One of the most exciting and intriguing thriller subgenres in cinema is the psychological thriller. These films are defined by their focus on themes of psychology and mystery, their use of unconventional and mindbending storytelling techniques and their often unreliable protagonists. Using any combination of these elements, psychological thrillers can explore complex concepts like mortality, mental illness and the limitations of perception.
Good acting is an absolute necessity when it comes to creating a compelling thriller, and it is perhaps even more essential for the psychological subgenre due to the importance of the audience understanding the characters' mental states. These are 10 fantastic performances in psychological thrillers that elevated the films surrounding them.
12 Daniel Kaluuya in 'Get Out' (2017) Directed by Jordan Peele
The feature film debut of writer-director Jordan Peele, Get Out is a 2017 satirical psychological thriller-horror film. The film follows Chris (Daniel Kaluuya), a young Black man in an interracial relationship who visits the family of his white girlfriend Rose (Allison Williams). Sensing an undercurrent of racial hostility in the home, Chris eventually begins to uncover a sinister conspiracy that hints towards something even more shocking than he could have imagined.
Many of the film's most memorable moments hinge entirely on Daniel Kaluuya's performance, with his harrowing portrayal of hypnosis into "the sunken place" creating the film's most iconic imagery. Chris is a man in an extremely vulnerable and isolated position, and Kaluuya depicts this immaculately with his subtle and layered acting choices. Earning a Best Actor nomination at the Oscars and perfectly balancing the film's horrifying and comedic moments, Daniel Kaluuya is remarkable in Get Out.
Get Out R HorrorMysteryThrillerPsychological Where to Watch streamrentbuy *Availability in US
Release Date February 24, 2017 Director Jordan Peele Cast Daniel Kaluuya , Allison Williams , Catherine Keener , Bradley Whitford , Caleb Landry Jones , Marcus Henderson Runtime 103 minutes Writers Jordan Peele Main Genre Horror Studio Universal Pictures Tagline Just because your invited, doesn't mean you're welcome. Website http://www.getoutfilm.com/ Expand 11 Haley Joel Osment in 'The Sixth Sense' (1999) Directed by M. Night Shyamalan
The Sixth Sense is a 1999 supernatural psychological thriller written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. The film follows Malcolm (Bruce Willis), a child psychologist who seeks to help a troubled young boy named Cole (Haley Joel Osment). Bruce initially believes Cole to be mentally ill, but their dynamic is changed dramatically when Cole reveals that he is in fact plagued by disturbing visions of the supernatural.
Aged only 10 years old at the time of filming, Haley Joel Osment's performance was sensitive, layered and instantly iconic. The entire film hinges on the audience's investment in Cole and his supernatural affliction, and Osment perfectly captures the character's vulnerability and kindness, as well as his dark and tortured side. Becoming the second-youngest actor to be nominated for a Supporting Actor award at the Academy Awards, Osment's performance deserves all the attention and praise it received.
The Sixth Sense PG-13ThrillerDramaHorrorMystery
Release Date August 6, 1999 Director M. Night Shyamalan Cast Bruce Willis , Toni Collette , Haley Joel Osment , Olivia Williams , Donnie Wahlberg Runtime 107 minutes Main Genre Horror Writers M. Night Shyamalan Budget $40 Million Studio(s) Disney Distributor(s) Disney , Dimension Films Expand
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10 Kathy Bates in 'Misery' (1990) Directed by Rob Reiner
Misery is a 1990 psychological thriller directed by Rob Reiner and adapted from the 1987 Stephen King novel. The film follows Paul Sheldon (James Caan), a novelist who is rescued from a car accident by Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates), a nurse who self-identifies as his biggest fan. Initially aiming to nurse him back to health, Annie's behavior becomes more sinister when she discovers Paul was planning on killing off her favorite book character.
One of the most iconic Stephen King villains, Annie Wilkes is a complicated and deeply emotionally unstable character brought to life by Kathy Bates' excellent performance. Bates captures Annie's quirky personality as well as her dangerous unpredictability with the perfect combination of playfulness and intensity, causing the audience to be amused, to fear and to feel bad for her in equal measures. Highly deserving of all the praise the role received, Kathy Bates' performance in Misery is one of the best in psychological thriller history, earning her a Best Actress win at the Academy Awards.
