Stories have the power to allow us to feel the deepest of emotions, some good and some bad. We will be looking at a few depressing movies that hold the power to send you deeply disturbed but also enlightened. Don’t worry, you can always watch some fulfilling movies like Perks of Being a Wallflower to get that much-needed light, or maybe The A-Team to get that adrenaline flowing.
So now you know what you are getting into so behold, you may enter a void. Some are just average with a strong plot; others could be full of gore that will leave your mind splattered (speaking metaphorically). All in all, there won’t be sunshine and rainbows here, these are some depressing movies after all.
15. V For Vendetta

When it comes to matters in association with the government, people tend to look towards the part that speaks about corruption. V for Vendetta is one inspiring movie, but, in a way, one of the most depressing movies too. “Ideas are bulletproof.” That’ is one message that’s the big idea of the movie.
Britain is being controlled by a political party called the Norsefire that does whatever it wants to do that it deems right, even if it’s wrong. It is a movie about a struggle for freedom and portrays well how control if given to only one individual or organization, can lead not just to chaos but to the end of humanity. A rebel’s life isn’t easy; more than that, it is darker than we can think of, and this movie presents exactly that.
14. Fight Club

If someone is yet to see this movie, I will leave you be, as you’ll eventually be left scratching your head. It’s a depressing movie in the sense it’ll make enlighten you and make you reevaluate everything you think about your life. An enlightenment that may leave you depressed. The story follows an unnamed narrator portrayed by Edward Norton and Tyler Durden portrayed by Brad Pitt. When they join hands in the movie, they become an indestructible force that brings about a revolution globally.
However, the movie is more about how your brain can pull strings on you, thanks to those desires lurking in the shadows. As viewers advance in the movie, they will find nothing unusual happening around them, and then they’ll realize everything they were seeing was unusual; it’s just that they didn’t really see that coming.
13. Dark Waters

You might not know this but there’s some poison travelling into your bloodstream. If you don’t believe me, go watch Dark Waters, as it will clear it all out. Mark Ruffalo plays Robert Bilott, a corporate lawyer who is pulled into a case against DuPont, a chemical manufacturing company. The movie is based on a true event and specifically on the story covered by seasoned writer Nathaniel Rich, who also wrote the groundbreaking story called Lost Earth.
There is kind of a happy ending to it but it will leave you thinking, why does that matter now? The damage has already been done and it is something that might not be cured for generations to come. One interesting aspect of it is, that you will get to learn that after a war or a battle is ended, the technology or materials used in it end up in your home, leading to things that are worse than the war.
12. The Pianist

Some decisions can affect an entire family, and it may lead to a life no one would want to live. No matter how mature a person becomes, they cannot simply forget their families. The movie is based on the life of a Polish Jewish pianist, namely Wladyslaw Szpilman. Those words that Adrien Brody, who plays the character, says, “I am cold,” will echo in your mind for days.
Though depressing movies keep it aside, there is hope in the Adrien Brody film. Like the yin and yang sign, you will see there are a few soldiers on the evil side who aren’t really evil. Some are just following orders; those orders may not be something these few good men would want to execute but they are bound by the rules.
11. Jojo Rabbit

There’s a kid in JoJo Rabbit who is trying to prove himself worthy of the junior section of the Hitler Youth. Played by Roman Griffin Davis, viewers will find his bond with his mother, played by Scarlett Johansson, is something many kids never get to experience. She is kind but also strict, in a way.
Those who have watched Fight Club will find one similarity with the popular Chuck Palhanuik story. It might seem like a jolly movie, but wait for the twist to happen. There is so much that Jojo had to go through but the viewers will realize that Jojo didn’t really realize what he has been going through. Life happens to all; it may happen early or late, but it sure happens.
10. No Country for Old Men

Javier Bardem is at his finest in No Country for Old Men. His character, Anton Chigurh, is the reason this film made it to the most depressing movies list. Even Josh Brolin, the one who plays Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, is a match for this psycho killer. We can actually feel the fear every time Javier Bardem is on the screen looking for what he is after. The coin-toss scene at the gas station is how you portray tension on the screen.
It’s a wild west but in modern times. There is money and death follows every corner, especially where Javier Bardem’s Anton Chigurh goes. There is so much violence in it, and that is what starts to feel overwhelming. Also, the life of a hitman like Anton Chigurh, at some point, will coerce the viewers to find empathy for him.
9. There Will be Blood

Greed is everywhere; there is no protagonist in the movie. Everyone is trying to suck whatever they can and fulfill their desires. There is a dark side to those preachers that we usually see as someone sent by God himself. Daniel Day-Lewis’s character uncovers it, however, not in a heroic way. For what it’s worth, this is one of those depressing movies that will leave you a bit disturbed.
He plays Daniel Plainview and showcases substantial growth wealth-wise. Paul Dano is the preacher named Eli, a character seldom seen on screen. Now that movie doesn’t really convey a message that preachers are like that, but then it tells us that no one is really a divine being, especially in the times we are living. It is a capitalist world, and capital is what speaks.
8. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

