Movies About Split Personalities

From David Fincher, starring Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Meat Loaf, Zach Grenier
Rated R

Fight Club is an American film directed by David Fincher, based on the novel of the same name by Chuck Palahniuk. It stars Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, and Helena Bonham Carter and follows an unnamed narrator (Norton) who is a depressed insomniac. He meets Tyler Durden (Pitt), a soap salesman and underground fight club organizer whose philosophies of anti-materialism and anarchism inspire the narrator, and the two form a close bond. The fight club begins to gain a huge underground following, as the narrator and Tyler become embroiled in a conflict between their organization and a corrupt corporate system. The film explores themes of masculinity, consumerism, and nihilism, and its direct-to-video release made it a cult classic.

From Peter Jackson, starring Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom
Rated PG-13

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is a 2002 epic fantasy adventure film directed by Peter Jackson and based on the second volume of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. The film follows the continuing quest of Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood), Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin), and Gollum (Andy Serkis) to destroy the One Ring in Mordor. Meanwhile, Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Legolas (Orlando Bloom), and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) come to the aid of their exiled comrade, Rohan's King Theoden (Bernard Hill), and his people, who are being threatened by Sauron's minions. The combined forces of men and elves are then forced to defend the fortress of Helms Deep against the invading Orc army. As the battle rages, Frodo and Sam draw closer to Mordor and the One Ring's ultimate destiny. The Two Towers is a thrilling, action-packed adventure film that remains true to the spirit of Tolkien's novels.

From Alfred Hitchcock, starring Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin
Rated R

Psycho is a 1960 psychological horror-thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The film stars Janet Leigh, Anthony Perkins, and Vera Miles, and follows the story of Marion Crane, a secretary who steals $40,000 from her employer and goes on the run. After stopping at the Bates Motel, Marion meets the motel proprietor, Norman Bates, who harbors a disturbing secret. As Marion's stay at the motel grows longer, her life is threatened by Norman's increasingly unstable state of mind. The film has become one of the most iconic and influential horror films of all time, and was hugely successful upon its release and further cemented Hitchcock's reputation as a master filmmaker.

From Martin Scorsese, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Emily Mortimer, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley
Rated R

Shutter Island is a psychological thriller directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. The film follows U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels as he investigates a psychiatric facility located on an island off the coast of Massachusetts. Daniels and his new partner, Chuck Aule, are looking into the disappearance of an inmate, and soon learn that the hospital is concealing dark secrets of its past. As Daniels delves deeper into the facility’s mysteries, he begins to question his own sanity. As the film progresses, it becomes clear that the island holds more than just the secrets of the hospital and that Daniels' investigation is part of a larger conspiracy.

From Ingmar Bergman, starring Bibi Andersson, Liv Ullmann, Margaretha Krook, Gunnar Björnstrand
Rated Not Rated

Persona is a 1966 Swedish psychological drama film written and directed by Ingmar Bergman. The story follows a young nurse, Alma (played by Bibi Andersson), who is assigned to care for a famous stage actress, Elisabet Vogler (Liv Ullmann), who has suddenly become mute. As Alma spends more time with Elisabet and takes on her own introspective journey, their dramatically different personalities begin to merge, blurring the lines between Elisabet's identity and Alma's. Through their conversations, the two explore themes of identity, communication, and the nature of reality. Ultimately, the film questions whether or not identity is a construct that can be manipulated and deconstructed.

From Darren Aronofsky, starring Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Winona Ryder
Rated R

Black Swan is a psychological thriller starring Natalie Portman as Nina Sayers, a ballerina in the New York ballet company who has been cast as the lead in Swan Lake. As Nina struggles to perfect her performance, she finds herself in a dangerous competition with a rival dancer, Lily, who is the perfect embodiment of the Swan Queen. As Nina pushes herself further and further, her obsession leads her into a psychological spiral of paranoia, self-doubt, and insecurity as she begins to unravel. As the lines between fantasy and reality become increasingly blurred, Nina must confront her deepest fears and embrace her true power as a dancer.

From Gregory Hoblit, starring Richard Gere, Laura Linney, Edward Norton, John Mahoney
Rated R

Primal Fear is a 1996 American crime thriller film directed by Gregory Hoblit. It stars Richard Gere, Laura Linney and Edward Norton in his film debut. The film tells the story of an altar boy (Norton) accused of murdering an influential Catholic archbishop. Despite his claims of innocence, the archbishop’s lawyer (Gere) sets out to discover the truth and prove his client’s guilt. Throughout the film, the truth about the murder is explored and multiple twists and turns keep the audience guessing until the very end. The film was a success at the box office, earning over $124 million worldwide, and received positive reviews from critics, who praised Norton’s performance and the film’s suspenseful plot.

From Brad Anderson, starring Christian Bale, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, John Sharian
Rated R

The Machinist is a psychological thriller directed by Brad Anderson, starring Christian Bale as Trevor Reznik, a troubled man suffering from severe insomnia. For the past year, Trevor has not slept a wink, and his physical and mental health have been deteriorating as a result. He is estranged from his friends and leads a solitary life, working in an auto factory as a machinist and spending most of his time alone in his apartment. One day, Trevor begins to experience bizarre occurrences, including a series of post-it notes appearing in his apartment and strange encounters with a coworker, Ivan. As he investigates, Trevor discovers a likely connection between his insomnia and a traumatic event from his past. He also learns that he is the prime suspect in a series of murders. Trevor must then confront his fears and use his own wit and strength to fight back against the terrifying force that has been tormenting him. Along the way, he discovers the truth about his past and how it is connected to the string of murders. The Machinist is an intense, gripping story of psychological horror that explores the depths of the human mind and the consequences of our actions.

From Sam Raimi, starring Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Willem Dafoe, James Franco
Rated PG-13

From Bruce A. Evans, starring Kevin Costner, Demi Moore, William Hurt, Dane Cook
Rated R

From James Mangold, starring John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet, John Hawkes
Rated R

From Nunnally Johnson, starring Joanne Woodward, David Wayne, Lee J. Cobb, Edwin Jerome
Rated Approved

From Jee-woon Kim, starring Lim Soo-jung, Yum Jung-ah, Kim Kap-su, Moon Geun-young
Rated R

From Brian De Palma, starring Michael Caine, Angie Dickinson, Nancy Allen, Keith Gordon
Rated R

From Chuck Russell, starring Jim Carrey, Cameron Diaz, Peter Riegert, Peter Greene
Rated PG-13

From Brett Ratner, starring Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen
Rated PG-13

From Louis Leterrier, starring Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, William Hurt
Rated PG-13

From Directors: Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly, starring Jim Carrey, Renée Zellweger, Anthony Anderson, Mongo Brownlee
Rated R

From David Koepp, starring Johnny Depp, Maria Bello, John Turturro, Timothy Hutton
Rated PG-13

From Geoffrey Sax, starring Halle Berry, Stellan Skarsgård, Phylicia Rashad, Chandra Wilson
Rated R

From Brian De Palma, starring John Lithgow, Lolita Davidovich, Steven Bauer, Frances Sternhagen
Rated R

From John Polson, starring Robert De Niro, Dakota Fanning, Famke Janssen, Elisabeth Shue
Rated R

From Tom Shadyac, starring Eddie Murphy, Jada Pinkett Smith, James Coburn, Larry Miller
Rated PG-13

From Ang Lee, starring Eric Bana, Jennifer Connelly, Sam Elliott, Josh Lucas
Rated PG-13

From Patrick Lussier, starring Jensen Ackles, Jaime King, Kerr Smith, Betsy Rue
Rated R