cynical backdrop

Movies with cynical vibe

Wasabi

691. Wasabi

Drama Action Comedy Spy Action Parody
6.6

20011h 34min

France

Director: Gérard Krawczyk

Hubert is a French policeman with very sharp methods. After being forced to take 2 months off by his boss, who doesn't share his view on working methods, he goes back to Japan, where he used to work 19 years ago, to settle the probate of his girlfriend who left him shortly after marriage without a trace.

Themes

Abuse of power, Cross-cultural conflict, Transphobia tensions, Violence in policing, Guardianship and paternity, Organized crime confrontation

Available on

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

The Man Who Wasn't There

692. The Man Who Wasn't There

Crime Drama Organized Crime Psychological Drama
7.5

20011h 56min

United Kingdom, United States

Director: Joel Coen

A tale of murder, crime and punishment set in the summer of 1949. Ed Crane, a barber in a small California town, is dissatisfied with his life, but his wife Doris' infidelity and a mysterious opportunity presents him with a chance to change it.

Themes

Deception and manipulation, Risk and consequence, Economic desperation, Marital strain and infidelity, Moral ambiguity in crime, Hardboiled justice

Available on

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

Birthday Girl

693. Birthday Girl

Comedy Crime Thriller Dark Comedy Con Artist Crime
6.0

20011h 33min

United Kingdom

Director: Jez Butterworth

John is a mild-mannered banker who has never been lucky in love. Fed up with waiting for the right girl to come along, John takes a chance on a Russian mail-order bride arranged via the Internet, where he is introduced to Nadia. John's fondness for Nadia grows... until the sudden arrival of Nadia's gregarious cousins makes John realize that he's in over his head.

Themes

Deception and con, Romance fraud, Economic vulnerability, Power dynamics in relationships, Crime and coercion, Trust and betrayal

Available on

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

Dog Days

694. Dog Days

Drama Comedy Ensemble Comedy Everyday Life Drama
7.0

20012h 2min

Austria, Germany

Director: Ulrich Seidl

Vignettes of the lives of several residents of a Vienna suburb during a heat wave.

Themes

Jealousy and longing, Suburban heat tension, Fragile relationships under strain, Fate and bad luck, Existence and routine, Drinking and escapism

Available on

Kanopy
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Thirteen Conversations About One Thing

695. Thirteen Conversations About One Thing

Drama Legal Drama
7.0

20011h 44min

United States

Director: Jill Sprecher

In New York City, the lives of a lawyer, an actuary, a house-cleaner, a professor, and the people around them intersect as they ponder order and happiness in the face of life's cold unpredictability.

Themes

Moral ambiguity, Deception and consequence, Infidelity and trust, Human condition under pressure, Urban alienation and connectivity, Intersecting social worlds

Available on

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

Cowboy Bebop: The Movie

696. Cowboy Bebop: The Movie

Action Animation Science Fiction Cyberpunk Anime
7.8

20011h 55min

Japan

Director: Shinichiro Watanabe

The year is 2071. Following a terrorist bombing, a deadly virus is released on the populace of Mars and the government has issued the largest bounty in history, for the capture of whoever is behind it. The bounty hunter crew of the spaceship Bebop; Spike, Faye, Jet and Ed, take the case with hopes of cashing in the bounty. However, the mystery surrounding the man responsible, Vincent, goes deeper than they ever imagined, and they aren't the only ones hunting him.

Themes

Corporate malfeasance, Paranoia and amnesia, Vaccination ethics, Bounty driven pursuit, Weather-enabled vaccine spread, Bioengineered pathogen

Available on

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

The Believer

697. The Believer

Drama Psychological Drama
7.1

20011h 38min

United States

Director: Henry Bean

A hardcore US racist skinhead who, because of his intelligence, leads a gang dedicated to fighting the enemy: the supposed American-Jewish conspiracy for domination. However, he's hiding a secret: he's Jewish-born, a brilliant scholar whose questioning of the tenets of his faith has left him angry and confused, turning against those who he thinks have a tragic history of their own making.

Themes

Group dynamics and coercion, Appeal of extremism, Manipulation through rhetoric, Violence as identity performance, Identity and allegiance, Scapegoating under pressure

Available on

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

The Curse of the Jade Scorpion

698. The Curse of the Jade Scorpion

Comedy Crime Romance Romantic Comedy Workplace Comedy
6.7

20011h 43min

United States, Germany

Director: Woody Allen

CW Briggs is a veteran insurance investigator, with many successes. Betty Ann Fitzgerald is a new employee in the company he works for, with the task of reorganizing the office. They don't like each other - or at least that's what they think. During a night out with the rest of the office employees, they go to watch Voltan, a magician who secretly hypnotizes both of them.

Themes

Deception and manipulation, Trust under pressure, Power of suggestion, Professional vs personal life, Memory as weapon, Hypnosis as crime driver

Available on

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

Rush Hour 2

699. Rush Hour 2

Action Comedy Crime Buddy Action Buddy Comedy
6.7

20011h 30min

United States, Hong Kong SAR China

Director: Brett Ratner

It's vacation time for Carter as he finds himself alongside Lee in Hong Kong wishing for more excitement. While Carter wants to party and meet the ladies, Lee is out to track down a Triad gang lord who may be responsible for killing two men at the American Embassy. Things get complicated as the pair stumble onto a counterfeiting plot. The boys are soon up to their necks in fist fights and life-threatening situations. A trip back to the U.S. may provide the answers about the bombing, the counterfeiting, and the true allegiance of sexy customs agent Isabella.

Themes

Loyalty under pressure, Interracial friendship, Buddy cop, Criminal investigation, Counterfeiting plot, Action hero

Available on

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

Ghost World

700. Ghost World

Comedy Drama Coming-of-Age Drama Dark Comedy
7.3

20011h 51min

United Kingdom, United States

Director: Terry Zwigoff

Two quirky, cynical teenaged girls try to figure out what to do with their lives after high school graduation. After they play a prank on an eccentric, middle aged record collector, one of them befriends him, which causes a rift in the girls’ friendship.

Themes

Friendships among outcasts, Post high school aimlessness, Social exclusion and envy, Art as social commentary, Longing for belonging, Manipulation and consequences, Authenticity vs performance

Available on

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