realistic backdrop

Movies with realistic vibe

Atlantics

581. Atlantics

Drama Romance Fantasy Passionate Romance Tragic Drama
6.7

20191h 46min

France, Senegal

Director: Mati Diop

Arranged to marry a rich man, young Ada is crushed when her true love goes missing at sea during a migration attempt — until a miracle reunites them.

Themes

Class inequality, Gendered expectations, Forced marriage, Emigration pressure, Unpaid wages, Urban development

Available on

Netflix
Netflix Standard with Ads
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Joker

582. Joker

Crime Thriller Drama Organized Crime Mind Game Thriller
8.3

20192h 2min

Canada, United States

Director: Todd Phillips

Arthur Fleck, a failed comedian, lives in a shabby apartment with his mother and suffers from mental disorders. Working as a clown, he faces cruelty from colleagues and random passersby every day, all too eager to humiliate him. After one such incident, he decides to respond with extreme violence.

Themes

Economic precarity and social service cuts, Social neglect of the downtrodden, Urban alienation and identity crisis, Media sensationalism and spectacle, Mental illness and stigma, Crowd violence and unrest

Available on

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

Marriage Story

583. Marriage Story

Drama Relationship Drama
7.9

20192h 17min

United Kingdom

Director: Noah Baumbach

After a crisis in their relationship, theater director Charlie and actress Nicole decide to get divorced. Both try to go through it with dignity, but the divorce becomes increasingly complicated because of the custody of their son, past hurts, and long-standing resentments.

Themes

Trust and betrayal tensions, Legal negotiation pressure, Marital power dynamics, Coast-to-coast separation, Creative work vs family

Available on

Netflix
Netflix Standard with Ads
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Honey Boy

584. Honey Boy

Drama Entertainment Industry Drama
7.2

20191h 34min

United States

Director: Alma Har'el

The story of a child star attempting to mend his relationship with his law-breaking, alcohol-abusing father over the course of a decade, loosely based on Shia LaBeouf’s life.

Themes

Power dynamics, Fame and exploitation, Intergenerational trauma, Toxic family dynamics, Memories and healing, Parental addiction cycles, Therapy as control

Available on

Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video Free with Ads
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

While at War

585. While at War

Drama History War Historical Event Historical Drama
6.9

20191h 48min

Argentina, Spain

Director: Alejandro Amenábar

Salamanca, Spain, 1936. In the early days of the military rebellion that began the Spanish Civil War (1936-39), writer Miguel de Unamuno supports the uprising in the hope that the prevailing political chaos will end. But when the confrontation becomes bloody, Unamuno must question his initial position.

Themes

Political repression, Leadership legitimacy under pressure, Moral dilemma, Spanish civil war, Academic autonomy vs control, Ideological polarization

Available on

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

Judy

586. Judy

Drama History Music Historical Drama Biographical History
6.8

20191h 58min

United Kingdom

Director: Rupert Goold

Thirty years after starring in "The Wizard of Oz," beloved actress and singer Judy Garland arrives in London to perform sold-out shows at the Talk of the Town nightclub. While there, she reminisces with friends and fans and begins a whirlwind romance with musician Mickey Deans, her soon-to-be fifth husband.

Themes

Addiction under pressure, Fame-induced isolation, Public scrutiny of life, Romantic entanglements and career, Voice fatigue and rest, Aging in the spotlight

Available on

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

Ema

587. Ema

Drama Relationship Drama
6.7

20191h 47min

Chile

Director: Pablo Larraín

Ema is a magnetic and impulsive dancer in a reggaeton troupe. Her toxic marriage to choreographer Gastón is beyond repair, following a decision to give up on their adopted child Polo. She sets out on a mission to get him back, not caring who she’ll need to fight, seduce or destroy to make it happen.

Themes

Divorce and reinvention, Caregiver responsibility and desire, Child behavior and risk, Adoption and custody, Ethics of custody and care, Family fragility under pressure

Available on

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

Fractured

588. Fractured

Thriller Drama Cover-Up Thriller Family Drama
6.5

20191h 41min

United States

Director: Brad Anderson

During a trip, a couple is forced to visit a hospital after an accident involving their daughter. Waking up in a visitors’ chair, the man suddenly learns that his wife and daughter have vanished—along with all records of their visit.

Themes

Perception vs reality, Grief and memory, Family fragility, Institutional power, Trauma denial, Trust vs doubt

Available on

Netflix
Netflix Standard with Ads
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

System Crasher

589. System Crasher

Drama Family Drama
7.8

20191h 58min

Germany

Director: Nora Fingscheidt

Wherever 9-year-old Benni ends up, she is expelled. She has become what child protection services call a “system crasher.” But she is not looking to change her ways, and has one goal: go back home to her mother. When anger management trainer Micha is hired to help, suddenly there is hope.

Themes

Anger management demands, Care system pressure, Family stability fragility, Trauma imprint effects, Foster care fragility, Protection system friction

Available on

Netflix
Netflix Standard with Ads
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Ad Astra

590. Ad Astra

Science Fiction Drama Space Sci-Fi Psychological Drama
6.5

20192h 3min

Brazil, China

Director: James Gray

Astronaut Roy McBride sets out on a space journey to Mars to make contact with his father—a legendary astronaut whose expedition vanished without a trace 29 years ago during a mission to search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

Themes

Resilience under pressure, Duty vs father son relationship, Isolation in space walk, Longing for home world, Risk under secrecy, Exploration and consequence

Available on

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