Detective Films About Debt: A Thrilling Collection

Description: Stanley Kubrick's early heist film where a group of criminals plan a racetrack robbery to escape their financial woes. Debt is a driving force behind their desperate plan.

Fact: The film was remade in 2004 as "The Killing" TV series. Kubrick's original cut was significantly different from the released version.

Description: This classic film involves a complex con game where debt and revenge are intertwined. The characters' motivations are driven by financial desperation and the need to settle scores.

Fact: The film won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The ragtime music score became iconic.

Description: A psychiatrist gets involved in a world of con artists and gambling, where debt becomes a central theme driving the plot. The film explores the psychological aspects of debt and deception.

Fact: David Mamet wrote and directed this film, which was his directorial debut. The film's title refers to a poker term for a place where high-stakes games are played.

Description: A mother and son, both con artists, find themselves entangled in a web of deceit and debt. The film explores how financial obligations can strain familial relationships.

Fact: The film was based on the novel by Jim Thompson. It features a notable performance by John Cusack, who learned to pick locks for his role.

Description: Tom Cruise stars as a young lawyer who uncovers a web of corruption and debt at his prestigious law firm. The film explores how debt can be used as a tool for control and manipulation.

Fact: The film was adapted from John Grisham's best-selling novel. The original ending was changed after test audiences found it too bleak.

Description: A man invents a process that could earn billions, but his financial security is threatened by a con artist. Debt here is about the potential loss of future earnings and the desperation to protect one's financial future.

Fact: The film was shot in New York City and Florida. It features a complex plot with numerous twists, typical of David Mamet's style.

Description: Based on the true story of the 1971 Baker Street robbery, this film showcases how debt can lead to criminal activity. The characters are motivated by financial desperation.

Fact: The film was inspired by a real event, but many details were changed for dramatic purposes. It features a mix of real historical figures and fictional characters.

Description: This thriller follows three Mossad agents who must confront their past when a mission from 1965 resurfaces. Debt here is not financial but moral, as they owe a debt to their country and their conscience.

Fact: The film is a remake of an Israeli film of the same name. Helen Mirren was nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance.

Description: This film delves into the world of high finance, where a group of investors bet against the U.S. mortgage market, predicting the housing bubble's collapse. Debt is not just a plot device but the very essence of the story, showing how financial obligations can lead to systemic collapse.

Fact: The film uses a unique narrative technique where characters break the fourth wall to explain complex financial concepts. It also features cameos by real-life figures like Anthony Bourdain and Selena Gomez.

Description: Mark Wahlberg plays a literature professor with a gambling addiction, leading him into a spiral of debt. The film examines the psychological toll of debt and the lengths one goes to escape it.

Fact: The film is a remake of the 1974 film of the same name, which starred James Caan. It was also inspired by Dostoevsky's "The Gambler."