Best movies like The Patriarch
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
It is the 1960s. Two Maori families, the Mahanas and the Poatas, make a living shearing sheep on the east coast of New Zealand. The two clans, who are bitter enemies, face each other as rivals at the annual sheep shearing competitions. Simeon is a 14-year-old scion of the Mahana clan. A courageous schoolboy, he rebels against his authoritarian grandfather Tamihana and his traditional ways of thinking and begins to unravel the reasons for the long-standing feud between the two families. Before long, the hierarchies and established structures of the community are in disarray because Tamihana, who is as stubborn as he is proud, is not prepared to acquiesce and pursue new paths.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 998
Genere: Drama
Country: New Zealand
Duration: 103 min
Plot tags: psychological, sincere, captivating, disturbing
Best tv shows and movies like The Patriarch (2016):
Similar in 79%
Starlight Hotel (1987)
Plot Summary:
During the Great Depression, Kate (Greer Robson) is a 13-year-old girl living on New Zealand's South Island. When her mother dies and her father is offered a job in Wellington on North Island, Kate is sent to live with an aunt. The girl runs away to find her father, hopping onto a boxcar and befriending a fellow fugitive, Patrick (Peter Phelps), an emotionally battle-scarred WWI veteran fleeing the authorities after injuring a repo man. Pretending to be father and daughter, Patrick and Kate use each other for cover as they make their way across New Zealand, sleeping under the stars and championing the rights of destitute farmers and homeless squatters whose fortunes have been wiped out by economic hardship.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 265
Genere: Drama
Country: New Zealand
Duration: 93 min
Plot tags: independent film
Similar in 81%
The Falls (2021)
Plot Summary:
After having to quarantine together during COVID-19, a mother and daughter are forced to confront their personal obstacles and relationship tensions.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama
Country: Taiwan
Duration: 129 min
Plot tags: psychological, captivating, disturbing
Similar in 85%
The Etruscan Smile (2018)
Plot Summary:
Relative newcomers Oded Binnun and Mihal Brezis are directing from a script by Michael McGowan, Sarah Bellwood and Michal Lali Kagan. The story follows tough old Scotsman Rory MacNeil as he travels from his home in the remote island of Vallasay, Scotland to San Francisco. Seeking treatment for a terminal illness the colorful character stays with his son and his family. Rory finds his precious days left alive transformed as he bonds with his American grandson. Based on the Spanish novel La sonrisa etrusca by José Luis Sampedro, the story's setting has been shifted from Italy to the US.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 107 min
Plot tags: psychological, captivating, disturbing
Similar in 80%
Beyond the Horizon (2019)
Plot Summary:
Summer '76, there's a heatwave and the Swiss countryside is drying out at top speed. In this stifling environment, Gus who is thirteen years old and son of a farmer, sees both his family environment and his innocence relentlessly breaking. He's living the end of a world.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 473
Genere: Drama
Country: Switzerland, Belgium
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: captivating
Similar in 90%
Murmur of the Hearts (2015)
Plot Summary:
Not Louis Malle's classic but the latest from director Sylvia Chang who, after years of absence from the helm, digs deep into her Taiwanese roots to tell a story about growing up, and letting go. Isabella Leong plays an uncertain painter, Mei, who drifted apart from her tour guide brother after leaving Liudau, the off-shore island of Taiwan, with their mother. Mei falls for an underachieving boxer, and begins years of soul searching in the city, where the siblings reunite under unexpected circumstances. What was remembered and forgotten are lessons that have profound consequences in this emotional drama.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 405
Genere: Drama
Country: Hong Kong, Taiwan
Duration: 119 min
Plot tags: psychological, sincere, captivating, disturbing, entertaining
Similar in 89%
The Deflowering of Eva van End (2012)
Plot Summary:
The ugly duckling of a fraught middle-class household has her life turned upside-down by the arrival of a handsome German exchange student, in this caustic, absurdist satire of petit-bourgeois family life from Dutch director Michiel ten Horn. (TIFF).
