthless gang. Agent Zero is let out of prison with the mission of going undercover to find the politician's daughter and return her safely. Using her deadly red handcuffs, she disposes of the criminals one by one.

6.3

MagicScore

#19

The Candy Snatchers

1973

A nonverbal autistic boy stumbles upon a teenage heiress who has been kidnapped by a trio of young psychopaths, who are intent on extorting diamonds from her stepfather.

6.3

MagicScore

#20

Transporter 2

2005

Professional driver, and former Special Forces officer, Frank Martin is living in Miami, where he is temporarily filling in for a friend as the chauffeur for a government narcotics control policy director and his family. The young boy in the family is targeted for kidnapping, and Frank immediately becomes involved in protecting the child and exposing the kidnappers.

6.3

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Palmetto?

The top films similar to Palmetto by MovieMagicScore are Messenger of Death (6.0), Seven Psychopaths (6.8), Cop (6.2). Each shares crime/mystery/thriller themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Palmetto worth watching?

Palmetto holds a MovieMagicScore of 5.9/10 from 124 viewer ratings.

What kind of movie is Palmetto?

Palmetto (1998) is a crime, mystery, thriller film directed by Volker Schlöndorff, starring Woody Harrelson, Gina Gershon, Elisabeth Shue.

Where can I find more recommendations like Palmetto?

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 Messenger of Death Movies like Seven Psychopaths Movies like Cop Movies like All the Money in the World Movies like L.A. Confidential Movies like London Fields

About movies like Palmetto

This ranked list pairs Palmetto (1998), a crime and mystery and thriller film from Volker Schlöndorff, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Woody Harrelson 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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