Similar to how Fraiser can be considered better than Cheers, Better Call Saul can be argued as superior to Breaking Bad. The spin-off/prequel to Vince Gilligan’s acclaimed crime drama is a masterpiece starring the incomparable Bob Odenkirk and shakes up the Bad formula by injecting it with humor, as it details Jimmy McGill’s transformation to the loveable scumbag we know as Saul Goodman.
Like Breaking Bad before it, there are plenty of films that inspired its tone, look, and story. Breaking Bad takes a lot from westerns and crime films while Better Call Saul is inspired by the likes of comedies, courtroom dramas, and even Shakespearean tragedies.
The Color of Money
The Grifters (1990)
House of Games (
Matchstick Men
Ace in the Hole
The Last Seduction (
American Hustle
The Usual Suspects
Uncut Gems (2019)
The Safdie brothers’ Uncut Gems is one of the best crime films of the last decade. It inspires anxiety like no other movie in recent memory and is bolstered by Adam Sandler’s phenomenal performance as Howard Ratner, a jeweler that doesn’t know when to quit.
Fans of Better Call Saul know that failure is a huge theme of the show. It’s about how one man keeps digging himself deeper until it’s too late. That’s Uncut Gems in a nutshell. It’s about how far a gambling man will to just barely win, something McGill knows too well.
Fargo (1996)
Full disclosure, this will not be the only Coen Brothers film on this list. Fargo is a dark comedy about one awful man’s mistake that leads to an unfortunate series of events. Starring the likes of William H. Macy, Frances McDormand, Steve Buscemi, and Peter Stormare, this film is a wild ride full of conspiracies, “you betcha’s” and a wood chipper used incorrectly.
Its pitch black portrayal of crime in a quiet town is reminiscent of Better Call Saul’s antics, only with a southwestern kick. It’s a good time, you betcha’.
Sorcerer (1977)
William Friedkin (The French Connection, The Exorcist) directed this adventure film in 1977. A mess of a production, both Paramount and Universal Studios sunk a lot of money for the movie to flop. Its reception was cold at first but has since grown in stature as a cult classic.
The story of the film centers around four men making a dangerous delivery in Central America and the ensuing chaos. It’s one of the best films of the 70s and a perfect example of what hubris against the forces that surround us can do.
Nebraska (2013)
This one actually features Bob Odekirk! Nebraska is a road film by Alexander Payne starring Will Forte, Bruce Dern, June Squibb and Odenkirk. It’s a blend of comedy and drama featuring stark black-and-white cinematography. Like Better Call Saul, it deals with the care of older relatives and lots of black and white.
It’s also really depressing at times. The story of an old man’s journey to claim a prize that may or may not exist is a heartbreaking one but it also has a lot of humor that makes the journey worthwhile.
Night on Earth (1991)
Jim Jarmusch’s 1991 anthology about cab drivers is an endearing look at humanity. It tells five stories across five different drivers and the conversations they have with their customers. Similar to Better Call Saul, it balances multiple storylines full of quirky characters, which also happens to feature Giancarlo Esposito (who plays Gus in both Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad).
Whether depraved or hopeful, Night on Earth is a showcase for humanity at its most natural and desolate. Better Call Saul is also a show about how desperate humanity can be among the worst of times.
Burn After Reading (2008)
“Appearances can be deceptive.” Another Coen Brothers film, this pitch-black comedy is an underrated gem from the famous filmmaking siblings. It is a conspiracy-laden mess of a film, which is wonderful. Similar to other Coen films, Burn After Reading is about seemingly innocent people who get roped into a series of mishaps involving extramarital affairs, CIA retirees, sex toys, and extortion.
It deserves to be talked about among the other Coen comedies as it features those highlights (exaggerated characters, storylines that go nowhere, dark humor) and ramps it up to about 100.
The Departed (2006)
Martin Scorsese’s 2006 crime film is one of the few films set in the present day (or at least present at the time) and it perfectly captures mid-2000s America. Better Call Saul is another excellent snapshot of the 2000s.
The Departed is a crime film for the age of PDAs, MySpace, and the calm before the storm known as the recession. Following two leads who are in a cat-and-mouse game in Boston, it feels like the perfect compliment to Better Call Saul’s pre-Twitter landscape. In essence, they are both period pieces that accurately capture their eras.
Inherent Vice (2014)
Paul Thomas Anderson is a master (no pun intended) at drama and comedy. His adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s novel is his most comedic, echoing classic comedies like the aforementioned Airplane!, Caddyshack, Animal House set against the grimy yet colorful backdrop of California in 1970. Starring Joaquin Phoenix as a stoner, hippie private eye, this film is a laid-back affair compared to other Anderson films.
Naturally, it feels right at home for fans of Better Call Saul, as they both detail the many misadventures of a hapless “professional” who seem to get into all sorts of trouble.
The Big Lebowski (1998)
The Dude abides! If we were to speak in terms of the Coen Brothers’ films, Breaking Bad would be No Country for Old Men and Better Call Saul would be The Big Lebowski. They represent how their respective creators are well-versed in both the bleakest drama and the absolute best comedy.
Better Call Saul dumps the neo-western vibes of its predecessor to deliver the story of an individual’s descent into a world he was not made for. Every character is larger-than-life and can tell their own stories. Both find the humor in how absurd crime can be. Both are the gold standard for their directors.
