Cynical movies and TV shows – page 2

List of cynical movies

Watch Trailers From This List to Choose a Movie
 6.8
 11K
Harper (1966)
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 121 min.
Story: Harper is a cynical private eye in the best tradition of Bogart. He even has Bogie's Baby hiring him to find her missing husband, getting involved along the way with an assortment of unsavory characters and an illegal-alien smuggling ring.
Style: neo noir, suspense, cynical, detective, psychological ...
Plot: private detective, murder, investigation, kidnapping, missing person, twists and turns, uncover truth, dishonesty, adultery, divorce, ransom, private investigator ...
Time: 60s, year 1966, 20th century
Place: los angeles, california, las vegas, usa
Is relevant ?
The Fortune Cookie (1966)
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 125 min.
Story: A cameraman is knocked over during a football game. His brother in law as the king of the ambulance chasing lawyers starts a suit while he's still knocked out. The cameraman is against it until he hears that his ex-wife will be coming to see ...
Style: humorous, witty, cynical, talky, melancholic ...
Plot: american football, lawyer, insurance fraud, surveillance, insurance, lawsuit, hospital, friendship, cons and scams, odd couple, workplace, crooked lawyer ...
Time: 20th century, year 1966, 60s
Place: cleveland ohio
Is relevant ?
 8.2
 92K
Skins (2007)
Genre: Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 46 min.
TV show
Story: Irreverent comedy drama which follows the messy lives, loves, delirious highs and inevitable lows of a group of raucous teenage friends in Bristol.
Style: captivating, cynical, realistic, semi serious, teen ...
Audience: teens, teen drama, adult
Plot: youth, teenage life, high school, sexual relations, friendship, high school life, friends, underage drinking, homosexual, looking for sex, party, gay ...
Time: 2000s, 2010s, 21st century
Place: england
Is relevant ?
 7.2
 9K
Battle Creek (2015)
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 44 min.
TV show
Story: In this mismatched buddy cop dramedy, an amazingly handsome, happy-go-lucky FBI agent is paired with a local, hard scrabble Michigan homicide detective. As they solve crimes together, their polar opposite methods only slightly outweigh their disdain ...
Style: detective, realistic, cynical, witty, exciting ...
Audience: boys' night
Plot: police detective, partners against crime, police partner, police station, murder investigation, police investigation, fighting crime, law enforcement, female boss, initially antagonists, friendship, fall in love ...
Time: 21st century
Place: michigan, usa
Is relevant ?
Related movie lists
biting movies
1509
witty movies
4558
dark humor movies
3562
Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (2012)
Genre: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 22 min.
TV show
Story: After a naive Midwestern girl's big city dreams are dashed her first week in New York, she finds herself living with her worst nightmare in this hilarious, contemporary comedy about a female odd couple who are surrounded by an outrageous cast ...
Style: sitcom, humorous, not serious, realistic, cynical ...
Audience: teens
Plot: roommate, odd couple, lifestyle change, lifestyle, sexual humor, city life, friends, troublemaker, everyday life, big city, friendship, urban ...
Time: 21st century
Place: new york, usa
Is relevant ?
Louis C.K.: Live at The Comedy Store (2015)
Genre: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 66 min.
Story: This material was developed and prepared over the last year or so, mostly in comedy clubs. This special kind of goes back to when he used to just make noises and be funny for no particular reason. It felt right to him to shoot this special in a club ...
Style: witty, cynical, funny, atmospheric, humorous ...
Plot: dark humor, honest, character study, culture clash, irreverent, dialogue, storytelling, family relations, society, family life, stand up comedy, comedy club ...
Time: 21st century
Place: usa, los angeles
Is relevant ?
Happy Tree Friends: Volume 1: First Blood (2002)
Genre: Animation, Comedy
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 110 min.
Story: They're cute, they're happy, they're cuddly, they love life, and they die in the most gruesome ways - every single episode. Meet Cuddles the rabbit, Flakey the dandruff-ridden porcupine, Sniffles the brainy anteater, Lumpy the moose, ...
Style: parody, not serious, cynical, humorous, witty ...
Audience: teens, boys' night
Plot: violence spree, violence, friendship, dark humor, danger, farce, disorder, imaginary, chaos and mayhem, hysteria, mole, gory ...
Time: 21st century
Is relevant ?
 8.4
 20K
Doc Martin (2004)
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: UK
Duration: 46 min.
