| Inside I'm Dancing (2004) | 7.7 | |
| Rocky (1976) | 8.1 | |
| The Machinist (2004) | 7.6 | |
| Crazy Heart (2009) | 7.2 | |
| Black Swan (2010) | 8.0 |
Character study movies and TV shows – page 7
Best films
New films
List of character study movies
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, atmospheric, funny, humorous ...
Plot:
dark humor, character study, honest, culture clash, irreverent, storytelling, dialogue, family life, family relations, society, stand up comedy, comedian ...
Time:
21st century
Place:
usa, los angeles
Is relevant?
Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 101 min.
Story:
An original mix of fiction and reality illuminates the life of comic book hero everyman Harvey Pekar.
Style:
realistic, stylized, dark comedy, independent film, clever ...
Plot:
writer's life, artist, biopic, depression, superhero, art, antisocial behavior, loser, comic book, writers, character study, childhood ...
Time:
20th century, year 2003, 2000s, 60s, 70s ...
Place:
usa, ohio, new york, cleveland ohio
Is relevant?
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Country: France, Italy, Spain
Duration: 102 min.
Story:
In Luis Buñuel’s deliciously satiric masterpiece, an upper-class sextet sits down to dinner but never eats, their attempts continually thwarted by a vaudevillian mixture of events both actual and imagined.
Style:
atmospheric, disturbing, surreal, biting, satirical ...
Plot:
farce, bourgeoisie, high society, social commentary, absurdism, satire, social satire, surrealism, dark humor, decadence, dinner, dream ...
Time:
70s, 20th century, year 1972
Place:
europe, paris france, france, spain
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: Canada, Ireland, Egypt
Duration: 90 min.
Story:
In Cairo on her own as she waits for her husband, Juliette finds herself caught in a whirlwind romance with his friend Tareq, a retired cop. As Tareq escorts Juliette around the city, they find themselves in the middle of a brief affair that catches ...
Style:
touching, emotional, heartbreaking, romantic, serious ...
Audience:
date night
Plot:
passion, love, infidelity, tourist, marriage, character study, fall in love, dishonesty, couples, love and romance, chess, passionate love ...
Time:
1920s, 21st century
Place:
egypt, middle east, africa, alexandria egypt, cairo egypt ...
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: France
Duration: 84 min.
Story:
Alice, fired from her job on an assembly line, leaves her boyfriend and provincial home for an uncertain new life in Lyon. There she encounters Bruno, a construction worker who's just been dumped and is severely depressed. Romantic ...
Style:
melancholic, realistic, romantic drama, thought provoking, sex comedy ...
Plot:
loneliness, character study, female protagonist, working class, unemployment, social realism, slice of life, depression, hotel, resilience, seaside, job seeking ...
Time:
future
Place:
lyon, israel, canada, paris france
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: Belgium, France, Italy
Duration: 95 min.
Story:
Sandra is a young woman who has only one weekend to convince her colleagues they must give up their bonuses in order for her to keep her job — not an easy task in this economy.
Style:
sincere, independent film, depressing, serious, cerebral ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
depression, injustice, unemployment, working class, female protagonist, solidarity, loss of job, workplace, employer employee relationship, guilt, poverty, moral dilemma ...
Time:
year 2014, 90s, 2010s, 21st century
Place:
france, belgium, ethiopia, europe
Is relevant?
86K
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA, France
Duration: 90 min.
Story:
The quiet life of a beach bum is upended by dreadful news. He sets off for his childhood home to carry out an act of vengeance but proves an inept assassin and finds himself in a brutal fight to protect his estranged family.
Style:
neo noir, atmospheric, tense, suspenseful, independent film ...
Plot:
vengeance, violence, revenge, vigilante, vigilantism, murder, violent, brutality, car, storytelling, character study, haunted by the past ...
Time:
year 2013, 90s, 2010s, 21st century
Place:
virginia, ethiopia, usa, delaware
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 96 min.
Story:
Grace, a compassionate young supervisor at a foster care facility, works with her boyfriend and colleague, Mason, to help at-risk teens. But when a new charge dredges up memories of her own troubled past, Grace's tough exterior begins eroding.
Style:
compassionate, sad, sweet, realistic, touching ...
