What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedBordertown
Gregory Nava · Film · 2007
If you loved Bordertown, start with Bordertown (Miikko Oikkonen, 2016) — a series from the same story. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Bordertown across media.
If Bordertown hooked you, explore these gripping narratives that expose how systemic corruption and social decay poison the lives of vulnerable individuals.
Start with the source
Adaptation
Bordertown
Miikko Oikkonen · Series · 2016
Books on the same thread
Transatlantic Mysteries
William J. Nichols · Book · 2011
Explores: Globalization, Political Context, Post-Dictatorship.
Like Bordertown, this study bridges the gap between political context and crime fiction, examining how globalization and post-dictatorship instability create fertile ground for deep-seated societal exploitation and mystery.
2666
Roberto Bolaño · Book · 2024
Shares a thread with Bordertown: femicide.
Fans of Bordertown will recognize the haunting border-town setting and the focus on systemic femicide, as this novel masterfully expands upon the atmosphere of existential dread and corruption.
Homicide
David Simon · Book · 2007
Explores: Homicide Investigation, Urban Decay, Moral Ambiguity.
Bordertown exposes the grim reality behind headlines, and this account mirrors that commitment to investigative truth by dissecting the moral ambiguity and systemic corruption inherent in homicide investigations.
Southtown
Rick Riordan · Book · 2004
Explores: Reluctant investigator, Small-town corruption, Past trauma.
If the gritty urban realism of Bordertown resonated with you, this hard-boiled mystery offers a similar descent into small-town corruption and the consequences of trauma on a reluctant investigator.
Series on the same thread
Narcos: Mexico
Doug Miro · Series · 2018
Explores: Drug Trafficking, Mexican Cartels, DEA Operations.
Bordertown examines the dangerous intersection of crime and politics, a theme this series mirrors by detailing the rise of cartels and the high stakes of DEA operations in Mexico.
Mare of Easttown
Brad Ingelsby · Series · 2021
Explores: Grief, Trauma, Family Dysfunction.
Just as Bordertown centers on the personal toll of a murder investigation, this series tracks a detective navigating small-town dysfunction, grief, and the struggle to maintain her own life.
The Bridge
Hans Rosenfeldt · Series · 2011
Explores: Partnership, Cross-Border Crime, Social Commentary.
Bordertown highlights the complexities of cross-border crime, a dynamic this show replicates by forcing two investigators to overcome jurisdictional divides and moral ambiguity to solve a brutal murder.
Queen of the South
M.A. Fortin · Series · 2016
Explores: Drug Trafficking, Female Empowerment, Survival.
Bordertown explores the dangerous consequences of the drug trade, and this series continues that path by following a woman’s survival and rise to power within that brutal criminal landscape.
Podcasts on the same thread
S-Town
Serial Productions · Podcast · 2024
Explores: small-town isolation, eccentricity, social decay.
Bordertown uses investigative journalism to uncover hidden truths, a spirit this podcast captures as it peels back the layers of social decay and eccentricity within a small, isolated town.
Small Town Forgotten
Podcast
Explores: Small Town Murder, Personal Connection to Case, Local History.
Much like the investigative focus of Bordertown, this podcast connects personal history to cold cases, revealing how local secrets and past tragedies remain deeply embedded in small-town life.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is the 2007 Bordertown movie related to the 2016 Bordertown television series?
No, the 2007 film Bordertown directed by Gregory Nava and the 2016 television series titled Bordertown are separate projects. They share the same title but represent distinct creative works rather than being direct adaptations of one another.
Does the 2007 Bordertown movie focus on the impact of NAFTA?
Yes, the 2007 film Bordertown centers on American corporations utilizing the North American Free Trade Agreement to establish maquiladoras along the border. The plot examines the exploitation of Mexican women working long hours for low wages to produce mass quantities of goods.
What is the primary motivation for Lauren Adrian in Bordertown?
In the 2007 film Bordertown, Lauren Adrian is an impassioned news reporter for the Chicago Sentinel. Her primary professional goal at the start of the story is to be assigned to cover the front-lines of the conflict in Iraq.
Are the maquiladoras in the 2007 Bordertown movie located in the United States?
No, the maquiladoras featured in the 2007 movie Bordertown are located right across the border in Mexico. American corporations use these facilities to hire Mexican women for mass production work while taking advantage of trade agreements.