Miami is a coastal city in Florida and is known for its beautiful beaches. It’s a major center and leader in finance, commerce, culture, art, and international trade, and is known for its sunny weather, non-stop nightlife, and incredible skyline.
Some of the best movies set in Miami focus on these amazing features as well, from hilarious adventures that show off the beauty of Miami, to action crime films that explore the darker side of the city. If you want the best movies set in Miami, check out these top recommendations.
5. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Prime Video (1994)
One of the best movies set in Miami is the comedy Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, starring Jim Carrey in his first major role. The 1994 film is the first in the series, with a sequel, When Nature Calls, coming out a year later.
Like most of Jim Carrey’s movies, this wacky story follows Ace Ventura, an animal detective, who has to investigate the crime of an abducted dolphin mascot for the Miami Dolphins football team. Of course with Jim Carrey’s crazy antics and comedy, the film was a hit and helped him break out in the film industry for more amazing movies.
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4. The Birdcage, Peacock and Prime Video (1996)
Another great comedy, and one of the best movies set in Miami, is Birdcage, a 1996 film that was an adaptation of the 1978 French film, La Cage aux Folles, an adaptation of the 1973 play.
Starring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane, the movie follows the two actors who play a gay couple whose son is set to marry the daughter of a conservative senator. The movie is set in South Beach, or SoBe, a neighborhood in Miami Beach, where the couple owns a drag club.
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3. Bad Boys, Hulu and Prime Video (1995)
Bad Boys is one of the most familiar and best movies set in Miami. The movie is part of a large series that began with this 1995 film, a sequel in 2003, and of course the most recent films in both 2020 and 2024. There’s even talk about a fifth one in the worth for the franchise.
The franchise is a buddy cop action and comedy film, with the first one directed by Michael Bay as his feature directorial debut, starring Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, and Téa Leoni. The movie follows the two hip detectives who have to protect a witness to a murder while investigating a case of stolen heroin from the evidence storage room of their police precinct.
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2. Miami Vice, Netflix and Prime Video (2006)
One of the best movies set in Miami is Miami Vice, an action crime film released in 2006 and adapted from the 1980s television series sharing the same name. The film stars Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx with supporting roles including Gong Li, Naomie Harris, Barry Shakaka Henley, John Ortiz, and so many more.
The movie follows Crockett, a detective in the Metro-Dad Police Department, and Tubbs, a newly relocated detective from New York who is working to track down his brother’s murderer. They both start becoming close as their respective personal and professional lives become dangerously intertwined.
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1. Scarface, Apple TV and Prime Video (1983)
The best movie of all time set in Miami is Scarface. It’s a crime drama that is a remake of the 1932 film sharing the same name based on the novel of the same name published in 1930 by Armitage Trail. The movie follows the story of Cuban refugee Tony Montana who arrives penniless in Miami during the Mariel boatlift and becomes a powerful drug lord as he succumbs to greed.
The movie stars Al Pacino with co-stars including Steven Bauer, Michelle Pfeiffer, and more. Scarface is also regarded as a cult classic and is highly regarded as one of the best gangster films, with directors like Martin Scorsese highly praising the film.
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