A great cozy mystery movie is like a perfectly brewed cup of tea: warm, satisfying, and best enjoyed from the comfort of your favorite spot on the sofa. The best cozy mystery movies deliver clever whodunits, charming characters, and delightful plot twists — all without the graphic violence or tension that makes you want to sleep with the lights on.
From modern blockbusters to timeless classics, here are the ten best cozy mystery movies ever made.
Knives Out (2019)
Rian Johnson single-handedly revived the whodunit genre with this razor-sharp ensemble mystery. When wealthy crime novelist Harlan Thrombey is found dead after his 85th birthday party, the eccentric Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig, clearly having the time of his life) is called in to investigate. Every member of the Thrombey family has a motive, and the twists keep coming right until the final frame. It's funny, clever, and endlessly rewatchable.
If you like Knives Out: also try Glass Onion (the official sequel) and See How They Run for more witty modern whodunits.
Clue (1985)
Based on the beloved board game, Clue is the cult classic that proves a mystery can be both hilarious and suspenseful. Tim Curry leads an extraordinary ensemble cast through a series of murders in a Gothic mansion, and the film's three alternate endings — each revealing a different killer — are legendary. It bombed at the box office but has since become one of the most quoted and rewatched comedies in history.
If you like Clue: also try Murder by Death and See How They Run for more genre parodies that love what they spoof.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)
Detective Benoit Blanc returns, this time investigating a murder among a group of friends gathered on a tech billionaire's private Greek island. Daniel Craig is even more fun the second time around, and Rian Johnson crafts a mystery that's somehow both more ambitious and more satisfying than the original. The ensemble cast — including Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, and Kate Hudson — is superb.
If you like Glass Onion: also try Knives Out (the original) and Murder Mystery for more contemporary whodunit fun.
The Thursday Murder Club (2025)
Based on Richard Osman's bestselling novel, this film follows four retirees in a peaceful English retirement community who meet weekly to investigate cold cases — until a real murder lands on their doorstep. Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, and Celia Imrie bring warmth and wit to a story that proves age is no barrier to brilliant detective work. It's the coziest mystery movie in years.
If you like The Thursday Murder Club: also try Gosford Park and See How They Run for more British whodunits with sterling ensemble casts.
Enola Holmes (2020)
Sherlock Holmes has a teenage sister, and she's just as brilliant. Millie Bobby Brown plays Enola, who sets out to find her missing mother and ends up solving a mystery that even her famous brother couldn't crack. It's charming, fast-paced, and refreshingly feminist — Enola breaks the fourth wall, outsmarts everyone around her, and does it all with infectious enthusiasm. The sequel is equally delightful.
If you like Enola Holmes: also try Wicked Little Letters and The Thursday Murder Club for more spirited British mysteries.
Murder by Death (1976)
Neil Simon wrote this hilarious spoof in which five famous literary detectives — thinly veiled parodies of Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, Charlie Chan, Sam Spade, and Nick and Nora Charles — are invited to a mansion to solve a murder that hasn't happened yet. Peter Sellers, Peter Falk, Maggie Smith, and Alec Guinness lead a cast that's clearly having a blast. It's silly, sharp, and one of the great comedy mysteries.
If you like Murder by Death: also try Clue and Charade for more witty ensemble whodunits with stacked casts.
Gosford Park (2001)
Robert Altman's ensemble masterpiece set in a 1930s English country house, where a murder among the upper-class guests reveals the deep divides between upstairs and downstairs. The cast is staggering — Maggie Smith, Helen Mirren, Clive Owen, Michael Gambon, Kristin Scott Thomas — and the film inspired Downton Abbey. It's more sophisticated than most cozy mysteries, but the setting, period charm, and dry wit make it perfect for a cozy evening.
If you like Gosford Park: also try Death on the Nile (1978) and The Thursday Murder Club for more elegant period whodunits.