TV show
Story: Doc Martin is a British television comedy drama series starring Martin Clunes in the title role. It was created by Dominic Minghella after the character of Dr. Martin Bamford in the 2000 comedy film Saving Grace. The show is set in the fictional ...
Style: witty, clever, sincere, cynical, humorous ...
Plot: doctor, village life, social relations, doctors and patients, treatment, medicine, teacher, surgery, responsibility, antisocial behavior, manners, hospital ...
Time: 2020s, 2000s, 2010s, 21st century
Place: england, cornwall, london, europe
Is relevant ?
 6.7
 2K
Tycoon (2002)
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: Russia, France, Germany
Duration: 123 min.
Story: During the Gorbachev years, Platon Makovski and his four buddies are university students who jump on the private capitalism movement. Fast-forward 20 years, Platon finds himself the richest man in Russia, having sacrificed his friends to get to the ...
Style: serious, cynical, suspenseful, realistic, political thriller ...
Plot: rise to the top, fighting the system, society, politics, betrayal, rise and fall, blind ambition, state affairs, life is a bitch, campaign, political corruption, student life ...
Place: russia
Is relevant ?
Maps to the Stars (2014)
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Mystery
Country: Canada, Germany, France, USA
Duration: 111 min.
Story: Driven by an intense need for fame and validation, members of a dysfunctional Hollywood family are chasing celebrity, one another and the relentless ghosts of their pasts.
Style: surreal, stylized, disturbing, cynical, independent film ...
Audience: teens
Plot: dysfunctional family, hollywood, mental illness, aspiring actor, child star, obsession, actress, satire, threesome, haunted by the past, menage a trois, fire ...
Time: year 2014, 21st century
Place: los angeles, california, usa, beverly hills
Is relevant ?
 7.5
 65K
The Player (1992)
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 124 min.
Story: A Hollywood studio executive is being sent death threats by a writer whose script he rejected - but which one?
Style: suspense, dark comedy, neo noir, clever, black comedy ...
Plot: hollywood, filmmaking, film industry, murder, police investigation, blackmail, showbiz, writers, movie business, satire, murder mystery, manipulation ...
Time: 20th century, year 1992, future, 90s
Place: los angeles, california, usa, pasadena california
Is relevant ?
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
Genre: Comedy, War
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 95 min.
Story: After the insane General Jack D. Ripper initiates a nuclear strike on the Soviet Union, a war room full of politicians, generals and a Russian diplomat all frantically try to stop the nuclear strike.
Style: black comedy, black and white, dark comedy, political, funny ...
Audience: chick flick
Plot: cold war, military, satire, nuclear war, nuclear threat, anti war, disaster, doomsday, nuclear holocaust, u.s. president, nuclear, president ...
Time: 20th century, 60s, year 1942
Place: soviet union, washington d.c., persia, united kingdom, britain ...
Is relevant ?
Related movie lists
 7.0
 149K
A Serious Man (2009)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: UK, France, USA
Duration: 106 min.
Story: A Serious Man is the story of an ordinary man's search for clarity in a universe where Jefferson Airplane is on the radio and F-Troop is on TV. It is 1967, and Larry Gopnik, a physics professor at a quiet Midwestern university, has just been ...
Style: dark comedy, black comedy, philosophical, ironic, cynical ...
Plot: midlife crisis, dysfunctional family, professor, rabbi, teacher, suburban life, divorce, marijuana, religion, mysticism, life, neighbor ...
Time: year 2009, 60s, 2000s, 90s, 20th century ...
Place: minnesota, usa, poland, bolivia, israel ...
Is relevant ?
 7.0
 12K
The Candidate (1972)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 110 min.
Story: Bill McKay is a candidate for the U.S. Senate from California. He has no hope of winning, so he is willing to tweak the establishment.
Style: political, witty, realistic, cynical, thought provoking ...
Plot: politics, election, american politics, father son relationship, campaign, satire, candidate, idealism, political campaign, underdog, political rally, president ...
Time: 20th century, 70s, year 1972
Place: california, usa, san francisco, san diego california
Is relevant ?
 8.1
 347K
Chinatown (1974)
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 130 min.
Story: Private eye Jake Gittes lives off of the murky moral climate of sunbaked, pre-World War II Southern California. Hired by a beautiful socialite to investigate her husband's extra-marital affair, Gittes is swept into a maelstrom of double ...
Style: neo noir, detective, atmospheric, twist ending, bleak ...
Audience: date night
Plot: private detective, corruption, investigation, femme fatale, rape, police, murder, conspiracy, domestic violence, father daughter incest, incest, investigator ...
