Written by Quentin Tarantino and directed by Tony Scott, True Romance is one of the most beloved romantic crime movies out there, thanks to Tarantino's trademark dialogue and pop culture references and Scott's expert direction, which gave the movie its off-beat style. In fact, the cult classic has often been regarded as one of the best American movies from the 1990s and one of Scott's best.
But True Romance is not the only one of its kind. Whether it's the unique combination of violence and romance, the trademark Tarantino-esque style of writing, or something else - there are definitely some interesting romantic crime movies out there.
Wild At Heart (1990) - Not Available
David Lynch's Wild at Heart is a romantic crime movie, a black comedy, and a road movie, all at the same time, blending the elements of the three subgenres almost seamlessly. Despite mixed reviews from critics, the movie won the Palme d'Or at Cannes and received a nomination at the Academy Awards.
Based on the book of the same name, it follows a young couple from Cape Fear, North Carolina, who go on the run while trying to escape from the girlfriend's mother and the killers hired by her to assassinate the boyfriend.
Natural Born Killers (1994) - Available On DirecTV, FuboTV, And Starz
Also written by Quentin Tarantino but heavily revised and directed by Oliver Stone, Natural Born Killers is infamous for initiating a chain of copycat crimes and was highly controversial at the time of its release due to its violence.
The story follows a couple who eventually become murderers. But because of their past troubled childhoods, the mass media starts glorifying the two without any concern for the consequences.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) - Available On Tubi TV And Hoopla
Starring Robert Downey Jr. in one of the lead roles, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is another black comedy that focuses more on its crime rather than its romantic elements, while also serving as a tongue-in-cheek satire with brilliant performances.
The story begins when a thief attends a party pretending to be an actor. He, an aspiring actress, and a private eye inadvertently become involved in a murder mystery that they must now solve together.
Buffalo '66 (1998) - Available On Pluto TV, Tubi TV, And Hoopla
A mostly unknown yet interesting romantic crime comedy-drama, Buffalo '66 is an independent movie whose strength mostly lies in the performances of its two leads - Vincent Gallo (who also co-wrote and directed the movie) and Christina Ricci.
At the center of the story is a man recently released from prison who kidnaps a young tap dancer, forcing her to pretend to be his wife, in an attempt to impress his parents.
Thelma & Louise (1991) - Available On AMC+ And DirecTV
Ridley Scott's Thelma & Louise may not be directly a romance movie, but it does have elements and features a female friendship that could be interpreted as something more by the end of the movie. No matter what, this buddy road movie definitely has the elements of crime, making it a romantic crime movie.
In the movie, two best friends decide to go on a road trip and end up committing multiple crimes and being pursued by police for committing them.
Jackie Brown (1997) - Available On Paramount+
Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown is unlike most of his movies, though it still has the charm of Tarantino's writing and direction. Moreover, its romance is downplayed in order for the crime storyline to be at the forefront, but it is still a fantastic romantic crime movie.
The only novel adaptation of Tarantino's, it follows a middle-aged woman named Jackie Brown who works as a flight attendant and secretly smuggles money from Mexico into the US. After being intercepted by the police, she starts working for them instead, while trying to figure out how to avoid prison and also avoid being killed.
Baby Driver (2017) - Available On FXNow, DirecTV, And Fubo TV
Edgar Wright's Baby Driver may be an action flick with an amazing variety of songs, but at its core, it is a romantic crime movie. With its impressive stunts and Wright's distinctive writing, the movie instantly became a fan favorite.
Set in Atlanta, it tells the story of a young getaway driver working for a local crime mastermind as a way of repaying him for his debt. But the driver doesn't want to participate in a job like this anymore once he meets and falls in love with a beautiful waitress.
Bonnie And Clyde (1967) - Available On Netflix, HBO Max, DirecTV, And TCM
One of the first movies of the New Hollywood era, Bonnie and Clyde is known for breaking many cinematic taboos of the time, particularly when it came to the depiction of sex and violence, while its final scene is known as one of the bloodiest death scenes in the history of cinema.
Based on the lives of the real Bonnie and Clyde, the movie follows Bonnie Parker, a waitress, and Clyde Barrow, an ex-convict, who fall in love and become one of the most notorious criminal couples in history after committing numerous crimes, such as stealing cars and bank robberies.
Carlito's Way (1993) - Available On Showtime, DirecTV, FuboTV, And Starz
Brian De Palma's Carlito's Way actually had lukewarm reception initially, but it went on to become a cult classic thanks to the performances (from Al Pacino and Sean Penn particularly) and stylistic elements.
Adapted from two novels by Edwin Torres, it follows a Puerto Rican criminal named Carlito Brigante who decides to leave the life of crime and falls in love with a woman who inspires him even more to choose this path. However, Carlito's past doesn't let him leave so easily and he ends up in a vicious cycle of crime.
Pulp Fiction (1994) - Available On HBO Max
With such big stars as Samuel L. Jackson and Bruce Willis in its cast, Pulp Fiction is a mix of different genres including neo-noir, black comedy, and romantic crime which makes it so unique. Tarantino's writing and direction intertwine with the different storylines so expertly that the movie works against all odds. And even though romance is not its main focus, it is still present.
One storyline follows two hitmen doing their jobs, another follows a boxer who wins a match he was ordered to lose, and yet another follows a criminal couple having a meal in a diner they are about to rob.