Misery RDramaThrillerHorror
Release Date November 30, 1990 Director Rob Reiner Cast James Caan , Kathy Bates , Richard Farnsworth , Frances Sternhagen , Lauren Bacall , Graham Jarvis Runtime 107 minutes Main Genre Drama Writers Stephen King , William Goldman Studio Castle Rock Entertainment Tagline Paul Sheldon used to write for a living. Now, he's writing to stay alive. Expand
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9 Elizabeth Olsen in 'Martha Marcy May Marlene' (2011) Directed by Sean Durkin
Martha Marcy May Marlene is a 2011 psychological thriller written and directed by Sean Durkin. The film follows Martha, a young woman (Elizabeth Olsen) who leaves a highly controlling cult led by a charismatic but cruel leader named Patrick (John Hawkes) to stay with her sister Lucy (Sarah Paulson). As she attempts to reintegrate into society, she finds herself haunted by her traumatic past.
Elizabeth Olsen is fantastic in the lead role, perfectly capturing her character's identity crisis and portraying the effects of her time in the cult. Additionally, the dynamics between her in the present with Lucy and in flashbacks with Patrick are immaculately brought to life by Olsen's performance, showing her discomfort with both lives offered to her. Martha Marcy May Marlene is a heartbreaking and deeply disturbing psychological thriller about the horrifying consequences of isolation.
Martha Marcy May Marlene RDramaDocumentaryThriller
Release Date June 10, 2011 Director Sean Durkin Cast Elizabeth Olsen , Christopher Abbott , Brady Corbet , Hugh Dancy , Maria Dizzia , Julia Garner Runtime 120 Writers Sean Durkin
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8 Jodie Foster in 'The Silence of the Lambs' (1991) Directed by Jonathan Demme
Adapted from the 1988 Thomas Harris novel, The Silence of the Lambs is a 1991 psychological thriller-horror film directed by Jonathan Demme. The film centers on the search for serial killer Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine), a sadistic killer who takes women's skin. FBI trainee Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) is tasked with communicating with the brilliant yet evil psychiatrist and cannibal Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) to help with the investigation.
Jodie Foster received universal acclaim for her performance as Clarice, winning Best Actress at the Oscars for the role. She brings a remarkable combination of vulnerability and toughness to Clarice, emphasizing her competence at her job as well as the difficulty of being a woman in a stereotypically male profession. Jodie Foster is an essential part of The Silence of the Lambs' brilliance, and the chemistry between her and Hopkins is perhaps the film's most iconic element.
The Silence of the Lambs RHorrorThrillerCrimePsychological Where to Watch streamrentbuy *Availability in US
Release Date February 14, 1991 Director Jonathan Demme Cast Jodie Foster , Anthony Hopkins , Scott Glenn , Ted Levine Runtime 118 minutes Writers Ted Tally 7 6 Kōji Yakusho in 'Cure' (1997) Directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Written and directed by prolific horror filmmaker Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Cure is a 1997 Japanese psychological thriller-horror film. The film follows Kenichi Takabe (Kōji Yakusho), a police detective tasked with investigating the circumstances behind a series of murders connected to a mysterious amnesiac (Masato Hagiwara). As Takabe's investment in the crimes becomes deeper and more intense, he begins to endanger himself and those around him.
The film is an excellent crime thriller and Kōji Yakusho's performance is one of its strongest elements. Takabe is a layered and complex character who suppresses a huge amount of rage and frustration with his domestic situation that Yakusho portrays as quietly simmering under the surface until a shocking and powerful outburst during a meeting with the primary suspect. Winning Best Actor at the 10th Tokyo International Film Festival for his performance, Kōji Yakusho absolutely shines in Cure.
Cure Not RatedHorrorCrimeMystery
Release Date December 27, 1997 Director Kiyoshi Kurosawa Cast Masato Hagiwara , Kôji Yakusho , Tsuyoshi Ujiki , Anna Nakagawa , Misayo Haruki , Yoriko Dôguchi , Denden , Ren Ôsugi Runtime 111 Minutes Main Genre Horror Writers Kiyoshi Kurosawa Expand
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5 Jake Gyllenhaal in 'Donnie Darko' (2001) Directed by Richard Kelly
Donnie Darko is a 2001 psychological sci-fi thriller written and directed by Richard Kelly. Set in the late 1980s, the film follows the titular character (Jake Gyllenhaal), a troubled teenager who, due to an encounter with a supernatural being known as Frank (James Duval), narrowly survives a jet engine crashing into his house. Informed by Frank that the world will end in 28 days, Donnie sets out to change this fate.
Aged only 19 at the time of filming, Gyllenhaal portrays the highly unique character of Donnie perfectly. The character struggles with mental illness as well as the immense pressure of being the only person who can save the world, and Gyllenhaal appropriately plays him as an intense young man with the weight of the world on his shoulders, but also injects humor and intriguing quirks into his performance. Making it extremely clear early in his career that he was to be a generational talent, Jake Gyllenhaal is a huge part of why Donnie Darko works so well.
