Depressing movies and TV shows
The list contains the best, new and most relevant depressing movies ordered by relevance. The recommendation service has sorted out melancholic, depressing, weird, realistic, serious and bleak films and TV shows about / with storytelling, psychological drama, loneliness, depression, tragedy, mentor, death, melancholy, childhood and life & death plots mostly in Drama, Crime and Thriller genres shot in USA, UK, Spain and other countries.
2019
TOP 10 movies tagged as depressing: What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993), Pixote (1980), Manchester by the Sea (2016), The Machinist (2004), Detachment (2011), Lilya 4-Ever (2002), Requiem for a Dream (2000), 5 Centimeters Per Second (2007), An Elephant Sitting Still (2018), Cake (2014).
Best films
New films
| Train Dreams (2025) | 7.5 | |
| Speak No Evil (2024) | 6.9 | |
| Look Back (2024) | 7.8 | |
| The Greatest Hits (2024) | 6.2 | |
| The Moogai (2024) | 5.3 |
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 118 min.
Story:
Gilbert has to care for his brother Arnie and his obese mother, which gets in the way when love walks into his life.
Style:
melancholic, depressing, touching, sad, emotional ...
Audience:
teens, chick flick, teen drama
Plot:
dysfunctional family, disability, small town, mentally challenged, mental illness, self discovery, responsibility, brothers, character study, coming of age, life philosophy, life & death ...
Time:
90s, 20th century, year 1993, 70s, 60s
Place:
iowa, texas, southern usa, usa
Is relevant?
11K
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: Brazil
Duration: 128 min.
Story:
Pixote, a 10-year-old runaway boy, is arrested on the streets of Sao Paulo during a police round-up homeless people. Pixote endures torture, degradation and corruption at a local youth detention center where two of the runaways are murdered by ...
Style:
depressing, rough, atmospheric, serious, political ...
Audience:
kids
Plot:
prostitution, street kid, child abuse, boy, sex with a minor, coming of age, 10 year old, child rape, children, nude boy, violent, loneliness ...
Time:
20th century, 80s, year 1981
Place:
brazil, south america, latin america, rio de janeiro, sao paulo brazil ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 137 min.
Story:
After his older brother passes away, Lee Chandler is forced to return home to care for his 16-year-old nephew. There he is compelled to deal with a tragic past that separated him from his family and the community where he was born and raised.
Style:
depressing, sad, heartbreaking, touching, independent film ...
Audience:
teens, family friendly, adult
Plot:
sadness, family drama, loneliness, suicide attempt, depression, loss, death, uncle nephew relationship, dysfunctional family, guardian, nephew, grief ...
Time:
2010s, year 2016
Place:
massachusetts, boston, nebraska, new england
Is relevant?
439K
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: Spain, USA
Duration: 101 min.
Story:
The Machinist is the story of Trevor Reznik, a lathe-operator who is dying of insomnia. In a machine shop, occupational hazards are bad enough under normal circumstances; yet for Trevor the risks are compounded by fatigue. Trevor has lost the ...
Style:
psychological, twist ending, surprise ending, depressing, surreal ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
insomnia, insanity, uncover truth, obsession, mysterious character, paranoia, losing-it hero, twists and turns, schizophrenia, life is a bitch, secrets, alienation ...
Time:
year 2004, 2000s, 21st century
Place:
usa, america, persia, los angeles
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
110K
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 98 min.
Story:
A chronicle of three weeks in the lives of several high school teachers, administrators and students through the eyes of substitute teacher, Henry Barthes. Henry roams from school to school, imparting modes of knowledge, but never staying long ...
Style:
psychological, depressing, bleak, thought provoking, independent film ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
teacher, depression, suicide, teachers and students, dedicated educator, school, unhappy, social problems, high school life, teen angst, human relationship, social decay ...
Time:
2010s, 21st century
Place:
usa
Is relevant?
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: Sweden, Denmark
Duration: 109 min.
Story:
Lilya lives in poverty and dreams of a better life. Her mother moves to the United States and abandons her to her aunt, who neglects her. Lilya hangs out with her friends, Natasha and Volodya, who is suicidal. Desperate for money, she starts working ...
Style:
sad, bleak, depressing, harsh, brutal ...
Audience:
teens, pre-teens, teen drama, adult
Plot:
poverty, human trafficking, prostitution, friendship, sexual abuse, prostitute, life is a bitch, suicide, teenage prostitution, teenage life, depression, rape ...
