10 Best Couples in Neo-Noir Movies, Ranked

By the 1960s, classic film noir had been reborn as the subgenre, neo-noir, which remains true to the qualities of the original genre but with a few modern additions such as excessive violence, psychological elements, and heightened sexuality. Titles such as Chinatown, Blue Velvet, and Basic Instinct ultimately set the standard for the ideal neo-noir movie and, while the subgenre has forged its own path, many neo-noir movies still feature the iconic character formula of a lust-stricken anti-hero falling victim to a double-crossing dame.

Aside from a few exceptions, almost every romance in neo-noir movies ends in tragedy, but even though they're not the best examples of healthy romantic relationships, that doesn't mean they aren't the best at being the worst. From the remake of the 1947 classic film, Nightmare Alley, to the sensual '80s neo-noir Body Heat starring Kathleen Turner and William Hurt, these are the ten best couples in neo-noir movies, ranked.

10 Stanton Carlisle and Lilith Ritter (Bradley Cooper and Cate Blanchett)

'Nightmare Alley' (2021)

Cate Blanchett as Lilith Ritter & Bradley Cooper as Stanton Carlisle look at the camera in Nightmare Alley. — Image via Searchlight Pictures

Bradley Cooper stars as a drifter, Stan Carlisle, who, after joining a traveling carnival and learning the tricks of the trade, runs off with one of the performers (Rooney Mara) to start his own successful psychic act. As the fame and money go to Stan's head, he soon meets a brilliant psychologist, Dr. Lilith Ritter (Cate Blanchett), whose patients consist of some of the most wealthy and elite figures in society. Eventually, the two conjure up a scam to use Lilith's patients' records for Stan to give them individual readings, earning gracious payments in exchange for his so-called gift.

When it comes to cold-hearted couples, Stan and Lilith in Nightmare Alley take the cake. Not only do the couple use their positions of power and trust to essentially swindle innocent people out of their money, but they take advantage of their grief and pain by pretending to speak to their deceased loved ones. Considering they are both consumed by wealth, notoriety, and power, there's no question that the two were made for each other, making them one of the cruelest couples of neo-noir.

9 Remy Swain and Anne Osborne (Dennis Quaid and Ellen Barkin)

'The Big Easy' (1986)

The Big Easy features an opposing pair of lovers who, despite their opposing ideas of justice, can't help but be drawn to each other. Dennis Quaid plays a New Orleans detective, Remy Swain, who, while investigating the recent murder of a local mobster, meets the district attorney, Anne Osborne (Ellen Barkin), who accuses Remy and the entire police department of being on the take. Even though the two fail to see eye-to-eye about enforcing the law, they do agree on their mutual attraction, resulting in a heated romance.

Remy and Anne are one of the few neo-noir couples who don't end up stabbing each other in the back, but their different ideas of fighting crime and upholding the law are what makes them such a fascinating couple. Like trying to mix oil with water, Remy and Anne start out in a love-hate relationship, finding each other to be misunderstood and jumping to conclusions. In the end, they put aside their differences and choose to accept the spark between them, deeming them to be one of the best and rarest romantic couples in the neo-noir genre.

8 Corky and Violet (Gina Gershon and Jennifer Tilly)

'Bound' (1996)

Gina Gershon and Jennifer Tilly in Bound Movie smiling. — Image via Gramercy Pictures

Bound is one of the steamiest neo-noirs, starring Gina Gershon as an ex-con, Corky, who instantly falls for the girlfriend of a violent gangster, Violet (Jennifer Tilly). Eventually, they can't deny the sparks that continue to fly between them and start a secret, passionate love affair. When they finally decide to run away together, they hatch a plan to steal from Violet's boyfriend (basically the mob), forcing them to plot the plan down to its finest detail in order to make it out alive.

Corky and Violet stand to be one of the most badass couples in the neo-noir genre who not only take on the extreme possibility of deadly repercussions from the mafia but are actually smart enough to get away with it. The women know how to manipulate the mobsters into underestimating them, but when they are eventually found out, they use their captors' inflated egos to secure their getaway, which is, well, pretty impressive. When it comes to sexy and ballsy couples, Bound's Corky and Violent inevitable rank as one of the all-time best.