Donnie Darko RDramaFantasyMystery Sci-Fi
Release Date October 26, 2001 Director Richard Kelly Cast Jake Gyllenhaal , Holmes Osborne , Maggie Gyllenhaal , Daveigh Chase , Mary McDonnell , James Duval Runtime 113 minutes Main Genre Drama Writers Richard Kelly Studio Newmarket Films Tagline Dark, Darker, Darko Website http://www.donniedarko.com/ Expand
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4 Rebecca Hall in 'Resurrection' (2022) Directed by Andrew Semans
Resurrection is a 2022 psychological thriller-horror film written and directed by Andrew Semans. The film follows Margaret (Rebecca Hall), a business executive in a transitional period of life as her teenage daughter (Grace Kaufman) prepares to attend university. Margaret's life is then thrown into a tailspin when her abusive ex-partner David (Tim Roth) reappears in her life and begins to psychologically torture and control her like he did when she was younger.
Resurrection is an extremely dark and twisted psychological thriller that explores the depths of parental anxiety and coercive control and Rebecca Hall's performance in the lead role is electrifying. In the film's most haunting scene, Hall delivers an intense 7-minute monologue in one extended take, detailing the horrifying backstory of her and David's relationship and making the audience hang on her every word. Rebecca Hall's performance in Resurrection is hypnotically compelling, taking on the emotionally and physically demanding lead role with incredible grace.
Resurrection RCrimeDramaHorror Release Date August 5, 2022 Director Andrew Semans Cast Rebecca Hall , Tim Roth , Grace Kaufman , Michael Esper , Angela Wong Carbone Runtime 103 Minutes Main Genre Crime Writers Andrew Semans Studio(s) Secret Engine , Square Peg , Tango Entertainment (III) Distributor(s) IFC Films , Shudder Expand
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3 Ellen Burstyn in 'Requiem for a Dream' (2000) Directed by Darren Aronofsky
Adapted from Hubert Selby Jr's 1978 novel, Requiem for a Dream is a 2000 psychological drama-thriller directed by Darren Aronofsky and co-written by Aronofsky and Selby. The film follows four interconnected individuals whose lives are negatively affected by substance use and severe addiction. Perhaps the most tragic plot belongs to Sara (Ellen Burstyn), a widow who becomes addicted to amphetamines intended for weight loss and devolves into full-blown psychosis as a result.
Enhanced by its hallucinatory editing and stylish cinematography, Requiem for a Dream is a captivating and heartbreaking film about people marginalized by society and driven to desperation. Ellen Burstyn's performance as Sara is devastating, portraying her deep sadness and manic delusions with immense believability and making the audience truly empathize with her. In a film filled with stellar acting, Ellen Burstyn's performance stands out as particularly layered, complex and powerful, being recognized with an Oscar nomination.
Requiem for a Dream RDramaPsychological
Release Date October 6, 2000 Director Darren Aronofsky Cast Ellen Burstyn , Jared Leto , Jennifer Connelly , Marlon Wayans , Christopher McDonald , Louise Lasser Runtime 102 minutes Writers Hubert Selby Jr. , Darren Aronofsky Studio Artisan Entertainment Expand
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2 Choi Min-sik in 'Oldboy' (2003) Directed by Park Chan-wook
Adapted from the Japanese manga series of the same name, Oldboy is a 2003 South Korean psychological action thriller directed by Park Chan-wook. The film follows a troubled businessman named Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik) whose mundane life is forever changed when he is abducted and held prisoner for 15 years with no explanation. When he is released, Dae-su begins a relationship with a young woman named Mi-do (Kang Hye-jung) and seeks revenge on his captor, only to discover earth-shattering revelations about his life.
The lead role of Oh Dae-su requires an immense amount of emotional range and physical ability due to its disturbing content and immaculately staged action sequences. Choi Min-sik delivers a revelatory performance in the role, undergoing a dramatic transformation from the beginning to the end of the film and making the character's years of imprisonment feel extremely believable. Impressive and iconic, Choi Min-sik's performance in Oldboy is one of the best that cinema has to offer.
Oldboy (2003) RMysteryActionDrama
Release Date November 21, 2003 Director Park Chan-wook Cast Choi Min-sik , Yoo Ji-tae , Kang Hye-jung Runtime 120 minutes Main Genre Mystery Writers Garon Tsuchiya , Nobuaki Minegishi , Park Chan-wook Expand
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