Anyone can craft a story and slap a twist at the end to thrill and shock audiences. But, very few storytellers are able to create a film that is as engaging upon rewatch as it was the first time around. Psychological thrillers rely heavily on twists, turns and plot mechanics. This makes them watchable and surprising, but ultimately disposable.
More so than other genres, a psychological thriller that can be just as enjoyable (or even more so) upon a second or third watch is rare. Despite being few and far between, excellent and rewatchable psychological thrillers are out there.These films succeed due to a richness of character and a depth of quality that never gets tired.
15’Fear' (1996)
Directed by James Foley
16-year-old Nicole (Reese Witherspoon) lives a comfortable upper-middle-class life with her family in Seattle. While out at a local coffee shop, she meets David (Mark Wahlberg), who is charming and handsome. She instantly falls for him and the pair strike up a relationship, much to the dismay of Nicole’s father, Steven (William Petersen). There is something about David that Steven doesn’t trust, and his worst fears are soon realized when David becomes possessive and dangerous.
Despite its melodrama and occasional cheesiness,Fearultimately succeeds by capitalizing on the very relatable terror of putting one’s trust in the wrong person. The film, which was the first starring role for young Boston ‘rapper’ Mark Wahlberg, is grounded by its very real portrayals of control and coercion in relationships. Panned by critics upon its release,Fearis far from the best psychological thrillerof the 90s. But, the magnetism of Witherspoon and Wahlberg in their early starring roles, andthe intrigue of the plot are the perfect recipe for a rewatchable guilty pleasure.
14’Copycat' (1995)
Directed by Jon Amiel
Dr. Helen Hudson (Sigourney Weaver) is a widely respected criminal psychologist and serial killer expert. After giving a lecture at a local university, Helen is attacked in the public bathroom by one of her previous subjects, who has broken out of prison. Although she manages to escape the attack with her life, she is deeply traumatized and develops a phobia of leaving her home. When a serial killer begins terrorizing San Francisco, the detectives in charge of the case turn to Helen for help.
One would be hard-pressed to name a more iconic pair than the 1990s and high-concept serial killer thrillers. WhileCopycatmay not rank as highly as some of its peers for quality, it certainly packs a punch. Sigourney Weaver and co-starHolly Hunterbring gravitas and credibility with their performances, which are heightened byCopycat’s mean streak. Although the film was released on the heels ofThe Silence of the LambsandSe7en,Copycathas enough of its own DNA to feel original.
13’The Game' (1997)
Directed by David Fincher
Despite being wealthy and wildly successful in banking, Nicholas Van Orton (Michael Douglas) lives a stale and lonely life. Nicholas is apprehensive about his upcoming birthday as it will be his 48th, making him the same age as his father was when he died. For his birthday, Nicholas' eccentric brother Conrad (Sean Penn) gives him a voucher for a mysterious ‘game’, which requires participants to undergo an extensive pre-approval process. Although Nicholas is told he hasn’t been approved to play, strange events begin to unfold which lead him to think otherwise.
One ofDavid Fincher’s lesser-appreciated filmsis ironically one of his more accessible.The Gameis less subversive thanFight Club, and more family-friendly thanSeven. But, despite the film’s more mainstream palatability, the 1997 psychological thriller was barely a lukewarm success at the time of its release. It isn’t surprising thatThe Gamenow has cult classic status.With twists and turns functioning as an integral part of the film’s plotting and storytelling, multiple viewings of the film could all yield different theories or discoveries.
12’Se7en' (1995)
Retirement is just around the corner when Detective Somerset (Morgan Freeman) receives a new partner, Detective Mills (Brad Pitt). Together the pair get to work on their first murder case, involving a man who was force-fed until death. Soon after, more deeply strange and highly planned murders occur throughout the city, and they all seem to be connected.
On its face, a bleak and viscera-laden procedural about a religious zealot turned serial killer doesn’t sound particularly appealing. And yet, the combination ofSe7en’s taut screenplay, fastidious direction, and unsavory production design is akin to lightning in a bottle. The success ofDavid Fincher’s psychological thriller comes from its ability to get out of its own way. While the plot is fascinating and intricate, it never overshadows the film’s poignant and well-drawn characters and the thematic questions atSeven’s heart.Se7en’s enduring legacyis proof that its quality doesn’t diminish over the course of rewatch after rewatch. However, the sickening details of the 90’s classic, enhanced by sublime performances from character actors likeLeland Orser,make for an unpleasant, albeit rewarding, rewatch.
11’Single White Female' (1992)
Directed by Barbet Schroeder
When she learns that her fiancé has been cheating on her with his ex-wife, Allie (Bridget Fonda) breaks off the engagement and kicks him out of her apartment. Now alone and in need of some help with the bills, Allie advertises for a roommate. She settles on an applicant named Hedra (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and the pair become friendly. But soon after moving in, Allie starts to notice strange occurrences around the apartment and even stranger behavior from Hedra.