Audience:
teens, kids, teen drama, adult
Plot:
child abuse, social worker, depression, troubled teen, teenager, foster child, adolescence, suicide attempt, coming of age, mental illness, problem child, self harm ...
Time:
year 2013, y2k, 2010s, 21st century
Place:
los angeles, usa
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: USA, Netherlands
Duration: 105 min.
Story:
A teenage hustler and a young man obsessed with alien abductions cross paths, together discovering a horrible, liberating truth.
Style:
disturbing, lgbt cinema, depressing, independent film, psychological ...
Audience:
teens, chick flick, teen drama
Plot:
coming of age, child abuse, gay, sexual abuse, pedophilia, homosexuality, homosexual, child molestation, lgbtq, male rape, homosexual rape, youth ...
Time:
90s, year 2004, 2000s, near future, y2k ...
Place:
kansas, new york, usa
Is relevant?
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Country: Japan
Duration: 90 min.
Story:
An anthology of various tales told in various styles with robots being the one common element among them.
Style:
surreal, atmospheric, mecha, exciting, anime ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
giant robot, androids and robots, character study, multiple storylines, crime gone awry, robot, man versus machine, escapades, robot as menace, cyberpunk, imaginary, artificial intelligence ...
Time:
future, year 1987
Place:
japan, east asia, asia, tokyo
Is relevant?
128K
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 115 min.
Story:
An aging, booze-addled father takes a trip from Montana to Nebraska with his estranged son in order to claim what he believes to be a million-dollar sweepstakes prize.
Style:
road movie, black and white, depressing, humorous, meditative ...
Plot:
road trip, small town, dysfunctional family, aging, elderly, confronting the past, on the road, relationships, old age, obsessive quest, character study, honest ...
Time:
year 2013, 2010s, 21st century
Place:
montana, nebraska, usa, california
Is relevant?
554K
Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 123 min.
Story:
A biographical drama centered on the rivalry between Formula 1 drivers James Hunt and Niki Lauda during the 1976 Formula One motor-racing season.
Style:
inspirational, realistic, exciting, clever, visually stunning ...
Audience:
boys' night, adult
Plot:
racing, race car, car race, racecar driver, formula 1, success, rise to the top, motor sport, car racing, race, world champion, rivalry ...
Time:
70s, year 2013, 2010s, year 1970, year 1976 ...
Place:
europe, britain, vienna, japan, mount fuji ...
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: France, Belgium, Singapore
Duration: 120 min.
Story:
Put in charge of his young son, Ali leaves Belgium for Antibes to live with his sister and her husband as a family. Ali's bond with Stephanie, a killer whale trainer, grows deeper after Stephanie suffers a horrible accident.
Style:
sexy, sentimental, independent film, sad, touching ...
Audience:
date night, adult
Plot:
depression, disabled person, disability, sex, illegal fistfight, orca, ex boxer, amputee, relationships, family drama, opposites attract, redemption ...
Time:
2010s, y2k, year 2012, 21st century
Place:
france, cote d'azur, south of france, french riviera, europe ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Biography, Drama, Music, Romance
Country: UK
Duration: 98 min.
Story:
The drama tells the story of Lennon's teenage years and the start of his journey to becoming a successful musician. The story also examines the impact on his early life and personality of the two dominant females in his childhood
Style:
sentimental, emotional, teen, intense, touching ...
Audience:
teens, girls' night, teen drama
Plot:
musician's life, music, coming of age, the beatles, follow your dream, rock and roll, biopic, childhood, prodigy, musician, adolescence, rock ...
Time:
50s, 60s, 20th century, 1940s, year 2009 ...
Place:
england, europe, new zealand, hamburg germany, liverpool ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min.
Story:
When a law school dropout answers an advertisement to be a personal assistant he unknowingly signs on to work for a belligerent has-been magician struggling to resurrect his career. This leads to a journey across the country staging the comeback of ...
Style:
entertaining, witty, stylized, suspense, semi serious ...
Plot:
college dropout, twists and turns, happy ending, career, life philosophy, character study, job seeking, unlikely friendships, magic show, showbiz, power relations, lifestyle ...
Time:
year 2008, 2000s, 70s, 21st century
Place:
usa, new york, los angeles, las vegas, boston ...
Is relevant?
102K
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 124 min.
