bleak backdrop

Movies with bleak vibe

While Arturo tries to gain the love of Flora, he witnesses the history of Sicily from 1969 to 1992, miraculously dodging the crimes of the Mafia and supporting as a journalist the heroic struggle of the judges and policemen who fought this infamous organization.

Themes

Legal guardians under threat, Justice system sacrifice, Civic duty under pressure, Legacy of legality, Public memory and history

Available on

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

The Trials of Cate McCall

1122. The Trials of Cate McCall

Drama Legal Drama
6.2

20131h 29min

United States

Director: Karen Moncrieff

In order to be reinstated to the bar and recover custody of her daughter, a hotshot lawyer, now in recovery and on probation, must take on the appeal of a woman wrongfully convicted of murder.

Themes

Legal ethics under pressure, Pro bono dilemma, Addiction and career, Custody as leverage, Manipulation of the system, Obsession and professional risk

Available on

Amazon Video
The Roku Channel
Pluto TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

The Immigrant

1123. The Immigrant

Drama Romance Historical Drama Passionate Romance
6.6

20131h 57min

United States, France

Director: James Gray

1921 New York. An immigrant woman is tricked into a life of burlesque and vaudeville until a dazzling magician tries to save her and reunite her with her sister who is being held in the confines of Ellis Island.

Themes

Deception and betrayal, Family obligation, Immigrant vulnerability, Economic exploitation, Confinement and quarantine, Power dynamics in aid networks

Available on

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

The Returned

1124. The Returned

Horror Thriller Drama Zombie Horror Mind Game Thriller
5.9

20131h 38min

Spain, Canada

Director: Manuel Carballo

In a post-zombie world, where the infected live normal lives, their retroviral drug is running out.

Themes

Discrimination against the infected, Civil liberties under quarantine, Fear-driven violence in crisis, Rumors and social fracture, Resource scarcity in healthcare, Ethical dilemmas in treatment access

Available on

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

Out of the Furnace

1125. Out of the Furnace

Thriller Drama Crime Organized Crime Revenge Thriller
6.7

20131h 56min

United States, United Kingdom

Director: Scott Cooper

Two brothers live in the economically-depressed Rust Belt, when a cruel twist of fate lands one in prison. His brother is then lured into one of the most violent crime rings in the Northeast.

Themes

Trauma shaping behavior, Economic precarity under debt, Crime networks exploit debt, Rust belt decay under strain, Justice through retaliation, Family obligation under danger

Available on

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

The Book Thief

1126. The Book Thief

Drama Historical Drama
7.5

20132h 11min

Germany, United States

Director: Brian Percival

While subjected to the horrors of WWII Germany, young Liesel finds solace by stealing books and sharing them with others. Under the stairs in her home, a Jewish refugee is being sheltered by her adoptive parents.

Themes

War-time resilience, Books as refuge, Protective sheltering, Youth indoctrination vs doubt, Trauma through shared reading, Power of words

Available on

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

Philomena

1127. Philomena

Drama Family Drama
7.6

20131h 38min

United Kingdom

Director: Stephen Frears

A woman searches for her adult son, who was taken away from her decades ago when she was forced to live in a convent.

Themes

Mother son relationship, Convent secrets, Records destruction, Search for child, Adoption ethics, Abuse in care

Available on

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

The Selfish Giant

1128. The Selfish Giant

Drama Coming-of-Age Drama
7.3

20131h 31min

United Kingdom

Director: Clio Barnard

A hyperactive boy and his best friend, a slow-witted youth with an affinity for horses, start collecting scrap metal for a shady dealer.

Themes

Economic precarity, Friendship under pressure, Adhd and impulse, Illicit scrap economy, Horse affinity and loyalty, Short story origins

Available on

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

Gimme Shelter

1129. Gimme Shelter

Drama Coming-of-Age Drama
6.4

20131h 41min

United States

Director: Ron Krauss

After running away from her abusive mother, a streetwise teen seeks refuge with her father, but he rejects her when he learns that she's pregnant.

Themes

Trust under strain, Foster care strain, Abusive mother control, Family ties tension, Pregnancy under pressure, Shelter as refuge

Available on

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

Haunter

1130. Haunter

Horror Mystery Thriller Supernatural Horror Whodunit
5.9

20131h 37min

Canada, France

Director: Vincenzo Natali

A teenager is stuck in a time loop that is not quite the same each time. She must uncover the truth but her actions have consequences for herself and others.

Themes

Intergenerational trauma, House as liminal space, Time loop confinement, Dead teen agency, Possession by killer, Spirits of victims

Available on

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