Movies Like To Be No. 1

If you liked To Be No. 1 (1996), a crime movie directed by Raymond Lee Wai-man, here are 20 movies with a similar feel, based on TMDB's recommendations. Each one links to its cast, trailer and where it's streaming.

1
As Tears Go By (1988)
★ 7/10Also crime
Mid-level gangster Wah falls in love with his beautiful cousin, but must also continue to protect his volatile partner-in-crime and friend, Fly.
2
PTU (2003)
★ 7/10Also crime
Follows a police tactical unit during one dangerous night on the streets of Hong Kong as they try to recover a cop's stolen gun. Things turn deadly when they run into a web of gangland crimes.
3
The Protector (1985)
★ 5.9/10Also crime
Billy Wong is a New York City cop whose partner is gunned down during a robbery. Billy and his new partner, Danny Garoni, are working security at a fashion show when a wealthy man's daughter, Laura Shapiro, is…
4
Yes, Madam! (1985)
★ 7.2/10Also crime
Two unlucky thieves break into a just murdered man's hotel room and steal his passport, with a hidden microfilm, wanted by a triad boss. Two ass-kicking women cops—one Chinese, one British—are on the case.
5
Infernal Affairs II (2003)
★ 7.3/10Also crime
In this prequel to the original, a bloody power struggle among the Triads coincides with the 1997 handover of Hong Kong, setting up the events of the first film.
6
Master Z: Ip Man Legacy (2018)
★ 6.6/10Also crime
Following his defeat by Master Ip, Cheung Tin Chi tries to make a life with his young son in Hong Kong, waiting tables at a bar that caters to expats. But it's not long before the mix of foreigners, money, and triad…
7
Belly (1998)
★ 6.3/10Also crime
Tommy Bundy and Sincere are best friends as well as infamous and ruthless criminals and shot-callers in the hood. Respected by many but feared by all. As the police are closing in on them and new players are looking…
8
Election 2 (2006)
★ 7.4/10Also crime
As election time nears, current Triad chairman Lok faces competition from his godsons. At the same time, Jimmy looks to increase his business relations with mainland China.
9
Infernal Affairs (2002)
★ 7.8/10Also crime
Chan Wing Yan, a young police officer, has been sent undercover as a mole in the local mafia. Lau Kin Ming, a young mafia member, infiltrates the police force. Years later, their older counterparts, Chen Wing Yan and…
10
Miracles: The Canton Godfather (1989)
★ 7.1/10Also crime
A country boy becomes the head of a gang through the purchase of some lucky roses from an old lady. He and a singer at the gang's nightclub try to do a good deed for the old lady when her daughter comes to visit.
11
180 (2026)
★ 5.9/10Also crime
When an unexpected road rage incident puts his son in critical condition, an enraged father spirals down a dark path of emotional turmoil and vengeance.
12
Beast Cops (1998)
★ 6.5/10Also crime
Tung is a street cop in Hong Kong who's friends with a Triad named Fai. Fai hires a hit man to murder a business rival; the hit goes wrong and Fai, implicated in the incident, goes on the run.
13
Election (2005)
★ 7.2/10Also crime
After losing an election to become chairman of the Wo Lin Shing triad, a gang leader lashes out and tries to seize the dragon-head baton, the official symbol of a chairman's authority.
14
Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In (2024)
★ 7/10Also crime
In 1980s Hong Kong, troubled youth Chan Lok-kwun, a mainland refugee, struggles to survive in the Kowloon Walled City by joining underground fights. Betrayed by crime boss Mr. Big while trying to buy a fake ID, he…
15
Expect the Unexpected (1998)
★ 6.4/10Also crime
Bumbling mainland crooks mess up a jewelry heist. Two cops serious Ken and jokey Sam investigate but mix up these amateurs with dangerous mainland robbers in the neighborhood.
16
Inside Man (2023)
★ 6.2/10Also crime
Based on true events. A disgraced police detective seeking redemption goes undercover to expose a violent crime syndicate. But as he sinks deeper into the mob, the price for absolution may be higher than he can afford.
17
Trivisa (2016)
★ 7.2/10Also crime
Three notorious gangsters who have never crossed paths find themselves in the same restaurant at the same time, and their fates are changed forever.
18
Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman (2021)
★ 6.6/10Also crime
Set in a gritty and decadent 1970s America, American Boogeyman follows the elusive and charming killer and the manhunt that brought him to justice involving the detective and the FBI rookie who coined the phrase…
19
Suburbicon (2017)
★ 5.9/10Also crime
In the quiet family town of Suburbicon during the 1950s, the best and worst of humanity is hilariously reflected through the deeds of seemingly ordinary people. When a home invasion turns deadly, a picture-perfect…
20
Violent Ends (2025)
★ 6.2/10Also crime
A man raised in a violent crime family struggles to build an honest life with his fiancée but is dragged back into the criminal world after his cousin’s armed robbery leaves an innocent person caught in the crossfire.