Time:
year 2002
Place:
denmark, estonia, europe, russia, eastern europe ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 102 min.
Story:
The hopes and dreams of four ambitious people are shattered when their drug addictions begin spiraling out of control. A look into addiction and how it overcomes the mind and body.
Style:
psychological, disturbing, bleak, depressing, atmospheric ...
Audience:
kids, adult
Plot:
addiction, drug abuse, heroin, drug addiction, insanity, drug, junkie, loneliness, mental illness, depression, dream, subculture ...
Time:
year 2000, future, y2k, 20th century, 90s ...
Place:
britain, america, new york, usa, coney island brooklyn new york city ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Animation, Drama, Family, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 63 min.
Story:
Takaki and Akari are two classmates in elementary school. During their time together they have become close friends. Their relationship is tested when Akari moves to another city because of her parents' jobs. Both of them struggle to keep their ...
Style:
depressing, anime, touching, emotional, scenic ...
Audience:
kids, date night, teen drama
Plot:
love and romance, life philosophy, coming of age, relationships, lovers apart, young lovers, teenage love, nostalgia, hopes, love story, love, friendship ...
Time:
2000s, 20th century, future, 90s, 21st century
Place:
japan, tokyo, asia
Is relevant?
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: China
Duration: 230 min.
Story:
In the northern Chinese city of Manzhouli, they say there is an elephant that simply sits and ignores the world. Manzhouli becomes an obsession for the protagonists of this film, a longed-for escape from the downward spiral in which they find ...
Style:
depressing, melancholic, rough, serious, realistic ...
Plot:
existential loneliness, suicide, youth, manslaughter, life is a bitch, city life, boyfriend girlfriend relationship, family problems, life turned upside down, existentialism, alienation, wench ...
Time:
2010s
Place:
china
Is relevant?
40K
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 102 min.
Story:
After having visions of a member of her support group who killed herself, a woman who also suffers with chronic pain seeks out the widower of the suicide.
Style:
depressing, heartbreaking, sentimental, psychological, touching ...
Audience:
chick flick, girls' night
Plot:
loneliness, sex, drug addiction, obsession, depression, mental health, suicide, friendship, mental disorder, dead child, loss of wife, suicide attempt ...
Time:
21st century
Place:
usa, los angeles, california, mexico, tijuana mexico
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 103 min.
Story:
As children, Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy spend their childhood at an idyllic and secluded English boarding school. As they grow into adults, they must come to terms with the complexity and strength of their love for one another while also preparing for ...
Style:
sad, melancholic, depressing, psychological, heartbreaking ...
Audience:
teens, date night, girls' night, chick flick, adult ...
Plot:
dystopia, boarding school, existentialism, distopia, childhood, cloning, sadness, friendship, transplant, couples, love story, love and romance ...
Time:
year 1978, 2010s, 50s, year 2010, 70s ...
Place:
england, europe
Is relevant?
Genre: Animation, Drama, War
Country: Japan
Duration: 88 min.
Story:
In the final months of World War II, 14-year-old Seita and his sister Setsuko are orphaned when their mother is killed during an air raid in Kobe, Japan. After a falling out with their aunt, they move into an abandoned bomb shelter. With no ...
Style:
touching, depressing, anime, sad, heartbreaking ...
Audience:
kids, adult
Plot:
world war two, hunger, orphan, war, homelessness, survival, siblings relations, children, desperation, death of child, boy, anti war ...
Time:
1940s, 20th century, year 1988, year 1945, post world war two
Place:
japan, east asia, asia, tokyo
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: UK, USA, Spain
Duration: 112 min.
Story:
After her son Kevin commits a horrific act, troubled mother Eva reflects on her complicated relationship with her disturbed son as he grew from a toddler into a teenager.
Style:
disturbing, psychological, bleak, depressing, gloomy ...
Audience:
teens, toddlers, teen drama, adult
Plot:
psychopath, evil child, school shooting, high school, childhood, guilt, prison visit, depression, teenager, sociopath, antisocial behavior, teenage boy ...
Time:
year 2011, 90s, 2010s, 21st century
Place:
united kingdom, america, connecticut, usa, new york ...
Is relevant?
269K
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 111 min.
Story:
A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind and water. It is cold enough to crack stones, and, when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the ...
Style:
bleak, harsh, depressing, rough, gloomy ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
survival, apocalypse, post apocalypse, post apocalyptic, father son relationship, distopia, end of the world, cannibalism, starvation, dystopia, on the road, journey ...
