12 Movies Like Snowfall You Need to Watch
Find 12 gripping picks for fans of Snowfall, from Narcos and BMF to Scarface, with crime, drama, thriller, biography, and documentary choices.
If you want movies like Snowfall, you’re probably after stories built on power, pressure, and the high cost of the drug trade. This list pulls together 12 picks that hit those notes from different angles, including Narcos, Narcos: Mexico, BMF, and Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy. You’ll also find crime dramas and thrillers such as The Deuce, Guerrilla, and Scarface, each with its own take on ambition, corruption, and survival. Whether you prefer grounded nonfiction or sharply acted crime sagas, these titles deliver the same tense, character-driven energy that made Snowfall stand out.
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01
Narcos: Mexico
biography · crime · drama · thriller
See the rise of the Guadalajara Cartel as an American DEA agent learns the danger of targeting narcos in 1980s Mexico.
Directed by Andrés Baiz, Amat Escalante, Alonso Ruizpalacios, Josef Kubota Wladyka, Marcela SaidCast Scoot McNairy, José María Yazpik, Alejandro Edda, Alfonso Dosal, Fermín MartínezNetflix -
02
Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy
documentary · crime · history
A cheap, powerful drug emerges during a recession, igniting a moral panic fueled by racism. Explore the complex history of crack in the 1980s.
Directed by Stanley NelsonCast Michael DouglasNetflix -
03
Narcos
biography · crime · drama · thriller
A gritty chronicle of the war against Colombia's infamously violent and powerful drug cartels.
Directed by Andrés Baiz, Josef Kubota Wladyka, Fernando Coimbra, Gerardo Naranjo, Guillermo NavarroCast Pedro Pascal, Wagner Moura, Boyd Holbrook, Alberto Ammann, Paulina GaitanNetflix -
04
Scarface
crime · drama
After getting a green card in exchange for assassinating a Cuban government official, Tony Montana stakes a claim on the drug trade in Miami. Viciously murdering anyone who stands in his way, Tony eventually becomes the biggest drug lord in the state, controlling nearly all the cocaine that comes through Miami. But increased pressure from the police, wars with Colombian drug cartels and his own drug-fueled paranoia serve to fuel the flames of his eventual downfall.
Directed by Brian De PalmaCast Al Pacino, Steven Bauer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Robert LoggiaNetflix -
05
The Deuce
crime · drama · mystery
The story of the legalization and subsequent rise of the porn industry in New York’s Times Square from the early ’70s through the mid ’80s, exploring the rough-and-tumble world that existed there until the rise of HIV, the violence of the cocaine epidemic and the renewed real estate market ended the bawdy turbulence of the area.
Directed by Alex Hall, James Franco, Roxann Dawson, Uta Briesewitz, Michelle MacLarenCast James Franco, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Lawrence Gilliard Jr., Margarita Levieva, Emily MeadeMax -
06
Guerrilla
drama
Set against the backdrop of one of the most explosive times in U.K. history, discover the story of a politically active couple whose relationship and values are tested when they liberate a political prisoner and form a radical underground cell in 1970s London.
Directed by Sam Miller, John RidleyCast Babou Ceesay, Nathaniel Martello-White, Daniel Mays, Denise Gough, Rory KinnearFreevee -
07
BMF
crime · drama
The drug trafficking drama is inspired by the true story of two brothers who rose from the decaying streets of southwest Detroit in the late 1980s and gave birth to one of the most influential crime families in the country. It revolves around brothers Demetrius "Big Meech" Flenory and Terry "Southwest T" Flenory, who together took their vision beyond the drug trade and into the world of hip-hop. The drama, per Starz, will tell a story about love, family and capitalism in the pursuit of the American dream.
Directed by Solvan Naim, Timothy A. Burton, Eif Rivera, Crystle Roberson Dorsey, Tasha SmithCast Da'Vinchi, Demetrius Flenory Jr., Michole Briana White, Russell Hornsby, Steve HarrisAmazon Prime VideoStarz -
08
Mr. Mercedes
crime · drama · mystery · sci-fi · thriller
A demented serial killer taunts a retired police detective with a series of lurid letters and emails, forcing the ex-cop to undertake a private, and potentially felonious, crusade to bring the killer to justice before he can strike again.
Directed by Jack Bender, Laura Innes, John David Coles, Kevin Hooks, Peter WellerCast Brendan Gleeson, Holland Taylor, Jharrel Jerome, Breeda Wool, Justine LupePeacock Premium -
09
Legends
crime · drama
As drugs flood the streets of '90s Britain, a team of civil servants is thrust undercover to topple the gangs behind it.
Directed by Brady Hood, Julian HolmesCast Tom Burke, Steve Coogan, Hayley Squires, Aml Ameen, Jasmine BlackborowNetflix -
10
Dope
documentary · crime
Filmed from the perspectives of dealers, users and the police, this vivid series offers a bracing look at the war on drugs.
Directed by Nonuk Walter, Richard Mejeh, Ben Reid, Tom Watson, George AmponsahNetflix -
11
Griselda
biography · crime · drama
Inspired by real events, this fictional dramatization shows Griselda Blanco's journey from Medellín to becoming "the Godmother" of Miami's drug empire.
Directed by Andrés BaizCast Sofía Vergara, Alberto Guerra, Juliana Aidén Martinez, Martín Rodríguez, Jose VelazquezNetflix -
12
Mindhunter
crime · drama · mystery · thriller
An agent in the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit develops profiling techniques as he pursues notorious serial killers and rapists.
Directed by David Fincher, Carl Franklin, Andrew Douglas, Asif Kapadia, Tobias LindholmCast Jonathan Groff, Holt McCallany, Anna Torv, Sonny Valicenti, Stacey RocaNetflix
Wrapping Up
These picks cover the full range of stories fans usually want next: cartel drama, street-level hustlers, corruption, and hard-edged survival. From Narcos and BMF to Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy and Scarface, each title brings a different side of the same world. Bookmark this page if you’re building a watchlist, because it’s updated regularly as new recommendations are added and older favorites continue to circulate. Come back whenever you want another set of crime and drama titles with the same intensity and atmosphere.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes these movies similar to Snowfall?
These picks were matched by tone, themes, and story style using a similarity model trained on plot synopses, genres, and cast — not just shared genre tags — so the connection runs deeper than a simple category match.
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Last updated: September 11, 2026