Psychological Drama backdrop

Psychological Drama movies

Drama where an unstable mental state drives the plot: paranoia, delusions, hallucinations, identity breakdown, or psychological collapse.

Sibyl

1. Sibyl

Drama Psychological Drama
6.0
20191h 40min

Overview

Sibyl, a jaded psychotherapist, returns to her first passion: writing. But her newest patient Margot, a troubled up-and-coming actress, proves to be a source of inspiration that is far too tempting. Fascinated almost to the point of obsession, Sibyl becomes more and more involved in Margot’s tumultuous life, reviving volatile memories that bring her face to face with her past.

Themes

Obsession through writing, Romance through therapy, Memory resurfacing through psychoanalysis, Abortion as trauma, Symbiotic dependence on writing, Creative ambition within romance

Available on

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

Charlie Says

2. Charlie Says

Drama Crime Psychological Drama Serial Killer Crime
5.9
20191h 50min

Overview

Three young women were sentenced to death in the infamous Manson murder case, but when the death penalty was lifted, their sentence became life imprisonment. One young graduate student was sent in to teach them – and through her we witness their transformations as they face the reality of their horrific crimes.

Themes

"movie: charlie says. genres: drama, Crime, Drama, Crime main themes: based on novel or book, Biography, Woman director, Based on novel or book, Biography, Woman director full keywords list: based on novel or book, Biography, Woman director, Manson family murders, Charles manson. concept analysis: the film explores the themes of manipulation and the struggle for identity in the face of indoctrination. it serves as a poignant reminder of the psychological scars left by cult influence and the arduous journey towards self-realization and accountability."

Available on

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

Pain and Glory

3. Pain and Glory

Drama Psychological Drama
7.5
20191h 54min

Overview

Salvador Mallo, a filmmaker in the twilight of his career, remembers his life: his mother, his lovers, the actors he worked with. The sixties in a small village in Valencia, the eighties in Madrid, the present, when he feels an immeasurable emptiness, facing his mortality, the incapability of continuing filming, the impossibility of separating creation from his own life. The need of narrating his past can be his salvation.

Themes

Addiction and coping, Aging creative crisis, Art as salvation, Mother-child memory, Memory as art material, Professional relationships across decades

Available on

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

The Mustang

4. The Mustang

Drama Psychological Drama
6.8
20191h 36min

Overview

While participating in a rehabilitation program training wild mustangs, a convict at first struggles to connect with the horses and his fellow inmates, but he learns to confront his violent past as he soothes an especially feisty horse.

Themes

Human-animal bond, Second chances, Confronting past violence, Rehabilitation through work, Discipline over impulse, Institutional structure

Available on

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

Overview

A ship carrying settlers to a new home on Mars after Earth is rendered uninhabitable is knocked off-course, causing the passengers to consider their place in the universe.

Themes

Survival under isolation, Education as escape, Memory technology dependency, Cult formation under despair, Social order collapse, Hope amid deception

Available on

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

Overview

In a series of escalating encounters, former security guard David Dunn uses his supernatural abilities to track Kevin Wendell Crumb, a disturbed man who has twenty-four personalities. Meanwhile, the shadowy presence of Elijah Price emerges as an orchestrator who holds secrets critical to both men.

Themes

Institutional secrecy, Surveillance specialist manipulation, Psychiatric hospital control, Comic book shop context, Former security guard perspective, Twenty-four personalities dynamics

Available on

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

Rust Creek

7. Rust Creek

Thriller Drama Action Crime Survival Thriller
5.9
20191h 48min

Overview

When an overachieving college senior makes a wrong turn, her road trip becomes a life-changing fight for survival in rural Kentucky.

Themes

"movie: rust creek. genres: thriller, Drama, Action, Crime, Thriller, Drama, Action, Crime main themes: sheriff, Kentucky, Woods, Sheriff, Kentucky, Woods full keywords list: sheriff, Kentucky, Woods, Survival, Murder, Meth lab, Woman director, Corrupt police, Rural america, Criminal enterprise. concept analysis: the film explores the themes of survival against overwhelming odds and the moral complexities of human nature when faced with desperation. it highlights the struggle for autonomy and the fight against both physical and societal threats in a hostile environment."

Available on

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

Black Mirror: Bandersnatch

8. Black Mirror: Bandersnatch

Science Fiction Mystery Drama Horror TV Movie
7.1
20181h 30min

Overview

In 1984, a young programmer begins to question reality as he adapts a dark fantasy novel into a video game. A mind-bending tale with multiple endings.

Themes

Free will under pressure, External manipulation of agency, Technology-driven control through choice, Work life conflict, Surveillance and monitoring, Perception shaped by simulation


Destroyer

9. Destroyer

Thriller Crime Drama Action Mind Game Thriller
6.2
20182h 1min

Overview

When Erin Bell was a young cop, she was given an undercover assignment that ended badly and destroyed her life. Years later, she must face her demons in order to make peace with her past.

Themes

Undercover ethics conflict, Parental guilt with teenage daughter, Policewoman guilt and deception, Gang conflict consequences, Downward spiral coping, Memory trauma accountability

Available on

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

Welcome to Marwen

10. Welcome to Marwen

Drama Comedy Psychological Drama
6.2
20181h 56min

Overview

When a devastating attack shatters Mark Hogancamp and wipes away all memories, no one expected recovery. Putting together pieces from his old and new life, Mark meticulously creates a wondrous town named Marwen where he can heal and be heroic. As he builds an astonishing art installation — a testament to the most powerful women he knows — through his fantasy world, he draws strength to triumph in the real one.

Themes

Memory loss and recovery, Fantasy as coping mechanism, Art-based healing, Delusions and mental illness, Art installation as therapy, Resilience after trauma

Available on

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