The two-decade popularity of film noir (40s and 50s) relied on certain cinematic staples, such as the femme fatale and black and white screen contrast. Others depended on the whims of history, seen in the tensions created by war and recovery. The 60s posed new forms of angst, dating film noir. Yet, its core remained relevant: an increasingly darker environment. We will examine a number of neo-noir titles, concentrating on those that kept true to at least one aspect of the original genre—the average citizen swept up in the maelstrom. Films will include Body Heat (1981), Cutter’s Way (1981), Devil in a Blue Dress (1995), A Simple Plan (1998), Memento (2000) and A History of Violence (2005).