Story:
A man who lost his family in the September 11 attack on New York City runs into his old college roommate. Rekindling the friendship is the one thing that appears able to help the man recover from his grief.
Style:
inspirational, touching, depressing, sincere, heartbreaking ...
Audience:
chick flick
Plot:
friendship, grief, 9/11, mental disorder, dealing with death, mental health, trauma, character study, therapy, mental illness, tragic event, friends ...
Time:
september 11 2001, year 2007, 21st century
Place:
usa, new york, manhattan new york city
Is relevant?
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: Romania
Duration: 153 min.
Story:
Mr. Lazarescu (Ion Fiscuteanu) is a retired Romanian engineer, spending his time in the company of his cats and booze. When he starts feeling unusually ill, he first seeks painkillers from his neighbors. It soon becomes apparent that Lazarescu is ...
Style:
sincere, black comedy, contemplative, realistic, dark comedy ...
Plot:
hospital, medical, paramedic, doctors and patients, ambulance, character study, storytelling, self discovery, surgery, public health, terminal illness, fighting illness ...
Time:
2000s, 90s, year 2005, 21st century
Place:
romania, bucharest, eastern europe, transylvania, europe ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 98 min.
Story:
Actress Reese Holden has been offered a small fortune by a book editor if she can secure for publication the love letters that her father, a reclusive novelist, wrote to her mother, who has since passed away. Returning to Michigan, Reese finds that ...
Style:
emotional, touching, serious, realistic, heartbreaking ...
Audience:
girls' night
Plot:
writers, dysfunctional family, addiction, eccentricity, complex characters, character study, family relations, homecoming, unlikely friendships, family problems, love and romance, unlikely couple ...
Time:
year 2005, 70s, 21st century
Place:
usa, new york, michigan, manhattan new york city, new jersey
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
Genre: Crime, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 94 min.
Story:
Rusty James, an absent-minded street thug struggles to live up to his legendary older brother's reputation, and longs for the days when gang warfare was going on.
Style:
cult classic, surreal, black and white, cerebral, bleak ...
Audience:
teens, teen drama
Plot:
coming of age, street gang, brother brother relationship, gang, biker, motorcycle, alcoholic father, juvenile delinquent, teenage protagonist, homoerotic friendship, teen angst, character study ...
Time:
80s, year 1983, 20th century, 70s
Place:
oklahoma, california, oklahoma city, usa, pacific ocean
Is relevant?
22K
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 112 min.
Story:
Two drifters bum around, visit earthy women and discuss opening a car wash in Pittsburgh.
Style:
road movie, atmospheric, emotional, sincere, touching ...
Plot:
friendship, drifter, road trip, buddies, attempted rape, on the road, prison, mental breakdown, car wash, telephone call, hitchhiking, character study ...
Time:
20th century, 70s
Place:
california, denver colorado, pennsylvania, pittsburgh, detroit ...
Is relevant?
25K
Genre: Biography, Drama, History, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA, Mexico
Duration: 122 min.
Story:
Based on the real-life experiences of Ed Horman. A conservative American businessman travels to a South American country to investigate the sudden disappearance of his son after a right-wing military takeover. Accompanied by his son's wife he ...
Style:
political, emotional, political thriller, thought provoking, talky ...
Audience:
family outing
Plot:
dictatorship, politics, military coup, missing person, coup d'etat, political conspiracy, political intrigue, corruption, conspiracy, journalist, violence, military ...
Time:
20th century, 70s, year 1982, year 1973
Place:
chile, latin america, south america, santiago chile, washington d.c. ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: West Germany, France
Duration: 128 min.
Story:
Tom Ripley, who deals in forged art, suggests a picture framer he knows would make a good hit man.
Style:
neo noir, suspenseful, talky, atmospheric, bleak ...
Plot:
hitman, gangster, friendship, assassination, betrayal, art, character study, terminal illness, forgery, good versus evil, loneliness, police investigation ...
Time:
20th century, year 1977, 70s, year 1976
Place:
hamburg germany, paris france, germany, new york, west germany ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 97 min.
Story:
When Fred gets out of prison, he decides to start over in Miami, where he starts a violent one-man crime wave. He soon meets up with amiable college student Susie. Opposing Fred is Sgt Hoke Moseley, a cop who is getting a bit old for the job, ...
