Definitions for "Film noir"
French phrase meaning "black film"; refers to a genre of film whose subject matter bleak, usually an urban theme of corruption (e.g., Orson Wells' Touch of Evil(1958), Ridley Scott's Blade Runner (1982) and L.A. Confidential (1998))
"Dark film," a term applied by French critics to a type of American film, usually in the detective or thriller genres, with low-key lighting and a sombre mood.
Describes a genre of film which typically features dark, brooding characters, corruption, detectives, and the seedy side of the big city.