7 Kyle Bodine and Rachel Munro (Ed Harris and Madeleine Stowe)

'China Moon' (1994)

Ed Harris stars as a by-the-book homicide detective, Kyle Bodine, who meets a beautiful young woman, Rachel Munro (Madeleine Stowe), who is married to an abusive but powerful bank president. Despite her marriage, Rachel and Kyle begin having an affair and when her husband comes home when she is planning to leave with Kyle, he becomes enraged and Rachel shoots him in self-defense. Kyle reluctantly helps Rachel dispose of her husband's body, but when he and his partner (Benicio Del Toro) are assigned to the case, his partner starts to suspect that the young widow is behind her husband's disappearance.

Kyle and Rachel are a classic noir couple who are brought together by undeniable attraction but are inevitably torn apart by an underlying scheme that, in the end, costs them both dearly. Considering that their relationship embodies the traditional romantic theme of film noir, Kyle and Rachel rightfully earn a spot on the list of best neo-noir couples. Perhaps in another lifetime or under different circumstances, Rachel and Kyle could have been together, but when it comes to love in the world of noir, there are rarely any happy endings.

6 Frank Chambers and Cora Papadakis (Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange)

'The Postman Always Rings Twice' (1981)

When Frank Chambers (Jack Nicholson) stops at a roadside diner for a bite, he meets a waitress, Cora Papadakis (Jessica Lange), who turns out to also be the owner's wife. The owner is thrilled to have a customer and eventually offers Frank a job, which he graciously accepts. As Frank settles into his new job and place, he and Cora soon engage in a fiery affair that leads them to plotting the perfect murder.

Ranked as one of the best film noir remakes, The Postman Always Rings Twice capitalizes on the original film's subtle hints of sexuality with an extremely heightened allure of seduction and desire. The two are drawn to each other like a moth to a flame, unable to deny the sexual attraction between them as well as their mutual unhappiness, which serves as the foundation of their turbulent relationship. Like most anti-heroes and femme fatales, it's hard not to sympathize a bit with Frank and Cora's tragic demise and, while we aren't suggesting that murder is excusable, audiences do feel a bit of empathy for the misguided couple.

5 Dorothy Vallens and Jeffrey Beaumont (Isabella Rossellini and Kyle MacLachlan)

'Blue Velvet' (1986)

Kyle MacLachlan stars in David Lynch's iconic neo-noir, Blue Velvet, as a college student, Jeffrey Beaumont, whose discovery of a severed human ear leads him into a dark underworld and a sultry nightclub singer, Dorothy Vallens (Isabella Rossellini). As the two begin a secret sexual relationship, Jeffrey soon realizes the danger Dorothy is in and is essentially being held captive by a crazed psychopath and gangster, Frank Booth (Dennis Hopper).

Jeffrey and Dorothy come from very different worlds and if it weren't for Jeffrey's gruesome discovery, they may never have even crossed paths. While they aren't the ideal romantic couple, both serve as an escape for each other, providing an unusual sense of comfort and strange support in a world plagued by darkness. While Dorothy awakens a sexual desire in Jeffrey, Jeffrey presents Dorothy with the only sense of power and control while trapped in an inescapable nightmare curated by Booth. Jeffrey and Dorothy have a toxic but ever-changing relationship that audiences can't pull their eyes away from, making them one of the most complex and unique neo-noir couples to date.

4 Nick Curran and Catherine Tramell (Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone)

'Basic Instinct' (1992)

Michael Douglas as Nick and Sharon Stone as Catherine stare at each other against a wall in Basic Instinct. — Image via TriStar Pictures

When a San Francisco detective, Nick Curran (Michael Douglas), is tasked with investigating the recent murder of a former rockstar, a successful crime novelist, Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone), not only becomes his prime suspect but also the center of his all-consuming sexual desires. As Nick tries to work the case and has a secret affair with Catherine, things become more complicated when the body count goes up and another woman in Nick's life could also be a potential suspect.

