Best Assertive Movies & TV Shows

Heat

Obsessive master thief Neil McCauley leads a top-notch crew on various daring heists throughout Los Angeles while determined detective Vincent Hanna pursues him without rest. Each man recognizes and respects the ability and the dedication of the other even though they are aware their cat-and-mouse game may end in violence.

Run time: 170m Tagline: A Los Angeles crime saga. Release: 1995-12-15

Stars: Al Pacino Amy Brenneman Ashley Judd Diane Venora Jon Voight Mykelti Williamson Robert De Niro Tom Sizemore Val Kilmer Wes Studi

The Mentalist

Patrick Jane, a former celebrity psychic medium, uses his razor sharp skills of observation and expertise at "reading" people to solve serious crimes with the California Bureau of Investigation.

Stars: Joe Adler Josie Loren Robin Tunney Rockmond Dunbar Simon Baker Tim Kang

Die Hard: With a Vengeance

New York detective John McClane is back and kicking bad-guy butt in the third installment of this action-packed series, which finds him teaming with civilian Zeus Carver to prevent the loss of innocent lives. McClane thought he'd seen it all, until a genius named Simon engages McClane, his new "partner" -- and his beloved city -- in a deadly game that demands their concentration.

Run time: 128m Tagline: Think fast. Look alive. Die hard. Release: 1995-05-19

Stars: Anthony Peck Bruce Willis Colleen Camp Graham Greene Jeremy Irons Kevin Chamberlin Larry Bryggman Nicholas Wyman Sam Phillips Samuel L. Jackson

Crime 101

When an elusive thief whose high-stakes heists unfold along the iconic 101 freeway in Los Angeles eyes the score of a lifetime, with hopes of this being his final job, his path collides with a disillusioned insurance broker who is facing her own crossroads. Determined to crack the case, a relentless detective closes in on the operation, raising the stakes even higher.

Run time: 141m Tagline: Always have an exit. Release: 2026-02-11

Stars: Babak Tafti Barry Keoghan Chris Hemsworth Corey Hawkins Halle Berry Jennifer Jason Leigh Mark Ruffalo Monica Barbaro Nick Nolte Peter Banifaz

Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die

A 'Man from the Future' arrives at an LA diner where he must recruit the precise combination of disgruntled patrons to join him on a one-night quest to save the world from the terminal threat of a rogue artificial intelligence.

Run time: 135m Tagline: Time is running out. Are you ready to join the revolution? Release: 2026-02-13

Stars: Artie Wilkinson-Hunt Asim Chaudhry Daniel Barnett Georgia Goodman Haley Lu Richardson Juno Temple Michael Peña Sam Rockwell Tom Taylor Zazie Beetz

Inside Out 2

Teenager Riley's mind headquarters is undergoing a sudden demolition to make room for something entirely unexpected: new Emotions! Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust, who’ve long been running a successful operation by all accounts, aren’t sure how to feel when Anxiety shows up. And it looks like she’s not alone.

Run time: 97m Tagline: Make room for new emotions. Release: 2024-06-11

Stars: Amy Poehler Ayo Edebiri Grace Lu Kensington Tallman Lewis Black Lilimar Liza Lapira Maya Hawke Phyllis Smith Tony Hale

Dog Day Afternoon

Based on the true story of would-be Brooklyn bank robbers John Wojtowicz and Salvatore Naturile. Sonny and Sal attempt a bank heist which quickly turns sour and escalates into a hostage situation and stand-off with the police. As Sonny's motives for the robbery are slowly revealed and things become more complicated, the heist turns into a media circus.

Run time: 125m Tagline: Anything can happen during the dog days of summer. On August 22nd, 1972, everything did. Release: 1975-09-21

Stars: Al Pacino Beulah Garrick Carol Kane Charles Durning Chris Sarandon James Broderick John Cazale Penelope Allen Sandra Kazan Sully Boyar