Best movies like The Public
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
An act of civil disobedience turns into a standoff with police when homeless people in Cincinnati take over the public library to seek shelter from the bitter cold.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 119 min
Plot tags: psychological, captivating, suspense, suspenseful, disturbing, motivational, dorama, political, complex
Best tv shows and movies like The Public (2018):
Similar in 85%
Under the Stars of Paris (2020)
Plot Summary:
Christine’s life has not been easy lately. Her lonely routine is divided between free food banks distributions and wandering the streets. On a cold winter night she founds Suli, an 8-year-old Eritrean boy, sobbing in front of her shelter. Christine understands that he is lost and has been separated from his mother. Bounded by their marginal condition, they embark together on an emotional journey to find Suli’s mother in the underground world of Paris.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 312
Genere: Drama
Country: France, Belgium
Duration: 86 min
Plot tags: captivating, suspense, disturbing
Similar in 90%
Trap (2015)
Plot Summary:
The story of the rebuilding of their lives by the survivors of the disaster caused by Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines, particularly focusing on the struggles of a mother who lost their children.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 235
Genere: Drama
Country: Philippines
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags: psychological, suspenseful, disturbing, weird
Similar in 88%
Vital Signs (2009)
Plot Summary:
Triggered by the death of a family member a young woman embarks on a singular journey of helping people who are about to die. The dying have nothing to lose and need lasting moments of intimacy that Simone finds herself willing to give at no cost. But Boris won't let her get away with it quite that easily. He realizes how well she hides behind those intense but short lived relationships. He won't hesitate to provoke her in a violent burst.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 242
Genere: Drama
Country: Canada
Duration: 88 min
Plot tags: psychological, thought provoking, captivating, suspense, disturbing, crying
Similar in 89%
Oscuro animal (2016)
Plot Summary:
Oscuro animal tells the story of three women forced to flee their homes in a war torn region in Colombia. Each of their journeys, marked by terror, takes them on a trek from the deep jungle to the outskirts of Bogotá, where they will gather new strength to start a new life.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 238
Genere: Drama
Country: Colombia, Argentina, Netherlands, Germany, Greece
Duration: 107 min
Plot tags: psychological, captivating, suspense, suspenseful, disturbing
Similar in 89%
Required Field (2016)
Plot Summary:
Serial killer 'NO1KNOWS' managed to elude the police for years. In fact they didn't even know he existed until, by chance, his video and audio recordings were found. By examining the recordings police were able to solve a number of murders around the world - although many men featured in the recordings were never found and it is unclear how many other victims there were since most of the video and audio recordings were destroyed (presumedly by NO1KNOWS himself).
IMDB Rating: 3.6
IMDB Votes: 36
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 71 min
Plot tags: tense, disturbing, unusual plot structure, suspense, suspenseful, contemplative
Similar in 84%
Needle Boy (2016)
Plot Summary:
Life has become unbearable for 23 year old Nick who is convinced that he's an evil person. Consequently, he shows up at Aarhus University with a gun in his pocket wanting to shoot his fellow students.
IMDB Rating: 4.9
IMDB Votes: 180
Genere: Drama
Country: Denmark
Duration: 76 min
Plot tags: psychological, tense, sincere, captivating, suspenseful, disturbing
Similar in 80%
Ballast (2008)
Plot Summary:
A single mother and her embattled son struggle to subsist in a small Mississippi Delta township. An act of violence thrusts them into the world of an emotionally devastated highway store owner, awakening the fury of a bitter and longstanding conflict.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 96 min
Plot tags: realistic, serious, psychological, emotional, captivating, suspense, southern gothic, sentimental, sincere, bleak
Similar in 79%
Entertainment (2015)
Plot Summary:
Set in the Mojave Desert, the film follows a broken-down comedian playing clubs across the Southwest, working his way to Los Angeles to meet his estranged daughter.
IMDB Rating: 5.7
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 103 min
Plot tags: psychological, captivating, suspense, disturbing, surreal, mumblecore, weird
Similar in 84%
The God Committee (2021)
Plot Summary:
Medicine, money and morality clash when a hospital's Heart Transplant Selection Committee has only minutes to decide which of three patients on the transplant list will receive a heart that has suddenly become available.
