Above Suspicion

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2:05

Above Suspicion

R

2021

1h 45m

Crime

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

26%

Tomatometer

39 Reviews

45%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

Based on the true story of one of the most notorious crimes in FBI history, this gritty crime-thriller stars Emilia Clarke ("Game of Thrones") as Susan Smith, a young woman desperate to escape a seedy life of crime and drugs in a Kentucky coal mining town. When a newly minted FBI agent named Mark Putnam (Jack Huston, "Fargo") recruits Susan as his informant for a high-profile case, she believes her bad luck may finally be changing. But as Susan and Putnam's relationship deepens, so does the danger, setting them both on a collision course with deadly consequences.

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Tim Cogshell

FilmWeek (LAist)

May 13, 2021

It's all interesting stuff, but not fodder for a movie. There's not enough there for a movie like this to fill in.

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Brian Tallerico

RogerEbert.com

May 7, 2021

1.5/4

There's more than enough meat on the bones of this true story for a film like Above Suspicion, but director Phillip Noyce can't figure out how to tell it in a way that's more interesting than a Wikipedia entry.

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Craig D. Lindsey

AV Club

May 5, 2021

D

Shot way back in 2016, but only now reaching American theaters and digital services, Above Suspicion plays exactly like a movie you'd expect to sit on the shelf for years, no one pushing hard for its release.

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Tony Medley

tonymedley.com

Jun 2, 2024

6/10

Shame on them. They bury the lead and tell a different tale from the excellent book about an FBI agent accused of murder. The true story is much more interesting than what they invented. If you want to create facts, don't use real names.

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

Aug 17, 2022

2.5/5

“Above Suspicion” has a story worthy of being told but it’s emphasis is too often on the wrong thing.

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Jun 6, 2021

C+

The story, even if true, never seems authentic.

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Robert C

@RobC8426 Sep 24, 2026

True story. Happened in Kentucky. Johnny Knoxville. He is actually a phenomenal actor. Must watch just because of his performance.

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bob C

@RT46426964 Jul 27, 2026

Manages to make a story very pedestrian

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Jeffrey P

@vanillavoodoo1 Jun 15, 2026

More of a character study that wasn’t really building towards anything specific. The character wasn’t particularly interesting and what it all built to was disappointing... and illogical.

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Soleil N

@SoleilNoor May 29, 2026

I dont know why anyone would give this movie a bad or lukewarm review. I thought it was A+ and have watched it a number of times. The characters, the wardrobe, the sets, the story is all A+. Emelia and Jack rocked it. And the ending, bringing into the story the real Mark Putnam from prison was just perfect.

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Frank N

@Badami Jan 8, 2026

Entertaining. Beyond stupid and ultimately homicidal FBI agent, but in this particular case not Hollywood's imagination but the actual events. Good jobs by Emilia Clarke and Jack Huston, both Brits with head spinning American accents.

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Gisele B

@geulah Oct 20, 2024

I was intrigued by the concept. I never saw a movie about that kind of story before. Though it develops slowly, there was no dull moment and the acting is excellent. There are twists and shocking moments. The main characters follow an opposite moral curve, hers unraveling as her disappointment increases and his apparently shallow, indifferent nature crossing into a conscience driven denouement. Well done overall.

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Phillip Noyce

Director

Emilia Clarke

Susan Smith

Thora Birch

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Above Suspicion: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Based on the true story of one of the most notorious crimes in FBI history, this gritty crime-thriller stars Emilia Clarke ("Game of Thrones") as Susan Smith, a young woman desperate to escape a seedy life of crime and drugs in a Kentucky coal mining town. When a newly minted FBI agent named Mark Putnam (Jack Huston, "Fargo") recruits Susan as his informant for a high-profile case, she believes her bad luck may finally be changing. But as Susan and Putnam's relationship deepens, so does the danger, setting them both on a collision course with deadly consequences.

Director: Phillip Noyce
Producer: Amy Adelson, Angela Amato-Velez, Tim Degraye, Mohamed AlRafi, Colleen Camp
Screenwriter: Chris Gerolmo
Distributor: Lionsgate
Production Co: White Knight, Bold Films, Sierra / Affinity, Colleen Camp Productions, MTAF Productions
Rating: R (Language|Drug Use Throughout|Sexual Content|Some Strong Violence)
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 7, 2021, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 7, 2021
Runtime: 1h 45m
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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