You’ve probably seen the headlines or caught a clip of Johnny Depp looking haggard in a fedora and wondered where the heck this movie has been hiding. It’s called City of Lies. It’s a gritty, borderline-obsessive look at the investigation into the murder of The Notorious B.I.G. But here’s the thing—finding City of Lies streaming hasn't always been easy. For years, this movie was essentially a ghost. It was pulled from the schedule just weeks before its 2018 release, sat in a vault while legal battles raged, and finally trickled out to the public during a time when most of us were stuck indoors anyway.
It's a weird one.
The film follows Russell Poole, a real-life LAPD detective who basically ruined his career trying to prove that the police department was complicit in Biggie Smalls’ death. If you're looking for a flashy, fast-paced action flick, this isn't it. It’s slow. It’s heavy. It feels like a cigarette burn on a vintage leather jacket.
The Best Platforms for City of Lies Streaming Today
Right now, the digital landscape for this film is actually pretty stable, which is a relief given its chaotic history. If you want to watch it this second, your best bet is Starz. Because Starz holds the primary cable and streaming rights in the US currently, subscribers can just hit play.
If you don't pay for Starz, you aren't out of luck. You can find City of Lies streaming as a digital rental or purchase on the usual suspects:
- Amazon Prime Video: Usually runs about $3.99 for a standard rental.
- Apple TV: Good for those who want the 4K version, though honestly, the movie’s grainy aesthetic doesn't necessarily need the extra pixels.
- Vudu/Fandango at Home: Often has it bundled with other crime thrillers.
- Google Play & YouTube: Reliable, though the interface is a bit clunky for some.
Occasionally, it pops up on "free with ads" services like The Roku Channel or Tubi, but those licenses rotate faster than a DJ's turntable. It's worth a quick search on your TV's universal search bar before you drop the four bucks. Honestly, the rental price is a steal for the cinematography alone. Caleb Deschanel—the guy who did The Passion of the Christ and The Patriot—shot this, and it looks like a 70s noir fever dream.
Why was this movie "missing" for three years?
You can't talk about City of Lies streaming without talking about the drama behind the scenes. It’s almost more interesting than the movie itself. Originally, Global Road Entertainment was set to drop this in September 2018. Then, boom. Pulled.
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The official reason? Take your pick. There was a lawsuit involving a location manager who claimed Depp punched him (the case was eventually settled). There were rumors that the LAPD wasn't thrilled with how they were being portrayed. There was the financial collapse of the distributor. It was a perfect storm of "this movie is cursed."
When it finally landed on VOD in 2021, it felt like a relic from a different era. But that’s actually why it works. The Biggie/Tupac saga is so deeply rooted in the 90s that having a movie feel "old" actually lends it some credibility. Forest Whitaker plays a fictionalized journalist named "Jack" Jackson, and his chemistry with Depp’s Poole is what keeps the movie grounded. They’re just two tired guys looking for a truth that nobody wants to hear.
Understanding the Russell Poole Connection
To get the most out of your viewing, you should know that Russell Poole wasn't just a character. He was a real guy. He was a highly decorated detective who became convinced that Suge Knight and corrupt LAPD officers coordinated the hit on Christopher Wallace.
The movie leans heavily into the "Rampart Scandal" era. For the uninitiated, the Rampart Scandal was a massive wave of police corruption in the late 90s involving the CRASH unit. We're talking about cops stealing drugs from evidence lockers, framing people, and—allegedly—moonlighting as security for Death Row Records.
Poole’s theory was that David Mack, a cop, was involved in the Biggie hit. The film doesn't claim to have the "answer" to who killed Biggie, because in real life, the case is still officially unsolved. But it paints a damning picture of institutional silence. When you're watching City of Lies streaming, keep in mind that Poole actually died in 2015 while discussing the case at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. He literally went to his grave obsessed with this.
A nuanced look at the performances
Depp is... surprisingly quiet here. It’s not the Jack Sparrow theatrics. It’s a internal, simmering performance. He looks tired. He looks like a man who hasn't slept since 1997.
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Whitaker, as always, brings a layer of humanity that prevents the movie from becoming a dry police procedural. Their dialogue feels like real conversations, not scripted "movie talk."
"A murder like this only stays unsolved if the police don't want to solve it."
That line is the heart of the film. It's the central thesis.
Is it worth the stream?
Look, if you're a fan of Zodiac or Mindhunter, you’ll probably dig this. It has that same "paperwork and obsession" vibe. It isn't a "whodunit" so much as a "why won't they let us catch him."
However, it’s not perfect. Some critics complained that the timeline jumps around too much. It flips between the 1997 investigation and the "present day" (which was 2015 in the movie's world). You have to pay attention. It’s not a "scroll on your phone while watching" kind of movie. If you miss a name, you’re gonna be lost for the next twenty minutes.
Also, it’s worth noting that the film has a very specific perspective. It’s based on the book LAbyrinth by Randall Sullivan. Sullivan is a journalist who spent years embedded with Poole. Some people think Poole’s theories were a bit of a stretch. Others think he was the only honest man in the room. The movie doesn't really leave much room for the "other side" of the argument, so take the "facts" presented with a grain of salt. It’s a narrative film, not a documentary.
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Where to go after the credits roll
Once you finish City of Lies streaming, you're probably going to have a million tabs open on your phone. It’s that kind of experience. You’ll want to look up Voletta Wallace (Biggie's mom), who actually appears in the film playing herself. That's a huge detail. Having the mother of the victim show up in a fictionalized version of her son's death investigation is heavy. It gives the movie a seal of approval that most "true crime" films never get.
If you want more context, I'd suggest checking out:
- Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G.: This is a scripted miniseries (available on Netflix in many regions) that covers the same ground but gives more screen time to the Tupac side of the story.
- Biggie & Tupac: The 2002 documentary by Nick Broomfield. It’s low-budget and Broomfield is a bit of a character himself, but he actually interviews many of the people Poole was investigating.
- The Murder of the Notorious B.I.G. (Documentary): Various iterations exist, but the ones featuring Voletta Wallace herself are the most poignant.
Practical Steps for Your Watchlist
If you're ready to dive in, here is the most efficient way to handle it:
- Check your existing subs first: Open the Starz app or check if your Hulu/Amazon account has the Starz add-on. That’s your "free" path.
- Watch the trailer, but ignore the "action" vibes: The trailer makes it look like a shootout movie. It isn't. Adjust your expectations for a slow-burn mystery.
- Keep Wikipedia handy: Seriously. You’ll want to look up the names "David Mack" and "Rafael Perez." The movie expects you to keep up with a lot of real-world figures.
- Notice the soundtrack: It’s not just Biggie tracks. The score is melancholic and adds a lot to the "City of Lies" atmosphere.
The film is a reminder that sometimes the most interesting stories are the ones that someone tried to bury. Whether it was pulled from theaters because of a lawsuit or because it pointed fingers at the wrong people, we'll never know for sure. But the fact that we can finally access City of Lies streaming means the story is out there now.
Take a night, dim the lights, and prepare for a frustrating, fascinating look at a piece of music history that still feels like an open wound. You won't walk away with all the answers, but you'll definitely see the LAPD—and the history of hip-hop—in a slightly different light.
The search for the truth usually ends in a dead end, but as Poole says in the film, "the truth is worth it." Even if it takes three years and a dozen streaming platforms to find it.