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Spoiler-Free Summary

November Criminals (2017) Spoiler-Free Summary – What It's About

Release, runtime and language
2017 · 85 min · English
Echo score 30
Directed by
Sacha Gervasi
Starring
Catherine Keener, David Strathairn, Mickey Gilmore, Chloë Grace Moretz, Daniel Flaherty, Ansel Elgort

In Washington, D.C., Addison and his friend Digger, both high school students, find themselves drawn into a dangerous investigation after a classmate is murdered. As they delve deeper, they uncover a web of secrets and lies hidden beneath the city's surface. The pair must navigate a complex and perilous world where appearances can be deceiving and trust is a rare commodity, facing unexpected challenges and risking everything to find the truth.

On this page (8)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What it is about
  3. 3 Is it worth watching?
  4. 4 After you watch
  5. 5 The book behind the movie
  6. 6 Movie threads
  7. 7 Movies like November Criminals
  8. 8 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch November Criminals (2017)

Where can you watch November Criminals? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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Spoiler-free summary · safe to read

What Is November Criminals About? (No Spoilers)

The plot of November Criminals (2017) without spoilers: what it is about, who it follows and where it takes place, told without the twists or the ending. Enough to decide whether it is your next watch, not enough to ruin it.

In the restless streets of Washington, D.C., a city that seems to pulse with hidden histories, Addison navigates the uneasy space between high‑school routine and the lingering ache of loss. His days are filled with the ordinary pressures of college applications and the lingering memory of a mother who is no longer there, a grief that colors every interaction with quiet intensity. Beside him is his loyal friend Digger, whose easy humor and street‑wise confidence offer a buffer against the looming uncertainties of adolescence.

Their circle expands with Phoebe, a bright and daring classmate whose friendship is both a refuge and a catalyst for daring ideas. Together they form a tight‑knit trio that balances ambition, curiosity, and the restless desire to claim control over their futures. The trio’s camaraderie, marked by late‑night talks and shared plans for the next chapter, creates a warm counterpoint to the larger, more cryptic world that surrounds them.

When a tragic event shatters the familiarity of their neighborhood—a classmate’s sudden death—their close‑knit world is thrust into a murkier realm where appearances deceive and trust becomes a scarce commodity. The incident pulls them into an investigation that feels both personal and perilous, forcing them to question the facades that mask the city’s deeper currents. Their journey is less about solving a single mystery than about confronting the unsettling gaps between what is known and what is hidden beneath the surface of everyday life.

Against this backdrop, the teens grapple with the weight of responsibility, the pull of impending adulthood, and the hope that honesty and perseverance might illuminate a path through the shadows. The film’s tone blends gritty realism with a lingering sense of yearning, suggesting that even in a city layered with secrets, moments of connection and personal growth can still spark a bright, uncertain future.

Last updated: August 10, 2025 at 02:53

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What to expect

Is November Criminals Worth Watching? What It Feels Like

Is it dark, sad, slow, intense or confusing? The mood of November Criminals (2017) in a few tags, without a word about how it ends. Each tag opens a list of movies that feel the same.

After you watch

Seen November Criminals? Now Read the Spoilers

Once you have watched November Criminals (2017), come back for the full story: the plot summary with spoilers, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning.

Movie threads

More Movies Like November Criminals, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes November Criminals tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies like November Criminals: Teen Investigators Facing Grief

Young protagonists confront a dark world while navigating personal grief. If you liked the melancholic investigation in November Criminals, you'll find similar stories here. These movies feature young amateur sleuths whose search for answers is deeply intertwined with their own personal trauma and coming-of-age anxieties, creating a bittersweet and emotionally resonant experience.

  • melancholic
  • grieving
  • determined
  • anxious
  • reflective
  • nostalgic
  • Tone: melancholic, reflective, tense
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives follow a straightforward investigative structure, but the emotional core lies in the protagonists' personal stakes. The mystery serves as a catalyst for exploring themes of grief, friendship under pressure, and the loss of innocence. The pacing is steady, focusing on character development and the weight of discovery rather than action, often leading to a conclusion that offers resolution but no easy comfort.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread are united by their unique blend of a crime plot with a poignant teen drama. They share a melancholic tone, a medium emotional weight, and a focus on how confronting darkness shapes young characters. The similarity comes from this specific emotional and narrative mix, not just the presence of a mystery.

Movies like November Criminals: Uncovering a City's Dark Secrets

Stories that peel back the respectable surface of a city to reveal hidden corruption. Fans of November Criminals will appreciate these movies that explore the dark underbelly of a city. They feature determined characters uncovering layers of secrets and lies hidden beneath a civilized facade, leading to tense confrontations and a sobering, often bittersweet, realization about their world.

  • tense
  • gritty
  • determined
  • anxious
  • uneasy
  • secretive
  • Tone: melancholic, tense, bleak
  • Pacing: steady, investigative
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves a protagonist being drawn into a hidden layer of their environment, often through a personal connection to a crime. The plot progresses as they methodically follow clues, facing danger and deception from unexpected quarters. The journey reveals the fragility of social order and the high cost of truth, culminating in an ending that is more about sober survival than triumphant victory.

Why they belong together: This thread connects films through their setting-as-antagonist and a specific mood of urban melancholy. They share a steady pacing that builds tension through discovery, a moderate complexity in their mystery, and a tone that blends determination with a sense of loss for the innocence shattered by the revealed truth.

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Movies Like November Criminals

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Every angle

November Criminals (2017) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about November Criminals in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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