Time: 20th century, 1930s, year 1974, year 1937
Place: los angeles, california, usa, eastern europe, america ...
Is relevant ?
 5.3
 49K
Bachelorette (2012)
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 87 min.
Story: Three friends are asked to be bridesmaids at a wedding of a woman they used to ridicule back in high school.
Style: light, funny, humorous, sexy, witty ...
Audience: girls' night, teens, chick flick
Plot: casual sex, bridesmaid, friendship, best friend, women, wedding, high school, nothing goes right, wedding dress, drunken woman, betrayal, stupidity ...
Time: year 2012, 21st century
Place: usa, new york
Is relevant ?
 8.1
 18K
Boss (2011)
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 56 min.
TV show
Story: Boss is an American political drama television serial created by Farhad Safinia. The series stars Kelsey Grammer as Tom Kane, the mayor of Chicago, who has recently been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative neurological disorder.
Style: serious, rough, captivating, clever, political ...
Audience: adult
Plot: politics, mayor, boss, ambition, political intrigue, career, mental illness, life is a bitch, dishonesty, power struggle, ambitious, corruption ...
Time: 21st century
Place: chicago, usa, illinois
Is relevant ?
 5.1
 74K
Showgirls (1995)
Genre: Drama
Country: France, USA
Duration: 128 min.
Story: A young drifter named Nomi arrives in Las Vegas to become a dancer and soon sets about clawing and pushing her way to become a top showgirl.
Style: sexy, erotic, sexual, realistic, sensual ...
Audience: chick flick, girls' night, adult
Plot: striptease, stripper, showbiz, erotica, sex, showgirl, rape, seduction, sex scene, pole dancing, nudity, lap dance ...
Time: 90s, 20th century
Place: las vegas, nevada, usa
Is relevant ?
Related movie lists
reflective movies
2585
harsh movies
4360
clever movies
7065
ironic movies
1443
Louis C.K. 2017 (2017)
Genre: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 74 min.
Story: Louis C.K. muses on religion, eternal love, giving dogs drugs, email fights, teachers and more in a live performance from Washington, D.C.
Style: humorous, cynical, light, intense, stylized ...
Plot: politics, greed, eccentricity, sarcasm, dark humor, stand up comedy, storytelling, workplace, obsession, runaway, depression, art ...
Is relevant ?
 6.8
 66K
Lolita (1997)
Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: France, USA
Duration: 137 min.
Story: Urbane professor Humbert Humbert marries a New England widow to be near her nymphet daughter.
Style: erotic, psychological, sexual, sexy, melancholic ...
Audience: teens, teen drama, adult
Plot: obsession, older man younger woman relationship, forbidden love, lolita, age difference, lust, sexuality, older man young girl relationship, pedophilia, incest, virginity, girl man relationship ...
Time: 1940s, 1950s, year 1947, 20th century, 1920s
Place: cannes, new england
Is relevant ?
Pretty Persuasion (2005)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 110 min.
Story: A 15-year-old girl incites chaos among her friends and a media frenzy when she accuses her drama teacher of sexual harassment.
Style: dark comedy, independent film, biting, cynical, stylized ...
Audience: teens, teen drama
Plot: lesbian, lesbian sex, adolescence, teenager, high school, coming of age, sexual harassment, false accusation, school, dysfunctional family, sex, stereotypes ...
Time: year 2005, 21st century
Place: los angeles, usa, beverly hills
Is relevant ?
 6.8
 23K
A Perfect Day (2015)
Genre: Comedy, Drama, War
Country: Spain
Duration: 106 min.
Story: Film about a group of aid workers trying to resolve a crisis in an armed conflict zone in the Balkans.
Style: political, cynical, melancholic, witty, humorous ...
Plot: volunteer, war zone, soldier, aid worker, translator, world politics, bosnian war, ethnic conflict, war, life philosophy, landmine, un ...
Time: year 2015, 90s, 20th century, year 1995
Place: bosnia herzegovina, former yugoslavia, balkan
Is relevant ?
 7.1
 77K
Whatever Works (2009)
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Country: USA, France
Duration: 93 min.
Story: Whatever Works explores the relationship between a crotchety misanthrope, Boris and a naïve, impressionable young runaway from the south, Melody. When Melody's uptight parents arrive in New York to rescue her, they are quickly drawn into ...
Style: philosophical, romantic, feel good, funny, cynical ...
