high-pressure backdrop

Movies with high-pressure vibe

181. Victoria

Victoria
Crime Thriller Romance Heist Mind Game Thriller
7.6
20152h 18minGermany, United States
Director: Sebastian Schipper

Overview

One reckless Berlin night turns a chance flirtation into a real-time heist. A young Spanish woman falls in with four streetwise guys, and a mob boss forces them into a drug-fueled bank job. Now every turn, every siren, and every choice drags her deeper into a city she no longer recognizes.

Themes

Crime under pressure, Loyalty under threat, Romance amid danger, Deception under duress, Urban anonymity, Poverty and aspiration

Available on

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

182. Spy

Spy
Action Comedy Crime Spy Action Parody
7.0
20152hUnited States
Director: Paul Feig

Overview

A desk-bound CIA analyst volunteers to go undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer, and prevent diabolical global disaster.

Themes

Loyalty under pressure, Deception in intelligence work, Risk escalation, Role ambiguity, Trust across alliances, Professional boundaries

Available on

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

183. Good Kill

Good Kill
Drama Thriller War Mind Game Thriller Modern Conflicts
6.4
20151h 44minUnited States
Director: Andrew Niccol

Overview

In the shadowy world of drone warfare, combat unfolds like a video game–only with real lives at stake. After six tours of duty, Air Force pilot Tom Egan now fights the Taliban from an air-conditioned bunker in the Nevada desert. But as he yearns to get back in the cockpit of a real plane and becomes increasingly troubled by the collateral damage he causes each time he pushes a button, Egan’s nerves—and his relationship with his wife—begin to unravel.

Themes

Institutional pressure, Collateral damage tension, Remote warfare ethics, Work life spillover, Stress and coping, Disobedience under orders

Available on

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

184. Woman in Gold

Woman in Gold
Drama Historical Drama
7.3
20151h 49minUnited Kingdom
Director: Simon Curtis

Overview

Maria Altmann, an octogenarian Jewish refugee, takes on the Austrian government to recover a world famous painting of her aunt plundered by the Nazis during World War II, she believes rightfully belongs to her family. She did so not just to regain what was rightfully hers, but also to obtain some measure of justice for the death, destruction, and massive art theft perpetrated by the Nazis.

Themes

Postwar restitution pressures, Familial ownership claim, Nazi-era restitution, Transnational court proceedings

Available on

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

185. The DUFF

The DUFF
Romance Comedy Romantic Comedy Awkward Comedy
6.4
20151h 40minUnited States
Director: Ari Sandel

Overview

Bianca's universe turns upside down when she learns that her high school refers to her as a ‘DUFF' (Designated Ugly Fat Friend). Hoping to erase that label, she enlists the help of a charming jock and her favorite teacher. Together they'll face the school's mean girl and remind everyone that we are all someone's DUFF… and that's totally fine.

Themes

Social performance pressure, Appearance as social currency, Deception for social gain, Duff labeling social standing, Friendships tested under scrutiny, Bullying via online video

Available on

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

186. A Most Violent Year

A Most Violent Year
Crime Drama Thriller Organized Crime Cover-Up Thriller
6.9
20142h 4minUnited Arab Emirates, United States
Director: J.C. Chandor

Overview

A thriller set in New York City during the winter of 1981, statistically one of the most violent years in the city's history, and centered on the lives of an immigrant and his family trying to expand their business and capitalize on opportunities as the rampant violence, decay, and corruption of the day drag them in and threaten to destroy all they have built.

Themes

Immigrant ambition vs exploitation, Capitalism and corruption, American dream under pressure, Financial leverage and ethics, Risk management and deception, Law and business tension

Available on

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

187. Nightcrawler

Nightcrawler
Crime Drama Thriller Organized Crime Entertainment Industry Drama
7.8
20141h 58minUnited States
Director: Dan Gilroy

Overview

When Lou Bloom, desperate for work, muscles into the world of L.A. crime journalism, he blurs the line between observer and participant to become the star of his own story. Aiding him in his effort is Nina, a TV-news veteran.

Themes

Deception and manipulation, Economic desperation, Media sensationalism, Competition and ambition, Ethics vs sensationalism, Ethical boundary blurring

Available on

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

188. The Loft

The Loft
Thriller Domestic Thriller
6.3
20141h 43minUnited States, Belgium
Director: Erik Van Looy

Overview

For five men, the opportunity to share a penthouse in the city -- in which to carry on extramarital affairs -- is a dream come true, until the dead body of an unknown woman turns up. Realizing that her killer must be one of their group, the men are gripped by paranoia as each one suspects another. Friendships are tested, loyalties are questioned, and marriages crumble while fear and suspicion run rampant.

Themes

Secrecy breeds distrust, Extramarital pressures, Group paranoia under stress, Loyalty tested within a male group, Private spaces fuel temptation, Marriage instability from secrets

Available on

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

189. '71

'71
Thriller Action Drama War Military Action
7.2
20141h 39minUnited Kingdom
Director: Yann Demange

Overview

A young British soldier must find his way back to safety after his unit accidentally abandons him during a riot in the streets of Belfast.

Themes

Survival under siege, Military discipline under riot, Loyalist republican tension, Civilian risk during conflict, Institutional ambiguity and violence, Command decisions under pressure

Available on

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

190. Trash

Trash
Adventure Crime Drama Thriller Mystery
7.1
20141h 52minBrazil, United Kingdom
Director: Stephen Daldry

Overview

Set in Brazil, three kids who make a discovery in a garbage dump soon find themselves running from the cops and trying to right a terrible wrong.

Themes

Authority versus accountability, Youth vulnerability and resilience, Corruption and survival, Whistleblower ethics, Social inequality in city, Power versus law enforcement

Available on

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