12 Movies Like Sugar You Need to Watch
Find 12 tense crime, drama, and mystery picks for fans of Sugar, including High Country, The Jetty, Get Millie Black, and more.
If you finished Sugar (2024) and want the same mix of tension, mood, and slow-burn surprises, this list is built for your next watch. These picks lean into crime, drama, and mystery in different ways, from the hard-edged suspense of Criminal Record (2024) to the eerie coastal intrigue of The Jetty (2024). You’ll also find darker, sharper options like Cult Killer (2024) and Get Millie Black (2024), plus character-driven stories such as High Country (2024), Girls' Play (2024), and The Red King (2024). Whether you want a twisting whodunit or a brooding investigation with emotional weight, these series and films deliver the same kind of gripping atmosphere.
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01
High Country
crime · drama · mystery & thriller
A detective transferred to Victorian High Country investigates 5 missing persons. She uncovers a complex web of murder, deceit and revenge.
Directed by Lucy Gaffy, Ben C. Lucas, Kevin Carlin, Beck ColeCast Leah Purcell, Sara Wiseman, Matt Domingo, Pez Warner, Ian McElhinneyHulu -
02
The Jetty
crime · drama · mystery · thriller
Follows Det. Ember Manning as she must figure out how a fire at a vacation home is connected to a podcast journalist investigating a missing person's cold case and an illicit love triangle between a man in his 20s and two underage girls.
Directed by Marialy RivasCast Weruche Opia, Jenna Coleman, Ruby Stokes, Tom Glynn-Carney, Archie RenauxHulu -
03
Get Millie Black
crime · drama
Ex Scotland Yard detective Millie-Jean Black returns to Kingston to work missing persons; soon finding herself on a quest to save a sister who won’t be saved, to find a boy who can’t be found, to solve a case that will blow her world apart and prove almost as tough to crack as Millie Black.
Directed by Tanya Hamilton, Annetta Laufer, Jean Luc HerbulotCast Tamara Lawrance, Joe Dempsie, Gershwyn Eustache Jnr, Chyna McQueen, Christopher DaleyMax -
04
Cult Killer
adventure · crime · drama · mystery · thriller
A private investigator is forced into a dangerous alliance with a killer in order to uncover a quiet town’s grisly criminal underbelly and clear the name of her mentor, who is implicated in the crimes.
Directed by Jon KeeyesCast Antonio Banderas, Alice Eve, Shelley Hennig, Olwen Fouéré, Nick DunningHulu -
05
Girls' Play
drama · mystery · thriller
YouTuber detective Layal embarks on a journey to the enigmatic Vivarium resort with her old friends. However, a chilling unsolved murder from the past begins to cast its shadow over their reunion and we witness a new Murder.
Directed by Boudy SfeirCast Stephanie Atala, Reem Nasraldeen, Alice Abdelaziz, Reem Khoury, Rym MrouehAmazon Prime Video -
06
Criminal Record
crime · drama · thriller
In the heart of London, an anonymous phone call draws two brilliant detectives—a young woman in the early stages of her career and a well-connected man determined to protect his legacy—into a fight to correct an old miscarriage of justice.
Directed by Shaun James Grant, Jim Loach, Joelle Mae David, Ben A. WilliamsCast Peter Capaldi, Cush Jumbo, Shaun Dooley, Stephen Campbell Moore, Jordan A. NashApple TV Plus -
07
The Red King
drama · horror · thriller
A detective digs deep into a case while navigating the complex society around her.
Directed by Daniel O'Hara, Lisa ClarkeCast Anjli Mohindra, James Bamford, Lu Corfield, Adjoa Andoh, Sam SwainsburyAMC+ -
08
The Marlow Murder Club
crime · drama · mystery & thriller
Retired archaeologist and crossword setter Judith Potts believes that a brutal murder has taken place in the sleepy town of Marlow; when the police refuse to believe her story, she kicks off a private investigation with two unlikely friends.
Directed by Steve Barron, Katherine ChurcherCast Phill Langhorne, Samantha Bond, Jo Martin, Cara Horgan, Natalie DewAmazon Prime Video -
09
The Madness
crime · drama · mystery · thriller
After a media pundit stumbles upon a dead body deep in the Poconos woods, he finds himself framed for the murder of a notorious white supremacist.
Directed by Clement Virgo, Jessica Lowrey, Quyen TranCast Colman Domingo, Marsha Stephanie Blake, John Ortiz, Tamsin Topolski, Thaddeus J. MixsonNetflix -
10
Missing You
crime · drama · mystery · thriller
When Detective Kat Donovan matches on a dating app with the fiancé who disappeared years before, she learns that some secrets are best left in the past.
Directed by Nimer Rashed, Isher SahotaCast Rosalind Eleazar, Ashley Walters, Richard Armitage, Mary Malone, Jessica PlummerNetflix -
11
Adoration
crime · drama · mystery
When a 16-year-old girl vanishes, secrets come to light and disrupt a small community as her friends and family try to re-create her last movements.
Directed by Stefano MordiniCast Noemi Magagnini, Alice Lupparelli, Beatrice Puccilli, Penelope Raggi, Luigi BrunoNetflix -
12
The Perfect Couple
crime · drama · mystery
Amelia is about to marry into one of the wealthiest families on Nantucket, until a shocking death derails the wedding — and turns everyone into a suspect.
Directed by Susanne BierCast Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Eve Hewson, Billy Howle, Meghann FahyNetflix
Wrapping Up
This collection makes it easy to find your next binge if you like crime stories with layered characters, uneasy secrets, and a strong mystery at the center. From the gritty pace of Criminal Record (2024) to the atmospheric pull of The Red King (2024), each title offers its own version of suspense. Bookmark this page and check back when you want more recommendations in this lane, since it’s updated regularly with fresh picks. That way, you’ll always have another smart option ready when you finish a tense, twist-filled watch.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes these movies similar to Sugar?
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 4, 2026