Style:
neo noir, bloody, harsh, stylized, witty ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
psychopath, prostitute, hitman, twists and turns, police detective, character study, police corruption, storytelling, loneliness, law enforcement, dishonesty, criminal heroes ...
Time:
20th century, 80s, 70s
Place:
miami, florida, usa, los angeles, san francisco
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 98 min.
Story:
A rush-hour fender-bender on New York City's crowded FDR Drive, under most circumstances, wouldn't set off a chain reaction that could decimate two people's lives. But on this day, at this time, a minor collision will turn two ...
Style:
psychological, clever, harsh, realistic, psychological thriller ...
Plot:
revenge, lawyer, vengeance, feud, court, drug addict, brutality, destiny, justice, courtroom, coincidence, vigilante ...
Time:
year 2002, 21st century
Place:
new york, usa
Is relevant?
22K
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 92 min.
Story:
A look at a dysfunctional family dominated by the controlling madness of its matriarch, Eve. Her reluctant husband and their three daughters make doomed efforts to cope with Eve's demands, while also trying to get on with their own lives. But, ...
Style:
psychological, realistic, bleak, melancholic, touching ...
Plot:
dysfunctional family, sister sister relationship, depression, father daughter relationship, sibling rivalry, divorce, mother daughter relationship, suicide, attempted rape, three sisters, psychology, character study ...
Time:
20th century, year 1978, 70s
Place:
new york, usa
Is relevant?
33K
Genre: Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 114 min.
Story:
This acclaimed thriller stars Jane Fonda as Bree Daniel, a New York City call girl who becomes enmeshed in an investigation into the disappearance of a business executive. Detective John Klute is hired to follow Daniel, and eventually begins a ...
Style:
neo noir, tense, psychological, suspenseful, cynical ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
private detective, prostitute, obsession, conspiracy, call girl, missing person, private investigator, investigation, brutality, murder mystery, pimp, prostitution ...
Time:
70s, year 1971, 20th century
Place:
new york, pennsylvania, usa, manhattan new york city, new york state ...
Is relevant?
153K
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 96 min.
Story:
The life of a divorced television writer dating a teenage girl is further complicated when he falls in love with his best friend's mistress.
Style:
romantic, intellectual, visually stunning, humorous, meditative ...
Audience:
date night, chick flick
Plot:
dating, couples, older man younger woman relationship, age difference, love and romance, teenage girl, dachshund, lolita, sarcasm, relationships, divorce, 17 year old ...
Time:
20th century, 70s, year 1979
Place:
new york, manhattan new york city, usa
Is relevant?
Genre: Adventure, Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 120 min.
Story:
Get On the Bus follows several Black men on a cross country bus trip to the Million Man March. On the bus are an eclectic set of characters including a laid off aircraft worker, a former Gang Banger, a Hollywood actor, a cop who is of mixed racial ...
Style:
road movie, compassionate, talky, realistic, touching ...
Plot:
racism, politics, friendship, hip hop, prejudice, unlikely friendships, justice, character study, on the road, idealism, civil rights, black ...
Time:
90s, year 1996
Place:
washington d.c., los angeles, tennessee, usa, california ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: Denmark
Duration: 103 min.
Story:
Tensions are high after a Danish freighter is captured and held for ransom by Somali pirates, leading to weeks of high-stakes negotiations – and an escalating potential for explosive violence.
Style:
psychological, bleak, suspense, atmospheric, suspenseful ...
Plot:
negotiation, pirate, hostage, terrorism, hijacking, sailor, manipulation, ransom, character study, moral dilemma, captivity, workplace ...
Time:
year 2012, 2010s, 21st century
Place:
somalia, denmark, scandinavia
Is relevant?
11K
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 105 min.
Story:
Terri, a pajama-clad, disaffected high school student learns how to engage the world with the help of Mr. Fitzgerald, his assistant principal.
Style:
melancholic, compassionate, mumblecore, clever, visually appealing ...
Audience:
teens, kids, teen drama
Plot:
high school, coming of age, friendship, bullying, small town, loneliness, existentialism, teenage life, character study, eccentricity, misfit, physical appearance ...
Time:
21st century
Place:
usa, new jersey
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
