brutal backdrop

Movies with brutal vibe

An American Crime

411. An American Crime

Crime Drama Horror Psychological Horror Tragic Drama
7.2

20071h 37min

United States

Director: Tommy O'Haver

Overview

The true story of suburban housewife Gertrude Baniszewski, who kept a teenage girl locked in the basement of her Indiana home during the 1960s.

Themes

Dysfunctional family, Child abuse, Single mother, Murder and abuse, Torture and branding, Basement confinement

Available on

Apple TV
fuboTV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

The Girl Next Door

412. The Girl Next Door

Thriller Crime Drama Horror Psychological Drama
6.5

20071h 31min

United States

Director: Gregory Wilson

Overview

In a quiet suburban town in the summer of 1958, two recently orphaned sisters are placed in the care of their mentally unstable Aunt Ruth. But Ruth's depraved sense of discipline will soon lead to unspeakable acts of abuse and torture that involve her young sons, the neighborhood children, and one 12-year-old boy whose life will be changed forever.

Themes

Abuse of authority, Gendered violence, Institutional neglect, Childhood vulnerability, Familial coercion, Trauma memory

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

This Is England

413. This Is England

Drama Crime Coming-of-Age Drama Organized Crime
7.7

20071h 41min

United Kingdom

Director: Shane Meadows

Overview

A story about a troubled boy growing up in England, set in 1983. He comes across a few skinheads on his way home from school, after a fight. They become his new best friends, even like family. Based on experiences of director Shane Meadows.

Themes

Alienation and belonging, Class tensions, Family fragility, Racism and nationalism, Gang belonging, Peer influence

Available on

AMC+ Amazon Channel
Philo
Plex Channel
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

28 Weeks Later

414. 28 Weeks Later

Horror Thriller Science Fiction Zombie Horror Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi
6.8

20071h 40min

United Kingdom, Spain

Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo

Overview

Twenty-eight weeks after the spread of a deadly rage virus, the inhabitants of the British Isles have lost their battle against the onslaught, as the virus has killed everyone there. Six months later, a group of Americans dare to set foot on the Isles, convinced the danger has passed. But it soon becomes all too clear that the scourge continues to live, waiting to pounce on its next victims.

Themes

Deception and betrayal, Loyalty under pressure, Survival under siege, Ethical quarantine dilemmas, Outbreak management, Chaos and moral breakdown

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Hulu
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Trade

415. Trade

Thriller Kidnapping & Captivity Thriller
7.3

20072h

Germany, United States

Director: Marco Kreuzpaintner

Overview

A Texas cop, whose own daughter might have been forced into sexual slavery, joins forces with a Mexican youth to find the boy's sister, who was abducted and forced into prostitution. Meanwhile, a Polish woman who was promised a better life in America also becomes a victim.

Themes

Deception and coercion, Sibling relationship, State police complicity, Border risk, Human trafficking, Trafficking networks

Available on

Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Blood Diamond

416. Blood Diamond

Drama Thriller Action Political Drama Political Thriller
8.0

20062h 23min

Germany, United States

Director: Edward Zwick

Overview

An ex-mercenary turned smuggler. A Mende fisherman. Amid the explosive civil war overtaking 1999 Sierra Leone, these men join for two desperate missions: recovering a rare pink diamond of immense value and rescuing the fisherman's son, conscripted as a child soldier into the brutal rebel forces ripping a swath of torture and bloodshed countrywide.

Themes

Illicit diamond trade, Mercenary complicity, Child soldier impact, War economy, Investigative journalism, Private military power

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Apocalypto

417. Apocalypto

Action Drama History Epic Action Historical Drama
7.8

20062h 19min

United Kingdom, United States

Director: Mel Gibson

Overview

Set in the Mayan civilization, when a man's idyllic presence is brutally disrupted by a violent invading force, he is taken on a perilous journey to a world ruled by fear and oppression where a harrowing end awaits him. Through a twist of fate and spurred by the power of his love for his woman and his family he will make a desperate break to return home and to ultimately save his way of life.

Themes

Survival under invasion, Fear and resilience, Omens and ritual power, Slavery and captivity, Civilizational clash, Family protection under threat

Available on

Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Goya's Ghosts

418. Goya's Ghosts

Drama History Historical Drama Biographical History
6.9

20061h 54min

Spain, United States

Director: Miloš Forman

Overview

Painter Francisco Goya becomes involved with the Spanish Inquisition after his muse, Inés, is arrested by the church for heresy. Her family turns to him, hoping that his connection with fanatical Inquisitor Lorenzo, whom he is painting, can secure her release.

Themes

Abuse of power, Class tension, Religious persecution, Gender oppression, Art vs authority, Public punishment

Available on

Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Flyboys

419. Flyboys

Action Adventure Drama History Romance
6.5

20062h 18min

United Kingdom, United States

Director: Tony Bill

Overview

The adventures of the Lafayette Escadrille, young Americans who volunteered for the French military before the U.S. entered World War I, and became the country's first fighter pilots.

Themes

Racial segregation in armed forces, Frontline risk and sacrifice, Duty and danger, Peer mentorship and competition, Collective identity and belonging, Honor and personal loss

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

420. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

Crime Fantasy Drama Serial Killer Crime Psychological Drama
7.5

20062h 27min

Germany, France

Director: Tom Tykwer

Overview

Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, born in the stench of 18th century Paris, develops a superior olfactory sense, which he uses to create the world's finest perfumes. However, his work takes a dark turn as he tries to preserve scents in the search for the ultimate perfume.

Themes

Outsider genius, Obsession with scent, Absence of personal odor, Pursuit of perfect perfume, Craft as control, Power of fragrance over others

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.