realistic backdrop

Movies with realistic vibe

Game Change

1781. Game Change

TV Movie Drama Comedy History Political Drama
7.4

20121h 58min

United States

Director: Jay Roach

During the Republican run of the 2008 Presidential election, candidate John McCain picks a relative unknown, Alaskan governor Sarah Palin, to be his running mate. As the campaign kicks into high gear, her lack of experience, in both political and media savvy, becomes a drain upon McCain and his strategists.

Themes

Media scrutiny, Image vs competence, Base appeal vs mainstream, Rapid vetting pressures, Negative campaigning tactics, Leadership credibility under fire

Available on

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

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

1782. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Drama Comedy Relationship Drama Ensemble Comedy
7.2

20122h 4min

United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom

Director: John Madden

British retirees travel to India to take up residence in what they believe is a newly restored hotel. Less luxurious than its advertisements, the Marigold Hotel nevertheless slowly begins to charm in unexpected ways as the residents find new purpose in their old age.

Themes

Holiday adaptation, Elderly self-growth, Cross-cultural adjustment, Retirement mobility, Aging with purpose, Marriage pressures

Available on

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

Gone

1783. Gone

Thriller Drama Kidnapping & Captivity Thriller Family Drama
5.9

20121h 34min

United States, Australia

Director: Heitor Dhalia

Jill Conway is trying to rebuild her life after surviving a terrifying kidnapping attempt. Though she is having a difficult time, she takes small steps toward normalcy by starting a new job and inviting her sister, Molly, to move in with her. Returning home from work one morning, Jill discovers that Molly has vanished, and she is certain that the same man who previously abducted her has returned for revenge.

Themes

Deception and manipulation, Trust under pressure, Agency under threat, Trauma-driven vigilance, Protective persistence, Labyrinthine pursuit

Available on

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

Flight

1784. Flight

Drama Professional Drama
7.3

20122h 18min

United States

Director: Robert Zemeckis

Commercial airline pilot Whip Whitaker has a problem with drugs and alcohol, though so far he's managed to complete his flights safely. His luck runs out when a disastrous mechanical malfunction sends his plane hurtling toward the ground. Whip pulls off a miraculous crash-landing that results in only six lives lost. Shaken to the core, Whip vows to get sober -- but when the crash investigation exposes his addiction, he finds himself in an even worse situation.

Themes

Media scrutiny, Deception and denial, Accountability under scrutiny, Addiction vs duty, Safety oversight failures, Recovery and relapse

Available on

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

The Vow

1785. The Vow

Drama Romance Passionate Romance Relationship Drama
6.8

20121h 44min

United States

Director: Michael Sucsy

Happy young married couple Paige and Leo are, well, happy. Then a car accident puts Paige into a life-threatening coma. Upon awakening she has lost the previous five years of memories, including those of her beloved Leo, her wedding, a confusing relationship with her parents, or the ending of her relationship with her ex-fiance. Despite these complications, Leo endeavors to win her heart again and rebuild their marriage.

Themes

Resilience through uncertainty, Family secrets and conflict, Rebuilding life under pressure, Memory loss and commitment, Art as self-discovery, Past relationships complicate present

Available on

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

Big Miracle

1786. Big Miracle

Adventure Drama Romance Fantasy Rescue Mission Adventure
6.5

20121h 47min

Canada, United Kingdom

Director: Ken Kwapis

A small-town news reporter and a Greenpeace volunteer enlist the help of rival superpowers to save three majestic gray whales trapped under the ice of the Arctic Circle.

Themes

Public-private tension, Cross-sector collaboration, Wildlife protection under politics, Crisis-driven advocacy, Media-driven mobilization, Resource deployment under pressure

Available on

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

Chronicle

1787. Chronicle

Science Fiction Drama Thriller Bio-Genetic Sci-Fi Coming-of-Age Drama
7.0

20121h 24min

United States

Director: Josh Trank

Three high school students make an incredible discovery, leading to their developing uncanny powers beyond their understanding. As they learn to control their abilities and use them to their advantage, their lives start to spin out of control, and their darker sides begin to take over.

Themes

Coming of age pressures, Unbalanced telekinesis power, Found footage aesthetics, Loneliness and friendship, Abuse and family strain, Outcast and assertiveness

Available on

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

The Grey

1788. The Grey

Action Adventure Drama Thriller Survival Adventure
6.7

20121h 57min

United Kingdom, United States

Director: Joe Carnahan

Following a grueling five-week shift at an Alaskan oil refinery, workers led by sharpshooter John Ottway are flying home for a much-needed vacation. But a brutal storm causes their plane to crash in the frozen wilderness, and only eight men, including Ottway, survive. As they trek southward toward civilization and safety, Ottway and his companions must battle mortal injuries, the icy elements, and a pack of hungry wolves.

Themes

Leadership under crisis, Camaraderie under strain, Survival after airplane crash, Mortality in wilderness, Conflict under stress with wolf pack, Belief vs doubt

Available on

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

One for the Money

1789. One for the Money

Action Comedy Crime Buddy Comedy Con Artist Crime
5.3

20121h 31min

United States

Director: Julie Anne Robinson

An unemployed lingerie buyer convinces her bail bondsman cousin to give her a shot as a bounty hunter. Her first assignment is to track down a former cop on the run for murder – the same man who broke her heart years before. With the help of some friends and the best bounty hunter in the business, she slowly learns what it takes to be a true bounty hunter.

Themes

Deception and manipulation, Loyalty under pressure, Crime networks and justice, Ambition and independence, Risk and reward in dangerous work, Gendered entry into bounty work

Available on

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

Smashed

1790. Smashed

Comedy Drama Romance Relationship Drama Romantic Comedy
6.7

20121h 25min

United States

Director: James Ponsoldt

Kate and Charlie like to have a good time. Their marriage thrives on a shared fondness for music, laughter… and getting smashed. When Kate’s partying spirals into hard-core asocial behavior, compromising her job as an elementary schoolteacher, something’s got to give. But change isn’t exactly a cakewalk. Sobriety means she will have to confront the lies she’s been spinning at work, her troubling relationship with her mother, and the nature of her bond with Charlie.

Themes

Marital dependency and conflict, Addiction and work fallout, Social stigma of drinking, Family skepticism of recovery, Sobriety versus deception, Parental influence on recovery

Available on

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