When the TV series Mindhunter came to Netflix in 2017, it was quick to accumulate a somewhat niche but devoted audience. Starring Jonathan Groff and telling the tales of the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit, the true crime community hailed the show as a masterpiece and anticipated the release of a third season. However, after a long period of waiting for renewal, David Fincher finally announced that although he was “very proud of the first two seasons”, there would officially be no third season since “it’s a very expensive show, and in the eyes of Netflix, we didn’t attract enough of an audience to justify such an investment”. So, if you’re stranded after binge-watching the first two seasons like I was, here are three of my favorite David Fincher films that encapsulate the vibe and brilliance of Mindhunter (and don’t worry, there are no spoilers here).
- Gone Girl
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You may have heard of the infamous “cool girl monologue”, which originates from this film that can be questionably classified as a “good for her” movie. Without Rosamund Pike’s chilling performance, this story absolutely wouldn’t hit as hard as it does. Gone Girl perfectly blends the aspects of sociology and criminology that Mindhunter so heavily focuses on while prioritizing a character-driven mystery.
- Zodiac
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David Fincher movies are notorious for keeping audiences on the edge of their seats throughout the entire film, and Zodiac is no different. This intense murder mystery is on par with the detective prowess that Mark Ruffalo’s character demonstrates in Zodiac. Still, you can expect many more twists and turns throughout the movie as he, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Robert Downey Jr. track down a serial killer.
- Seven
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This film certainly fits the vibe of Mindhunter the best out of all of Fincher’s work. By focusing on the detective work and complicated relationship between the two main characters, played by Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman, Seven is able to enthrall you in its mystery just as deeply as the detectives.
Although I’m upset about Mindhunter being canceled, there are several alternatives that I can safely turn to in order to fill that hole in my life.