That’s not a movie you expect someone like Jim Carrey to be in, but that is what makes him more than a comic actor. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind follows Joel Barish, who wants to forget the girl who used to be his girlfriend, Clementine, played by Kate Winslet. Jim Carrey is known for how he has overcome depression throughout the years; viewers can kind of see how those years might have been for him.
It is the moment when we finally want to forget someone and find a way to do it; chaos follows. In the end, we will realize that we simply don’t want to do that. The technology in the movie is used to brainwash people who don’t want to live with certain kinds of memories.
7. A Serbian Film

To what extent would someone go to secure the financial future of his/her family? A Serbian Film follows a pornographic actor whose wife is being eyed by lusty energies. There is some actual gore in the film and it reveals what kind of stuff goes into making such kinds of films. Even if someone is not willing to do things, they have to do them. Death may follow.
While the end may stick in your mind for a long time, it won’t be long until a viewer realizes that it is truly necessary to do certain things to keep the family’s future secured. In fact, many may say to themselves that a low-paying job would be better. At least the family won’t suffer. It should be at the top of the depressing movies list but then there’s still a contender to it. A warning to any who may seek out A Serbian Film after reading this list, it’s not for the faint-hearted and has been banned in multiple countries for good reason. Watch with caution.
6. Saw (2004)

Among those depressing movies, this one is something of a cinematic marvel too. Not because of the sequences or the visuals, but because it was shot in a room and that too in a budget that most directors simply cannot work with. But it’s what is in the mind that matters the most.
Saw revolves around the ‘Jigsaw Killer’, a serial killer who has grown infamous due to his method of laying fancy (and deadly) traps for his victims. Those who have seen Saw movies know who the real victim is and suddenly a thought may pop: ‘They deserve it’. If there is no hell, the Jigsaw Killer made one for his victims.
5. The Purge (2013)

The only unsettling thing in The Purge that landed it on the most depressing movies list would be the unfortunate outcomes of decisions we make to help others, but the concept of it is equally fascinating as an insight into the criminal aspect of our world. It’s an ‘Independence Day’ for them if it ever comes to fruition. The government allows everyone to do whatever they want to do for a single day, with all crime outlawed otherwise. That includes murder, rape, and all kinds of criminal activities.
A family, fully secured from the outside influences of The Purge, finds themselves in a dilemma. They can either defend a man who a few gang members are seeking to kill or hand him over to be sacrificed. The choices they make eventually lead to certain deaths, and there’s a hidden danger they won’t realize is there all the time.
4. Zodiac (2007)

The very first reason to watch Zodiac is the ultimate genius duo from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Robert Downey Jr., and Mark Ruffalo. But don’t expect any high-octane action scenes but the mystery of this killer these guys are trying to uncover. Add Jake Gyllenhaal to this story, and it was a delight.
It is based on a true story and, interestingly, the Zodiac Killer, the central character in the movie, hasn’t been identified to this date, but this movie may give an idea as to who might be the face behind those serial killings that challenged the very existence of what we call the law.
3. The Lighthouse (2019)

Modern stars in a black-and-white setting trying to get through their shifts in a lighthouse in The Lighthouse. Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson are the keepers, and as the story advances, several episodes of hallucinations and chaos follow. Loneliness is at the heart of the film, which is why it is among the most depressing movies that have been released to date.
What would one do if the companion already appeared to be an insane person? The viewers will know who is the insane among the two but still question if they are right. More than loneliness, it is about survival. Yes, a lighthouse can provide a breathtaking view of the sea, but it won’t be enough to keep one sane.
2. Shutter Island

Another masterpiece starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo. The characters they played, Edward Daniels and Chuck Aule (there’s more to it when you’ll see it), respectively, are exploring an asylum that holds the criminally insane. Throughout Shutter Island, Edward is seen struggling with his own mental issues involving his wife.
Like many of those twisted and depressing movies, the plot will reveal that the series of events that both partners go through isn’t really what it looks like. It could end up in disappointment for some but leave a mark on that viewer as to how the director was playing with their minds all along. Thankfully, DiCaprio and Ruffalo’s presence makes it a bit less depressing.
1. The Mist (2007)

The Mist has one of the most unique and yet twisted plots fans have ever seen. The story revolves around a phenomenon that is described as mist and deadly creatures are lurking in it. It is really unpredictable when a tentacle will appear out of the and stab through a person’s heart, leaving him dead.
The ending is something where all the chaos that happened throughout the story will be deemed unnecessary, that is why I am putting this on the top of my most depressing movies list. When a person doesn’t see a way, that person will often do things that will eventually lead to the realization that they would be better off doing nothing.
For more Thumb Wars film coverage, check out our list of films that were somehow worse than Kraven the Hunter, or how about the best films ever, according to critics?
Anurag Batham is a Writer at Thumb Wars zeroed in on video games but will also throw himself up on anything in association with anime and cinema. As with his favorite video games, give him anything with a linear story, be it Call of Duty or Braid, and he will be happy. He think of stories as food and wants to feed his readers something nutritious, food for thought.