In a decade of stern and earnest thrillers,Single White Femaleemerged as a brassy and absurd salve to the seriousness of the genre. Whether this was the intention of the filmmakers is up for debate, but what is certain is that the combination of a campy plot and fantastic female leads resulted in a B-grade film with A-grade rewatchability.
Single White Female 2: The Psycho
10’Prisoners' (2013)
Directed by Denis Villeneuve
Suburban families, the Dovers and the Birches, have been friends and neighbors for years, and regularly spend Thanksgiving together. On one such holiday, the youngest daughter of each family leaves Thanksgiving lunch to retrieve a toy from the other family’s home. Despite it being a short walk, the girls don’t return, and it’s presumed they’ve been kidnapped. Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) is assigned to the case, but his investigation isn’t going far enough for Dover patriarch, Keller (Hugh Jackman). Keller instead takes matters into his own hands and begins a vigilante investigation into his daughter’s disappearance.
Prisonersis a complicated film that isn’t for the faint of heart. Exploring grief, revenge, the limitations and flaws of police powers and the perils of violence and obsession,the Denis Villeneuve film is not a crowdpleaser. But, films don’t need to be pleasing or easy to merit multiple viewings. The plot ofPrisonersis actually more complicated than the film’s patient pace and balanced visuals would initially imply.RewatchingPrisonersenriches the storytelling and allows viewers to appreciate the exceptional filmmaking without worryingand puzzling about how the film will end.
9’The Lighthouse' (2019)
Directed by Robert Eggers
It’s the 1890s when Ephraim (Robert Pattinson) begins a four-week assignment as a lighthouse keeper on a small island off the New England coast. Overseeing him is the strict and eccentric senior lighthouse keeper, Thomas (Willem Dafoe). With only each other for company, tensions rise and Ephraim’s grip on reality dwindles.
Filmed in an aspect ratio as claustrophobic as its setting,The Lighthousepresents an icy and frantic portrait of isolation. Subjects within this portrait include the creeping dread that comes from cohabiting with a stranger, the desperation derived from loneliness, and the mercilessness of the sea. Despite its limited aspect ratio, black-and-white palette, and minimal characters,The Lighthousegives audiences a lot to unpack. The beauty ofRobert Eggers' psychological thriller is in its ambiguity. Ten viewings ofThe Lighthousecould yield ten entirely different interpretations. The artful ambiguity is one of many reasons that Eggers is a fascinating filmmaker to watch.
The Lighthouse
8’Duel' (1971)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
David (Dennis Weaver) is an LA salesman driving across the state for a business trip. While passing through the Mojave Desert, David encounters a rusty truck driving slowly in front of him. When he overtakes the truck, he instigates a bout of road rage that results in a desert car chase.
It’s rewarding to watch the early work of a master and revel in the greatness that existed even then. This satisfaction is what makesDuelso rewatchable. Before he gave an entire generation a phobia of the beach,Steven Spielberg utilized his skillsas a storyteller to turn a simple act of road rage into an inescapable horror. The ability to turn a small ‘what if’ into a feature-length exercise in tension and panic was early evidence of the skill audiences have come to know Spielberg for.
7’Misery' (1990)
Directed by Rob Reiner
Paul Sheldon (James Caan) is a successful author. Although Victorian romance novels featuring protagonist Misery Chastain have defined his career, he’s ready to move on to more ‘serious’ writing. With the manuscript for his final Misery Chastain book in hand, he travels from his Colorado cabin to his home in New York. On the way there, a blizzard causes him to crash, and he is rescued by a local nurse named Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates) who is his number one fan.
While it isn’t the flashiest or most action-packed psychological thriller,Miseryhas carved out its place in the genre’s hall of fame through the sheer might of its performancesand its sparse but staggering brutality. Slight in comparison to the spectacle of otherStephen Kingadaptations,Miseryrevels in the dangers of intimacy and the fragility of the border between love and obsession. While it isn’t the most pleasant film to watch,the magnetism of Caan and Batesin their respective roles is addictive, and ensures thatMiserynever gets old.
6’Predestination' (2014)
Directed by Michael Spierig and Peter Spierig
A time-travel agent (Ethan Hawke) works for a mysterious organization which aims to prevent mass disasters by influencing and protecting the historical timeline. He is assigned a final mission as part of his work for the organization, which involves finding and stopping an evasive criminal from killing thousands of people.
Predestinationhas to be seen to be believed, and seen many times to be appreciated. Few films have spun as many plates or juggled as many genres as this one-of-a-kind sci-fi from the Spierig brothers. If the intricacy of the plot isn’t a convincing enough reason to watchPredestinationover and over again, then the performances surely are. Ethan Hawke grounds the film, but Australian actorSarah Snookis the standout. Four years before her international breakout performance as Siobhan Roy inSuccession, Snook laid it all on the line for her role inPredestination. Her work in the science-fiction thriller is essential viewing for fans of the actor, and for sci-fi lovers more broadly.
