Traumatic Movies

Updated May 1, 2024

Have you heard all of these Traumatic Movies? We promise you'll find some new picks. We found 25 of our favorites.

Oldboy (2003)

★★★★

3.4 out of 4 stars

From Park Chan-wook, starring Choi Min-sik, Yoo Ji-tae, Kang Hye-jeong, Kim Byeong-Ok
Rated R

Oldboy is a 2003 South Korean psychological thriller directed by Park Chan-wook. The film follows Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik), a businessman who has been inexplicably imprisoned in a hotel-like prison cell for 15 years without explanation. During his captivity, he is regularly drugged and is watched over by his unseen captor. After his release, Oh Dae-su embarks on a quest to find his captor and discovers a web of conspiracy, betrayal and murder. He soon realizes that he is a pawn in a much larger game and that his captor has a personal vendetta against him. In the end, Dae-su is forced to choose between revenge and redemption.

Requiem for a Dream (2000)

★★★★

3.3 out of 4 stars

From Darren Aronofsky, starring Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, Marlon Wayans
Rated R

Requiem for a Dream is a 2000 psychological drama film directed by Darren Aronofsky and based on the novel of the same name by Hubert Selby Jr. The film follows the lives of four people in Brooklyn, New York whose lives are all destroyed by drug addiction. The main characters are Harry Goldfarb (Jared Leto), his mother Sara Goldfarb (Ellen Burstyn), Harry's best friend Tyrone C. Love (Marlon Wayans), and his girlfriend Marion Silver (Jennifer Connelly). Each of these characters has a dream that they are pursuing, whether it be losing weight, getting rich, being a successful actor, or having a beautiful family. However, their dreams quickly become nightmares as they each become addicted to different drugs, in pursuit of their goals, and their lives spiral downwards as they become increasingly desperate. The film explores themes of drug addiction, depression, and despair and culminates in a powerful ending.

A Clockwork Orange (1971)

★★★★

3.3 out of 4 stars

From Stanley Kubrick, starring Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee, Michael Bates, Warren Clarke
Rated R

A Clockwork Orange is a controversial 1971 film directed by Stanley Kubrick and based on the novel of the same name by Anthony Burgess. The film follows the story of Alex, a young, ultra-violent delinquent who leads a small gang on rampages of 'ultra-violence' throughout a dystopian near-future version of the United Kingdom. After he is arrested and subsequently subjected to a controversial form of behavior modification therapy, Alex must face the consequences of his actions and the newly-altered version of himself. As he struggles to come to terms with his new identity and the morality of his actions, the film ultimately questions the power of the state and its ability to control an individual's will.

The Exorcist (1973)

★★★★

3.2 out of 4 stars

From William Friedkin, starring Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Linda Blair, Lee J. Cobb
Rated R

The Exorcist is a horror film from 1973 directed by William Friedkin. It tells the story of a 12-year-old girl, Regan MacNeil, who is possessed by an evil demon. Her mother, Chris MacNeil, turns to two priests, Father Damien Karras and Father Lankester Merrin, in an attempt to save her daughter. The priests soon discover that the demon possessing Regan is an ancient and powerful force that they must battle in order to save her. The film follows the priests as they battle the demon while also struggling with their own faith. The Exorcist is widely considered to be one of the most influential and iconic horror films of all time.

I Saw the Devil (2010)

★★★★

3.1 out of 4 stars

From Jee-woon Kim, starring Lee Byung-hun, Choi Min-sik, Jeon Gook-hwan, Ho-jin Chun
Rated Not Rated

I Saw the Devil is a South Korean revenge-thriller film directed by Jee-woon Kim. The story follows the investigation of a serial killer and the revenge taken by the fiancé of the killer's latest victim. Kim Soo-hyeon (Byung-hun Lee) is an elite secret agent who is seeking revenge on the psychopathic serial killer Kyung-chul (Min-sik Choi). After Kyung-chul brutally murders Soo-hyeon's fiancée, Joo-yeon (Gianna Jun), Soo-hyeon sets off on a mission to track down her murderer. He begins a dangerous game of cat and mouse with Kyung-chul, as they engage in a twisted psychological battle of wits and increasing violence. As the stakes rise, Soo-hyeon finds himself in an escalating cycle of brutality and revenge.

Happiness (1998)

★★★★

3.1 out of 4 stars

From Todd Solondz, starring Jane Adams, Jon Lovitz, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Dylan Baker
Rated NC-17

Happiness is a 1998 American black comedy-drama film written and directed by Todd Solondz and starring an ensemble cast. It follows the lives of three sisters, their families, and those around them. The story is told through a series of vignettes and explores topics such as loneliness, isolation, and depression. It also examines the meaning of happiness and how it often eludes us. The main characters range from a pedophile to an emotionally-stunted young woman and her recently divorced parents. Despite its dark subject matter, Happiness is surprisingly funny and ultimately hopeful. It is one of Solondz's most acclaimed films, and has been praised for its sensitive and thought-provoking exploration of its characters and themes.

Mysterious Skin (2004)

★★★★

3 out of 4 stars

From Gregg Araki, starring Brady Corbet, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Elisabeth Shue, Chase Ellison
Rated Unrated

Mysterious Skin is a 2004 American coming-of-age drama film written and directed by Gregg Araki, based on Scott Heim's 1995 novel of the same title. The film follows two pre-adolescent boys who are sexually abused by their baseball coach, and the psychological effects it has on their lives in their early adulthood. Neil (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a streetwise hustler who numbs his pain with drugs and sex, while Brian (Brady Corbet) is a shy, socially-awkward outcast who believes he was abducted by aliens. As the two boys journey to uncover the truth about their past, their lives become intertwined in a complex web of secrets and lies that have a deep and lasting impact on their future.

The Skin I Live In (2011)

★★★★

3 out of 4 stars

From Pedro Almodóvar, starring Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya, Jan Cornet, Marisa Paredes
Rated R

The Skin I Live In is a 2011 psychological thriller directed by Pedro Almodóvar. It tells the story of Dr. Robert Ledgard, a brilliant plastic surgeon who has become obsessed with creating a new type of synthetic skin that will be resistant to burns and other wounds. To test his invention, he kidnaps a mysterious young woman and keeps her locked up in his mansion, subjecting her to his psychological and physical experiments. As the story progresses, it is revealed that the woman is not only a subject of Dr. Ledgard’s experiments, but is also his daughter, the product of a traumatic event from his past. The film explores themes of identity, revenge, and the power of technology.

Funny Games (1997)

★★★★

3 out of 4 stars

From Michael Haneke, starring Susanne Lothar, Ulrich Mühe, Arno Frisch, Frank Giering
Rated Not Rated

Funny Games is a 1997 Austrian psychological horror film written and directed by Michael Haneke. The film follows a family of three—Anna, Georg, and their son Schorsch—who are terrorized by two mysterious young men while on vacation. The men, Peter and Paul, subject the family to a series of sadistic games that they are forced to play and that escalate in intensity as the film progresses. The film serves as an exploration of violence and its effects on the family, as well as how the audience may view and accept it. The film also serves as a critique of the horror genre by emphasizing the moral consequences of violence and showing its consequences.