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 941
Genere: Drama
Country: Netherlands
Duration: 98 min
Plot tags: psychological, sincere, captivating
Similar in 86%
Little Girl Blue (2007)
Plot Summary:
Julie is a woman who seemingly has everything. A handsome husband, teenage daughter and a thriving, undemanding job as a translator and now even a new dream house ... But she also has a secret that is slowly changing her idyllic life.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 491
Genere: Drama
Country: Czech Republic, Slovakia
Duration: 93 min
Plot tags: sincere, captivating
Similar in 84%
I Am Potential (2015)
Plot Summary:
A father's journey to help his blind and wheel-chair bound son to overcome impossible odds and allow the world to see his God-given potential.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 253
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: psychological, captivating, disturbing, christian film
Similar in 90%
Life of Josutty (2015)
Plot Summary:
Life of Josutty narrates the story of the struggles and life lessons learned by Josutty(Dileep), a simple farmer living in a village in Kerala who migrates to New Zeland after marriage.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 910
Genere: Drama
Country: India
Duration: 166 min
Plot tags: captivating
Similar in 85%
Miracle That We Met (2018)
Plot Summary:
A man dies in a car crash, but awakes with the spirit of another person. He becomes the head of two families and he agonizes over his two different wives.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 153
Genere: Drama
Country: South Korea
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: sincere, captivating, disturbing
Similar in 87%
My People, My Homeland (2020)
Plot Summary:
In different parts of rural China, various people explore what makes their communities unique.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Drama
Country: China
Duration: 153 min
Plot tags: social, psychological, thought provoking, captivating, disturbing
Similar in 80%
My SO Has Got Depression (2011)
Plot Summary:
Mikio is a married man and works hard for the company where he is employed. Then one day Mikio is diagnosed with depression. Mikio's wife is Haruko. They have been married for 5 years. Haruko draws comics for work, but they do not sell well. She mainly relied on Mikio for support. Meanwhile, Haruko did not notice any changes in her husband. She begins to blame herself for not noticing any signs. Mikio's depression derived from his work. His company has been pressing him to quit the company. After Mikio quits his job his condition improves, but the dynamics of their relationship changes.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 712
Genere: Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 121 min
Plot tags: psychological, tense, captivating, uplifting, crying
Similar in 88%
The Days I Lost (2021)
Plot Summary:
It's about a man that gets tired of his meaningless life and finds a way to escape from it pretending to be dead.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 47
Genere: Drama
Country: Mexico
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: psychological, sincere, captivating
Similar in 79%
Closed Note (2007)
Plot Summary:
Kae Horii moves into her new flat in an undisclosed area of Kyoto. While unpacking her belongings, she discovers a hidden compartment behind a inconspicuous mirror. In that compartment, Kae finds a notebook, that turns out to be a diary belonging to the previous tenant. Later that evening Kae starts to read the diary. The writer of the diary is Ibuki Mano, a young lady about to embark on her first year as an elementary school teacher. Ibuki is also in love with a man named Takashi, who may or may not hold similar feelings for Ibuki.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 411
Genere: Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 138 min
Plot tags: psychological, romantic, captivating, disturbing
Similar in 87%
Tangle (2009)
Plot Summary:
Tangle is an Australian drama series for the Showcase subscription television channel. It focuses on the tangled lives of two generations of two families. Tangle is filmed in Melbourne and first screened on 1 October 2009. It is written by Fiona Seres, Tony McNamara and Judi McCrossin, and directed by Jessica Hobbs, Matthew Saville and Stuart McDonald. There has so far been 3 seasons. Episodes of Tangle are now going to be shown on Foxtel channel, SoHo.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 728
Genere: Drama
Country: Australia
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: psychological, tense, captivating, disturbing
Similar in 78%
The Ordinary World (2015)
Plot Summary:
A TV serialization of the classic Chinese novel 'Ordinary World'.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 15
Genere: Drama
Country: China
Duration: 40 min
Plot tags: psychological, sincere, captivating
Similar in 80%
My Father's Violin (2022)
Plot Summary:
Through their shared grief and connection to music, an orphaned girl bonds with her emotionally aloof, successful violinist uncle.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Drama
Country: Turkey
Duration: 112 min
Plot tags: sincere, psychological, captivating, suspense, disturbing
Similar in 89%
Once Were Warriors (1994)
Plot Summary:
A drama about a Maori family lving in Auckland, New Zealand. Lee Tamahori tells the story of Beth Heke’s strong will to keep her family together during times of unemployment and abuse from her violent and alcoholic husband.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 36000
Genere: Crime, Drama
Country: New Zealand
Duration: 102 min
Plot tags: disturbing, brutal, depressing, controversial, sincere, emotional, realistic, dark, existential, powerful
Similar in 79%
After the Waterfall (2010)
Plot Summary:
A forest ranger is haunted by the disappearance of his four-year-old daughter, and the subsequent breakup of his marriage. He discovers his ex-wife Ana is pregnant to the policeman in charge of his missing daughter's case.
IMDB Rating: 5.7
IMDB Votes: 258
Genere: Drama
Country: New Zealand
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: psychological, captivating, suspense, disturbing
Similar in 76%
The Auction (2013)
Plot Summary:
Gaby owns a farm on which he raises lambs: Bouchard & Sons Farm. But he has no sons. Rather, he has two daughters that he raised like princesses and who live far away, in the big city. One day, the oldest asks him for some financial support so she doesn't end up losing her house.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 759
Genere: Drama
Country: Canada
Duration: 111 min
Plot tags: touching, realistic, sentimental, serious, contemplative, psychological, captivating
Similar in 76%
Shouting Secrets (2011)
Plot Summary:
Shouting Secrets is a hopeful and heartwarming, universal story taking place in a present day Native American family. It's a story that is at once about the constancy and the fragility of love, as well as the importance of family.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 220
Genere: Drama
Country: USA, Switzerland
Duration: 88 min
Plot tags: sincere, serious, captivating, realistic, independent film, interesting
Similar in 79%
The Choice (2015)
Plot Summary:
A childless couple struggle in the aftermath of a sexual assault leaves the woman pregnant.
