Modern crime flicks toss red herrings like seasoning, hoping the audience’ll taste the intrigue before the punchline. Classic noirs, on the other hand, laced them into the very fabric of the plot, making every misdirection feel inevitable. It’s like the old guards used them as breadcrumbs, while the new kids just drop them on the plate and expect a bite. I’d say the best stories let you track the clues yourself, not hand you a map full of “aha” stops.