IMDB Rating: 5.8
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 98 min
Plot tags: psychological, tense, captivating, suspense, suspenseful, disturbing
Similar in 78%
The Street Where We Live (2019)
Plot Summary:
"I'm just two paychecks away from being on the street." In the aftermath of the nation's financial crisis, Mary, a single mom with two kids, finds herself faced with that exact situation when the factory where she works closes their doors for good. Providing for her children and keeping the family together, while also maintaining some form of dignity in the process, proves to be the hardest job that Mary will ever have.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 157
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: psychological, captivating, disturbing
Similar in 80%
Nocturnal Agony (2011)
Plot Summary:
A highly successful upper middle class woman with a loving family has her seemingly “perfect” world turned upside down when the hidden secrets from her past suddenly resurface, forcing her and her beloved mother into a painful examination of their lives, their relationship with one another, and their faith in God.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 65
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 111 min
Plot tags: psychological, tense, captivating, suspense, suspenseful, disturbing, christian film
Similar in 78%
Poppy Shakespeare (2008)
Plot Summary:
N has been a day patient at north London's Dorothy Fish day hospital for 13 years - her ambition is never to leave. Then she meets glamourous new patient Poppy Shakespeare, an ad agency receptionist convinced she's not mad.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 518
Genere: Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: psychological, tense, captivating, suspense, disturbing
Similar in 87%
The Guardian (2012)
Plot Summary:
After 16 years of imprisonment, 40-years-old Gogliko is released from jail. He doesn't exactly know what he did that deserved 16 years of jail time. A free man, a changed country awaits him. His personal life has drastically altered. His parents have passed and most of his friends have died during the Civil War period. Gogliko realizes that he will not be able to find his place in this "new" Georgia, only thing he has to do is to care about his passed friend's 16-years-old son.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 550
Genere: Drama
Country: Georgia
Duration: 93 min
Plot tags: psychological, thought provoking, captivating, suspense, disturbing
Similar in 90%
Ama (2021)
Plot Summary:
A portrait of the myth of maternity around the story of Pepa and her daughter, who are evicted from their home and forced to wander for a place to live with no support network.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 256
Genere: Drama
Country: Spain
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags: psychological, captivating, suspense, disturbing
Similar in 87%
Deiva Thirumagal (2011)
Plot Summary:
A mentally retarded man fights for custody of his 7-year-old daughter, and in the process teaches his opponent lawyer the value of love and family.
IMDB Rating: 8.2
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Drama
Country: India
Duration: 166 min
Plot tags: psychological, captivating, suspense, suspenseful, disturbing, sad
Similar in 84%
Forgive Us Our Debts (2018)
Plot Summary:
Threatened by creditors, a newly unemployed man agrees to work for a debt collector, but soon discovers his deal with the devil has unexpected costs.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama
Country: Italy, Switzerland, Albania, Poland
Duration: 104 min
Plot tags: psychological, sincere, captivating, suspense, disturbing
Similar in 78%
Skipping Stones (2020)
Plot Summary:
Nearly a decade after a tragic accident costs a young man his life, his sister, Amanda (Gabrielle Kalomiris) and best friend, David (Nathaniel Ansbach) are still peeling back the layers of grief and guilt that come with being left behind.