IMDB Rating: 5.5
IMDB Votes: 297
Genere: Drama
Country: Italy
Duration: 86 min
Plot tags: psychological, captivating, suspense, disturbing
Similar in 90%
Hanging Garden (2005)
Plot Summary:
On the surface, the Kyobashis appear to be a happy family. Despite a family agreement that they are all open with each other, the entire household knows the opposite is true.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 930
Genere: Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 114 min
Plot tags: psychological, captivating, disturbing, sincere, poignant
Similar in 75%
Putham Pudhu Kaalai (2020)
Plot Summary:
Putham Pudhu Kaalai brings together 5 of the most celebrated directors in Tamil cinema - Sudha Kongara, Gautham Menon, Suhasini Mani Ratman, Rajiv Menon, and Karthik Subbaraj to create Amazon Prime Video's first Indian anthology film.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama
Country: India
Duration: 129 min
Plot tags: anthology, psychological, captivating, disturbing
Similar in 83%
Interlude (2016)
Plot Summary:
Sofia, recently separated, takes her daughters to a small coastal town. Each one in their own universe, live the interlude as a challenge to free themselves and face their fears.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 19
Genere: Drama
Country: Argentina
Duration: 80 min
Plot tags: psychological, captivating, suspense, disturbing, independent film
Similar in 82%
Breadcrumbs (2016)
Plot Summary:
When Liliana decides to return to Uruguay she will have to face up to a new dilemma, perhaps the last great dilemma of her life: To choose between supporting a collective case for female prisoners, raped during the time of the dictatorship, or to reconcile with her son and be able to live peacefully as a mother and a grandmother.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 100
Genere: Drama
Country: Spain, Uruguay
Duration: 109 min
Plot tags: psychological, sincere, captivating, disturbing
Similar in 79%
We Only Know So Much (2018)
Plot Summary:
A married woman has an affair with a suicidal lover while caring for her husband's sick relatives.
IMDB Rating: 4.9
IMDB Votes: 165
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 88 min
Plot tags: psychological, captivating, disturbing
Similar in 90%
Not by Bread Alone (2005)
Plot Summary:
During the post-WW2 reconstruction in Russia, bald-headed technocrat Drozhdov equates communism with the empowerment of the ordinary man over the arrogant "specialness" of genius. Dedicated scientist Lopatkin takes refuge in Moscow with the potty, brilliant old inventor Busko. Lopatkin works tirelessly on his invention, embarking on a roller-coaster of rejection and acceptance, his work vilified, plucked apart and plagiarized by colleagues, particularly by his nemesis Drozhdov. Drozhdov's wife Natasha, alienated from her cold, controlling husband, is increasingly drawn to Lopatkin, whom she knew when they both taught at the same school. Soon she runs away from her husband and happily keeps house for the two absent-minded ex-professors Lopatkin and Busko. Natasha is ready to give Lopatkin her own life, love and faith. Lopatkin is eager to sacrifice his life for the idea, doing the utmost for his motherland.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 146
Genere: Drama
Country: Russia
Duration: 112 min
Plot tags: psychological, captivating, disturbing
Similar in 90%
La casa delle donne (2003)
Plot Summary:
It all begins in 1919 in the countryside surrounding Bari, Apulia. From a rich farmer and his three concubines(two of them the sisters of his handyman and the third his maid) a complicated family is formed, in which paternity and maternity is occasionally uncertain. Twenty years later, the eldest of the group weds and flees to Bari. The rest of the relatives move - not only to the same city - but into the same building. Furthermore, the "tribe" expands with the addition of the in-laws of the first-born.
IMDB Rating: 5.6
IMDB Votes: 30
Genere: Drama
Country: Italy
Duration: 98 min
Plot tags: psychological, captivating, suspense, disturbing
Similar in 81%
Chronicle of a Blood Merchant (2015)
Plot Summary:
Set in a village right after the Korean War, poor but good-hearted Heo Sam-gwan sets out to win the most beautiful girl in the village, Heo Ok-ran, by selling his blood to earn money. Years later, the two are happily married with three children, but their family undergoes a crisis when Sam-gwan's eldest son doesn't resemble him and rumors spread about the boy's paternity.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 709
Genere: Drama
Country: South Korea
Duration: 124 min
Plot tags: psychological, captivating, disturbing