I think this is key, noir is cinematic... Always... Whether it is a small cast, small scale drama, or whether the filmmaker has decided to paint an entire world, the movie's mood stays with you long after you've left the theatre...

In terms of neo-noir's that do this, I think Polanski's The Ghost Writer does it well... It's set in such a familiar setting that we see on TV every day, with a contemporary toothy and ever-smiling hollywood star protagonist, yet the film feels different... the paranoia, the eeriness and the unsettling sense that... all is not well with the world...

Great movie and highly underrated 👍