Plot: older man younger woman relationship, age difference, suicide attempt, homosexual, lifestyle change, eccentricity, polyamory, love and romance, storytelling, unlikely couple, character change, social climbing ...
Time: year 2009, 21st century
Place: new york, usa, manhattan new york city
Is relevant ?
Related movie lists
 6.8
 35K
Igby Goes Down (2002)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA, Germany
Duration: 98 min.
Story: A young man's peculiar upbringing renders him unable to competently cope with the struggle of growing up.
Style: dark comedy, depressing, cynical, humorous, realistic ...
Audience: teens, teen drama
Plot: dysfunctional family, mental illness, coming of age, addiction, depression, existentialism, youth, dark humor, teenage life, eccentric family, eccentricity, character study ...
Time: year 2002, 2000s, 21st century
Place: california, chicago, new jersey, washington d.c., new york ...
Is relevant ?
 6.9
 2K
Diamond Men (2000)
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min.
Story: After 30 years on the road, a veteran jewellery salesman is forced to show his young replacement the tricks of the trade. But when the kid introduces him to the ladies of the "Altoona Riding Club," the old dog is introduced to a whole new ...
Style: touching, ironic, cynical, feel good, talky ...
Plot: aging, mentor, character study, self discovery, introspection, workplace situations, heist, partner, mentor protege relationship, prostitute, diamond, gambling ...
Time: 90s
Is relevant ?
How to Get Ahead in Advertising (1989)
Genre: Comedy, Fantasy
Country: UK
Duration: 90 min.
Story: Pressure from his boss and a skin-cream client produces a talking boil on a British adman's neck.
Style: satirical, dark comedy, ironic, cynical, enigmatic ...
Plot: advertising, workplace, business, satire, creativity, advertising agency, obsession, introspection, mental illness, body horror, anxiety, psychiatrist ...
Time: 20th century, year 1989, 80s
Place: paris france, jerusalem, russia
Is relevant ?
 5.7
 3K
Heathers (2018)
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 40 min.
TV show
Story: A pitch-black comedy anthology set in the present day, as our heroine Veronica Sawyer deals with a very different but equally vicious group of Heathers. Based on the 1988 cult classic film.
Style: ironic, dark, cynical, dark comedy, art house ...
Audience: teen drama
Plot: suicide, apathy, high school, sociopath, bullying, teenager, adolescence, dark humor, irreverence, violence, teenage love, social misfits ...
Is relevant ?
 7.2
 499K
American Hustle (2013)
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: USA, China
Duration: 138 min.
Story: A con man, Irving Rosenfeld, along with his seductive partner Sydney Prosser, is forced to work for a wild FBI agent, Richie DiMaso, who pushes them into a world of Jersey powerbrokers and mafia.
Style: clever, tense, period piece, suspense, intense ...
Audience: family friendly, teens, adult
Plot: partners in crime, fbi, mafia, organized crime, heist, cons and scams, political corruption, con artists, strip club, politics, sexual attraction, manipulation ...
Time: 70s, year 2013, 2010s, 90s, 20th century ...
Place: new jersey, usa, boston, atlantic city new jersey, new york ...
Is relevant ?
Raising Victor Vargas (2002)
Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: France, USA
Duration: 88 min.
Story: The film follows Victor, a Lower East Side teenager, as he deals with his eccentric family, including his strict grandmother, his bratty sister, and a younger brother who completely idolizes him. Along the way he tries to win the affections of Judy, ...
Style: touching, emotional, stylized, harsh, cynical ...
Audience: teens, date night
Plot: teenager, couples, coming of age, friendship, dysfunctional family, relationships, teenage love, love story, loneliness, family relations, youth, love and romance ...
Time: year 2002, 21st century
Place: new york, usa, dominican republic, manhattan new york city, lower east side manhattan new york city
Is relevant ?
 6.7
 22K
State and Main (2000)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 105 min.
Story: A Hollywood Film unit invades a small Vermont town leading to wholesale abandonment of values and virtue. A smart, warm and funny movie - and not just for movie buffs. Tagline: When a film crew came to Waterford, Vermont - They Shot First And Asked ...
Style: talky, feel good, humorous, funny, melancholic ...
Audience: date night
Plot: small town, hollywood, filmmaking, showbiz, greed, movie business, lifestyle, love and romance, small town life, disorder, couple relations, nothing goes right ...
Time: 20th century, year 2000, 90s
Place: new england, vermont
Is relevant ?
Watch Trailers From This List to Choose a Movie
Related movie lists