Time:
future, year 2009, near future, distant future, 2000s ...
Place:
pittsburgh, usa, north america, canada
Is relevant?
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: West Germany
Duration: 138 min.
Story:
This movie portrays the drug scene in Berlin in the 70s, following tape recordings of Christiane F. 14 years old Christiane lives with her mother and little sister in a typical multi-storey apartment building in Berlin. She's fascinated by the ...
Style:
depressing, disturbing, rough, bleak, serious ...
Audience:
teens, girls' night, teen drama
Plot:
addiction, drug addiction, heroin, drug abuse, drug addict, downfall, junkie, drug overdose, teenage girl, friendship, teenage life, teenage prostitution ...
Time:
70s, 80s, year 1981
Place:
berlin germany, west berlin west germany, europe, west germany, germany ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: France
Duration: 93 min.
Story:
The Butcher (known from Noe's short film Carne) has done some time in jail after beating up the guy who tried to seduce his teenage mentally-handicapped daughter. Now he wants to start a new life. He leaves his daughter in an institution and ...
Style:
depressing, disturbing, psychological, controversial, bloody ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
sex, loneliness, butcher, revenge, incest, alienation, insanity, transgression, violent, existentialism, nihilism, extreme ...
Time:
turn of the century, year 1998, 20th century, 80s
Place:
paris france, france, europe
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 141 min.
Story:
In a small Tokyo apartment, twelve-year-old Akira must care for his younger siblings after their mother leaves them and shows no sign of returning.
Style:
touching, depressing, atmospheric, gloomy, bleak ...
Audience:
kids, teens
Plot:
poverty, childhood, children, young kid, child abandonment, dysfunctional family, brother brother relationship, innocence lost, responsibility, neglect, jailbait, family relations ...
Time:
year 2004, 2000s, 21st century
Place:
japan, tokyo, east asia, asia, california ...
Is relevant?
518K
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA, Australia
Duration: 138 min.
Story:
A story about friendship and loyalty, guilt and vengeance, and the fateful affect the past has on the present.
Style:
psychological, suspense, depressing, twist ending, emotional ...
Audience:
chick flick, adult
Plot:
murder, murder mystery, vengeance, police, police investigation, investigation, death in the family, police detective, sexual abuse, loss of child, child abuse, loss of daughter ...
Time:
year 2003, 2000s, 70s, 20th century, 60s ...
Place:
boston, massachusetts, persia, usa
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
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: Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 92 min.
Story:
The story of Joseph a man plagued by violence and a rage that is driving him to self-destruction. As Joseph's life spirals into turmoil a chance of redemption appears in the form of Hannah, a Christian charity shop worker. Their relationship ...
Style:
bleak, depressing, sad, disturbing, psychological ...
Plot:
abuse, redemption, rage, character study, domestic violence, abusive husband, abused woman, society, frustration, christian, brutality, sexualized violence ...
Time:
2010s, year 2011, year 2010, 21st century
Place:
england, yorkshire, northern england
Is relevant?
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 117 min.
Story:
A struggling salesman takes custody of his son as he's poised to begin a life-changing professional career.
Style:
inspirational, emotional, sentimental, uplifting, motivational ...
Audience:
family outing, chick flick, teens, family friendly
Plot:
homeless, life, human spirit, rags to riches, life philosophy, success, single father, poverty, rise to the top, family drama, life is a bitch, biopic ...
Time:
80s, year 2006, 2010s, 20th century
Place:
usa, california, bay area, san francisco, america
Is relevant?
60K
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: Russia
Duration: 140 min.
Story:
In a Russian coastal town, Kolya is forced to fight the corrupt mayor when he is told that his house will be demolished. He recruits a lawyer friend to help, but the man's arrival brings further misfortune for Kolya and his family.
Style:
depressing, bleak, atmospheric, thought provoking, emotional ...
Plot:
lawyer, adultery, corruption, politics, courtroom, poverty, small town, corrupt mayor, alcohol abuse, drunk, alcoholism, small town life ...
Time:
2010s, year 2014, 21st century
Place:
russia, soviet union
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 106 min.
Story:
Despite his dedication to the junior-high students who fill his classroom, idealistic teacher Dan Dunne leads a secret life of addiction that the majority of his students will never know. But things change when a troubled student Drey makes a ...
Style:
depressing, independent film, emotional, talky, inspirational ...