See How They Run (2022)
Set in 1950s London's West End, this film follows a world-weary detective (Sam Rockwell) and an eager young constable (Saoirse Ronan) investigating a murder at the theater where Agatha Christie's "The Mousetrap" is playing. It's a loving homage to the whodunit genre that's both a mystery and a commentary on mysteries — meta, stylish, and thoroughly entertaining.
If you like See How They Run: also try Knives Out and Murder by Death for more love letters to the whodunit form.
Death on the Nile (1978)
Peter Ustinov's first (and finest) outing as Hercule Poirot. A luxury cruise down the Nile turns deadly when a beautiful heiress is murdered, and Poirot must sift through a boatload of suspects. The cast — Angela Lansbury, Maggie Smith, Bette Davis, Mia Farrow — is extraordinary, the Egyptian locations are gorgeous, and the mystery is pure Agatha Christie perfection. If you prefer a more modern take, Kenneth Branagh's 2022 remake covers the same case with sleeker visuals and a darker, more romance-tinged tone — same mystery, very different vibe.
If you like Death on the Nile: also try Gosford Park and Murder by Death for more golden-age mystery flavor.
Wicked Little Letters (2024)
Based on a true story from 1920s England, this film follows the investigation of a series of outrageously rude anonymous letters terrorizing a small seaside town. Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley are both brilliant — Colman as the prim neighbor who claims to be the victim, Buckley as the brash Irish immigrant who's accused. It's darkly funny, surprisingly feminist, and the ending is deeply satisfying.
If you like Wicked Little Letters: also try Enola Holmes and See How They Run for more British mysteries with a sharp comic edge.
Honorable Mentions
Also worth your time: Charade (1963, Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn at their sparkling best), Murder Mystery (2019, Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston on a yacht whodunit), The Wrong Trousers (1993, Wallace & Gromit's Oscar-winning animated caper), and the many Hallmark Mystery Movies — Aurora Teagarden, Garage Sale Mysteries, Crossword Mysteries, and more.
Ready for More?
Browse our Movies & TV page to find where to stream these films and discover even more cozy mystery movies. And if you'd rather read your mysteries, check out our book collection — many of these films were adapted from beloved cozy mystery novels.
Looking for more cozy mystery reading and viewing? Our companion guides cover the best cozy mystery TV shows, British cozy mysteries, cozy mysteries with women sleuths, and how cozy mysteries differ from thrillers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best cozy mystery movie of all time?
It depends on the era you love. For modern viewers, Knives Out (2019) revived the genre and remains the gold standard — Rian Johnson's whip-smart whodunit launched the Benoit Blanc franchise and proved audiences still crave clever puzzles. For classic-mystery fans, Death on the Nile (1978) with Peter Ustinov is unmatched Agatha Christie. For sheer rewatch value and pure comedy, nothing beats Clue (1985).
What's the difference between a cozy mystery movie and a thriller?
Cozy mysteries focus on the puzzle, the characters, and the setting — murders happen off-screen, the tone is comforting, the detective is often an amateur or an eccentric professional, and the resolution is satisfying rather than dark. Thrillers prioritize tension, danger, and often graphic violence, with serial killers or psychological terror as common themes. We've written a longer guide to the distinction — see cozy mystery vs thriller for the full breakdown.
Where can I watch the best cozy mystery movies?
Streaming homes vary by title. Netflix currently carries Glass Onion, The Thursday Murder Club, and Enola Holmes. Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+ are the most reliable homes for older classics like Clue, Murder by Death, and Death on the Nile. Hulu and Peacock round out the major libraries. Check each film's individual page for current availability — streaming rights shift frequently.
Are there any cozy mystery movies based on Agatha Christie novels?
Plenty. Death on the Nile (1978) with Peter Ustinov is the most beloved cozy adaptation. See How They Run (2022) isn't an adaptation but is set around a real Christie play, "The Mousetrap." The Kenneth Branagh Poirot films (Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile 2022, A Haunting in Venice) lean darker but still fit the broader mystery-movie tradition. For more, browse our Agatha Christie collection.