Best Movies to Watch If You Love *Sugar* on Apple TV

Sugar on Apple TV is remarkable in a lot of ways. One part old-school throwback to classic noir (complete with literal flashes of classic films), one part unexpected sci-fi twister, and one part Colin Farrell’s charisma, it’s a show that defies easy categorization while being very easy to simply enjoy.

The big twist was divisive, but worked exceptionally well because it wasn’t just a twist for shock value—it recontextualized the story and John Sugar’s character in exciting ways that honored its noir roots. If you want more stories of deadpan detectives navigating a grimy world of secrets, mysteries, and violence (with a few surprises thrown in), there are plenty of shows to check out. If you’ve been there and done that, there’s one movie that all fans of Sugar should probably watch: 1955’s Kiss Me Deadly.

Why Fans of Sugar Will Enjoy Kiss Me Deadly (1955)

You might recognize this film even if you’ve never seen it: It’s one of the old movies cut into Sugar to show John’s inner monologue and the films he’s watched to understand human nature. It shows up twice in season one, and the reasons why are clear: The main character, detective Mike Hammer (Ralph Meeker) drives around L.A. in a cool Corvette just like John Sugar; the story is a perfect tonal match for Sugar; and there’s a big-swing, wild twist at the end that sets it apart from most other classic noirs from the middle of the 20th century.

Kiss Me Deadly was adapted from Mickey Spillane’s novel of the same title, and is one of the most influential noir films ever produced. Mike Hammer is the quintessential hard-nosed private detective who has a deep sense of ethics. Cynical and happy to solve his problems with violence, he can’t resist pursuing true justice, so when a woman named Christina (Cloris Leachman) wanders in front of his car while wearing nothing but a coat, he offers her a ride. And when they’re assaulted by goons and Christina is violently murdered, he wakes up in the hospital determined to find out what’s behind her death.

Hammer is explicitly the precise type of detective that John Sugar wants to emulate, and Kiss Me Deadly is a story that straddles both the noir and sci-fi genres, just like the show (it’s actually got an entry in The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction). The visual style and bleak tone in the film have been referenced, repurposed, and outright stolen in hundreds of films since. If you love the noir atmosphere and shocking reveal in Sugar, Kiss Me Deadly is the perfect film to watch. Stream Kiss Me Deadly on JustWatch or at The Internet Archive (Note: The Internet Archive version is colorized).

More Movies Like Sugar

Need more noir? More twists? More aliens? Whether you love the hard-boiled mystery, the unexpected twists, or the gorgeous visual sense of the series, here are some other films fans of Sugar will love.

L.A. Confidential (1997)

Based on James Ellroy’s novel, L.A. Confidential is a perfect choice if you want more stylized, modern noir like Sugar. While it doesn’t have the genre-bending of the series, the story is dark and twisty enough to keep your brain occupied throughout its running time. Set in early 1950s Los Angeles, it’s a story of a fading dream as a few cops try to navigate a corrupt police department and city government with their souls intact — and only partially succeed. L.A. Confidential is available to rent on Prime Video and other major streaming platforms.