Audience:
teens, teen drama
Plot:
teacher, drug addiction, teachers and students, drug, loneliness, addiction, drug abuse, friendship, student, ghetto, school, existentialism ...
Time:
year 2006, future, 2000s, 21st century
Place:
new york, usa, brooklyn new york city, california
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
120K
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 110 min.
Story:
Set in Harlem in 1987, Claireece "Precious" Jones is a 16-year-old African American girl born into a life no one would want. She's pregnant for the second time by her absent father; at home, she must wait hand and foot on her mother, ...
Style:
depressing, emotional, inspirational, bleak, rough ...
Audience:
teens, teen drama, adult
Plot:
rape, dysfunctional family, coming of age, poverty, teacher, sexual abuse, illiteracy, african american, domestic violence, aids, child abuse, parents and children ...
Time:
2000s, 20th century, year 1987, 80s
Place:
new york, america, harlem, new york city, usa, harlem ...
Is relevant?
709K
Genre: Action, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: South Korea
Duration: 120 min.
Story:
With no clue how he came to be imprisoned, drugged and tortured for 15 years, a desperate businessman seeks revenge on his captors.
Style:
twist ending, psychological, bleak, neo noir, intense ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
revenge, vengeance, incest, violence, psychopath, captivity, older man younger woman relationship, hypnosis, mind game, plot twist, psychological torture, torture ...
Time:
year 2003, 80s, distant future, near future, y2k ...
Place:
south korea, korea, stockholm sweden, oceania, east asia ...
Is relevant?
157K
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min.
Story:
17 year-old Ree Dolly sets out to track down her father, who put their house up for his bail bond and then disappeared. If she fails, Ree and her family will be turned out into the Ozark woods. Challenging her outlaw kin's code of silence and ...
Style:
depressing, atmospheric, harsh, dark, disturbing ...
Audience:
teens, adult, teen drama
Plot:
poverty, small town, missing person, female protagonist, family in crisis, bail, rural setting, life is a bitch, down on your luck, coming of age, family crisis, uncle niece relationship ...
Time:
year 2010, 2010s, 2000s, 21st century
Place:
missouri, usa, california
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: Norway, Denmark, Sweden
Duration: 95 min.
Story:
Anders is a recovering drug addict in an Oslo rehab clinic. On the 30th August, he is given a day’s leave to attend a job interview in the city centre.
Style:
depressing, touching, gloomy, sad, melancholic ...
Plot:
suicide, drug addict, suicide attempt, depression, addiction, emptiness, hopes, drug addiction, character study, complex characters, old friend, job interview ...
Time:
2010s, year 2011, 21st century
Place:
oslo norway, scandinavia, europe, california
Is relevant?
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Horror
Country: USA, Spain, UK
Duration: 108 min.
Story:
A boy imagines a monster that helps him deal with his difficult life and see the world in a different way.
Style:
touching, dark fantasy, emotional, psychotronic, compassionate ...
Audience:
kids, family friendly, family outing, teens
Plot:
bullying, childhood, loneliness, cancer, monster, imagination, terminal illness, boy, single mother, courage, teenager, depression ...
Time:
year 2016, 2010s
Is relevant?
201K
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama
Country: Australia
Duration: 92 min.
Story:
A tale of friendship between two unlikely pen pals: Mary, a lonely, eight-year-old girl living in the suburbs of Melbourne, and Max, a forty-four-year old, severely obese man living in New York. In the mid-1970's, a homely, friendless ...
Style:
depressing, touching, emotional, sad, adult animation ...
Audience:
kids, teens, adult
Plot:
loneliness, stop motion, friendship, social misfits, letter, depression, melancholy, asperger's syndrome, young woman, relationships, solitude, mental illness ...
Time:
20th century, year 2009, 2000s, year 1976, 70s
Place:
australia, oceania, persia, usa, new york ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 105 min.
Story:
In the massive city of Tokyo, Kumiko, a twenty-nine year old, lives in utter solitude. She works a dreadful, dead-end job under an awful boss, is intimidated by her well-off peers, and nagged incessantly by her overbearing mother who is exasperated ...
Style:
depressing, sexy, art house, melancholic, emotional ...
Plot:
treasure, language barrier, character study, map, female protagonist, alone in the world, survival, obsession, self discovery, delusion, escapades, obsessive quest ...
Time:
21st century
Place:
japan, minnesota, tokyo, east asia, north dakota ...
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
