What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedBroken City
Allen Hughes · Film · 2013
If you loved Broken City, start with City on a Hill (Chuck MacLean, 2019) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Broken City across media.
If Broken City gripped you, it is because you crave stories where solitary figures expose the rot hidden within powerful institutions.
Books on the same thread
City of Bones
Michael Connelly · Book · 2002
Explores: Haunted past, Institutional corruption, Urban isolation.
Like the protagonist of Broken City, Harry Bosch navigates a landscape of institutional corruption, forcing him to confront buried secrets while fighting for a version of justice that remains elusive.
Crook Manifesto
Colson Whitehead · Book
Explores: systemic corruption, 1970s urban decay, criminal underworld.
This narrative mirrors the urban decay seen in Broken City, placing characters in a hostile environment where they must navigate systemic corruption and the dangerous demands of a criminal underworld.
COOL MACHINE
Colson Whitehead · Book
Shares a thread with Broken City: urban decay.
Just as the power dynamics in Broken City dictate the fate of the city, this story examines how capitalism and corruption reshape the lives of those caught in the urban cycle.
Broken Country (Reese's Book Club)
Clare Leslie Hall · Book · 2025
Shares a thread with Broken City: Redemption.
The intense focus on confronting past betrayals and fractured community ties in this novel reflects the personal quest for redemption that drives the main character of Broken City.
Series on the same thread
City on a Hill
Chuck MacLean · Series · 2019
Explores: Corruption, Systemic Racism, Moral Ambiguity.
The tension between moral ambiguity and systemic corruption in this series echoes the political power struggles that defined the central conflict throughout the film Broken City.
We Own This City
George Pelecanos · Series · 2022
Explores: Systemic Corruption, Moral Decay, Police Brutality.
This series offers a deeper, more granular look at the police corruption and moral collapse that formed the backdrop of the political conspiracy found in Broken City.
The Wire
David Simon · Series · 2002
Shares a thread with Broken City: Urban Decay.
If you appreciated the gritty urban decay and the struggle against bureaucratic rot in Broken City, this series provides an unparalleled look at systemic corruption within an American city.
The Chicago Code
Shawn Ryan · Series · 2011
Shares a thread with Broken City: Police corruption.
This show captures the exact same spirit of police officers attempting to dismantle political corruption from the inside, mirroring the uphill battle fought by the lead in Broken City.
Podcasts on the same thread
Moose on the Loose
Podcast
Explores: political corruption, government scandals, Canadian identity.
This investigative approach to exposing political scandals mirrors the relentless pursuit of truth against powerful figures that defines the primary narrative arc of the movie Broken City.
Naked City
Podcast
Explores: Organized Crime, Criminal Underworld, Investigative Reporting.
The focus on navigating the dark depths of a criminal underworld and uncovering hidden truths aligns with the investigative intensity and exposure of corruption central to Broken City.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Broken City a movie about a police officer seeking revenge?
Yes, Broken City follows Billy Taggart, an ex-cop who seeks both redemption and revenge. After being double-crossed and framed by the mayor, Taggart pursues justice against the most powerful figure in the city.
Who is the main antagonist in Broken City?
The main antagonist in Broken City is the mayor. He is described as the city's most powerful figure who double-crosses and frames Billy Taggart, eventually becoming the target of Taggart's pursuit of justice.
What motivates Billy Taggart in Broken City?
Billy Taggart is motivated by a desire for redemption and revenge in Broken City. His actions are driven by the fact that he was double-crossed and framed by the mayor, leading him to relentlessly pursue justice.
Is Broken City directed by Allen Hughes?
Yes, Broken City is a 2013 film directed by Allen Hughes. The story focuses on an ex-cop named Billy Taggart who attempts to take down the city's powerful mayor after being framed for a crime.