IMDB Rating: 5.1
IMDB Votes: 298
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 120 min
Plot tags: captivating, suspense, suspenseful, disturbing
Similar in 82%
Cops (2018)
Plot Summary:
Young and eager police recruit Chris shoots a mentally ill man on duty. He is celebrated a hero, but soon after, traumatic symptoms begin to surface. In a desperate attempt not to be exposed by his tough superior Konstantin, he resorts to excessive violence, in order to hide his trauma and fulfill his dream of becoming an elite cop.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 491
Genere: Drama
Country: Austria
Duration: 92 min
Plot tags: psychological, tense, captivating, suspense, disturbing
Similar in 76%
Young Adult Matters (2020)
Plot Summary:
Wandering around the streets, Sejin, a pregnant teen, gets to know Juyeong and reunites with Jaepil and Sinji. The four musketeers go through a series of misfortunes, bumping into masochistic/sadistic characters and experiencing the brutality and cruelty of the world. Nevertheless, their naivety and pureness to endure through the hardships of life will stir complex emotions that will question your judgment.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 529
Genere: Drama
Country: South Korea
Duration: 127 min
Plot tags: psychological, tense, captivating, suspense, disturbing
Similar in 88%
Critical Thinking (2020)
Plot Summary:
Based on a true story from 1998, five Latino and Black teenagers from the toughest underserved ghetto in Miami fight their way into the National Chess Championship under the guidance of their unconventional but inspirational teacher.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 117 min
Plot tags: motivational, psychological, thought provoking, captivating, contemplative, independent film
Similar in 80%
The Artist's Wife (2019)
Plot Summary:
Claire Smythson, wife of the renowned abstract artist Richard Smythson, is plunged into a late-life crisis when her husband is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and is in danger of not completing the paintings for his final show.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 324
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: psychological, captivating, suspense, disturbing
Similar in 81%
Listen (2020)
Plot Summary:
In the outskirts of London, Portuguese couple and parents of three, Bela and Jota, struggle to make ends meet. When a misunderstanding arises at school with their deaf daughter, the British social services grow concerned for the safety of their children. The film portrays the tireless battle of these immigrant parents against the law to keep their family together.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama
Country: Portugal, UK
Duration: 73 min
Plot tags: psychological, captivating, suspense, disturbing, social
Similar in 78%
The Animal's Wife (2016)
Plot Summary:
Colombian director Víctor Gaviria melds stark realism with nail-biting thrills in this story about a teenage girl who is kidnapped and forced into marriage with a ferocious shantytown thug.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 444
Genere: Drama
Country: Colombia
Duration: 120 min
Plot tags: psychological, captivating, suspense, disturbing
Similar in 85%
And Then I Go (2017)
Plot Summary:
Two teenage outsiders are demoralized daily at school, until an idea for vengeance offers them a terrifying release.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 99 min
Plot tags: suspense, unusual plot structure, psychological, thought provoking, suspenseful, disturbing, independent film, queer cinema
Similar in 87%
Feed (2017)
Plot Summary:
Olivia and Matthew Grey, 18-year-old twins born into a world of privilege and high expectations. There are almost no boundaries between them - even their dreams are connected.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: psychological, touching, tense, sincere, captivating, suspense, disturbing, cliffhanger, teen
Similar in 84%
Cradle Swapping (2017)
Plot Summary:
A young couple copes with the mysterious illness of their new baby only later to discover the baby they brought home from the hospital isn't theirs. So who has their baby?.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 346
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 88 min
Plot tags: sincere, touching, captivating, suspense, disturbing
Similar in 78%
Blackout (2007)
Plot Summary:
BLACKOUT takes you inside the personal journey of what went down and what it was really like in Brooklyn, NY on August 14. It examines the nature of man to take advantage of his own fellow man outside of normal conditions, in times of weakness and vulnerability.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 609
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, disturbing, psychological, bleak
Similar in 77%
Virgin 2: Not a Porn Movie (2009)
Plot Summary:
A friendship of two young girls, Tina and Nadya, who have fallen into dark professions. Friendships often come at a heavy price and end in tragic death, just when they want to change the course of their lives.
IMDB Rating: 5.6
IMDB Votes: 77
Genere: Drama
Country: Indonesia
Duration:
Plot tags: psychological, tense, captivating, suspense, suspenseful, disturbing
Similar in 78%
Tag (2015)
Plot Summary:
Billy is the self-designated leader of a group of teenagers living in a shelter. Jacob and Rae, Billy's oldest childhood friends, live there as well as part of "the family". Billy has an AIDs-like virus, which he has passed on to his blood brother Jacob. Billy and Rae are boyfriend and girlfriend, much to the dismay of Jacob who has always loved Rae from afar. Billy's philosophy of life, and how that interfaces with having a deadly virus, comes to a head when Billy and Jacob compete in a very unique game of "Tag", with the future of Rae and "the family" dependent upon the outcome.
IMDB Rating: 4.2
IMDB Votes: 280
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 91 min
Plot tags: psychological, tense, suspenseful, unusual plot structure, suspense, contemplative, grindhouse, independent film
Similar in 88%
Semper Fi (2019)
Plot Summary:
Cal is a dedicated cop who also serves as a sergeant in the Marine Corps Reserve. When his reckless half brother lands in jail for accidentally killing a man, Cal and his buddies hatch a plan to break him out of prison -- no matter what the cost.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Action, Drama, Thriller
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 99 min
Plot tags: psychological, tense, captivating, suspense, disturbing