Nick and Catherine in Basic Instinct are a devilish duo whose overwhelming sexual chemistry and dangerous affair keeps audiences on the edge of their seats in sheer, unbearable anticipation. Nick is seemingly caught in a rock and a hard place, knowing he should be focused on the investigation, but his desire for Catherine overpowers his better judgment, making Catherine a dame who could easily get away with murder. Although their relationship lies more about physical nature than emotional, their dividing circumstances and the inevitable risk that come with their affair solidifies Nick and Catherine as one neo-noir couple who like to live dangerously.

3 Bud White and Lynn Bracken (Russell Crowe and Kim Basinger)

'L.A. Confidential' (1997)

Russell Crowe stars as an unconventional Los Angeles detective, Bud White, who meets a high-class call-girl, Lynn Bracken (Kim Basinger), who is involved in a prostitution ring that features women who are surgically reconstructed to look like famous movie stars. Taken aback by her undeniable beauty and gentle nature, Bud and Lynn start seeing each other, but as Bud is drawn into a case full of corruption and cover-ups, his potential future with Lynn is essentially compromised.

L.A. Confidential is another rare neo-noir where a romantic couple successfully manage to ride off into the sunset together and, despite coming from different sides of the law, Bud and Lynn are essentially cut from the same cloth. Bud, who has a genuine distaste for men who mistreat and abuse women, can't help but feel the need to rescue and protect Lynn, who strives not to be seen as a victim and values her independence. Initially, their relationship gets off to a rocky start, but the fact that Bud and Lynn are able to balance each other out by providing what's missing from each other's lives is what earns them a place on this list.

2 Jake Gittes and Evelyn Mulwray (Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway)

'Chinatown' (1974)

Jack Nicholson with a bandage on his nose leaning close to Faye Dunaway's face in Chinatown. — Image via Paramount Pictures

Jack Nicholson stars in one of the best New Hollywood neo-noirs, Chinatown, as a Los Angeles private detective, Jake Gittes, who is hired by a married woman, Evelyn Mulwray, to follow her husband who she suspects is having an affair. Initially, Gittes thinks the job is nothing but the average case of infidelity, but when he discovers he was hired by an impostor and meets the real Mrs. Mulwray (Faye Dunaway), he soon becomes entangled in a major conspiracy that leads him to Evelyn's father, Noah Cross (John Huston).

Jake and Evelyn are not only one of the best neo-noir couples, but also classic star-crossed lovers who, despite their best efforts, are predestined for a devastating end. At the beginning, both put up a tough front, unsure if they could trust each other, but when Evelyn puts her neck on the line for Jake, they slowly start to soften and, at one point, it seems as though they will end up being the perfect crime-fighting team. Despite being surrounded by a dark, corrupt world, Jake and Evelyn manage to find genuine love and a sense of life, even if it is only for a brief moment, which is what ultimately cements them as one of the best neo-noir film couples.

1 Ned Racine and Matty Walker (William Hurt and Kathleen Turner)

'Body Heat' (1981)

William Hurt and Kathleen Turner sit and talk in Body Heat. — Image via Warner Bros.

During an extreme heatwave in Florida, a local attorney, Ned Racine (William Hurt), meets the beautiful but married, Matty Walker (Kathleen Turner). Despite being married, Ned and Matty can't resist each other and begin a heated affair that makes it unbearable for them to be apart from one another. When they finally decide they must be together, they plot a way to get rid of Matty's husband, but once the deed is done, Ned's life is soon put on the line, forcing him to realize that there is much more to Matty than he ever initially thought.

Body Heat is considered to be the unofficial remake of Billy Wilder's classic film noir, Double Indemnity, starring Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck. Even though Stanwyck and MacMurray deliver a seductive performance as secret lovers, Body Heat cranks it up a notch with Ned and Matty, who are obsessively drawn to each other by their insatiable appetites and raw sexuality that could never happen in a classic noir. The devious couple didn't make the list because of their respectable romance, but because Ned and Matty are just so bad that they're impossible to resist, which makes them the ultimate definition of a lethal neo-noir couple.