Social criticism movies and TV shows
The list contains the best, new and most relevant social criticism movies ordered by relevance. The recommendation service has sorted out psychological, thought provoking, suspense, disturbing, psychological thriller and intense films and TV shows about / with social criticism, murder, society, violence, death, psychology, brutality, moving, cult and psychological drama plots mostly in Drama, Thriller and Crime genres shot in USA, UK, France and other countries.
382
TOP 10 movies tagged as social criticism: Joker (2019), American Pastoral (2016), A Clockwork Orange (1971), Rabbit-Proof Fence (2002), Sorry We Missed You (2019), The Student (2016), The Glass Castle (2017), Falling Down (1993), American Psycho (2000), The Place (2017).
Best films
New films
| Another Round (2020) | 7.7 | |
| The Division (2020) | 6.2 | |
| Saltburn (2023) | 7.0 | |
| The Platform (2019) | 7.0 | |
| Joker (2019) | 8.3 |
List of social criticism movies
1.7M
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA, Canada, Australia
Duration: 122 min.
Story:
During the 1980s, a failed stand-up comedian is driven insane and turns to a life of crime and chaos in Gotham City while becoming an infamous psychopathic crime figure.
Style:
thought provoking, atmospheric, suspense, bleak, psychological thriller ...
Audience:
teens, adult
Plot:
mental illness, villain, loneliness, mental patient, psycho, comedian, psychological trauma, mental disorder, psychopath, social problems, insanity, social decay ...
Time:
2010s, 80s, year 2019, 20th century, year 1981
Place:
new york, new jersey, los angeles, persia, bronx new york city
Is relevant?
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Romance, Thriller
Country: Hong Kong, USA
Duration: 108 min.
Story:
Set in postwar America, a man watches his seemingly perfect life fall apart as his daughter's new political affiliation threatens to destroy their family.
Style:
emotional, rough, novela, suspense, thought provoking ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
vietnam war, teenage girl, social criticism, terrorism, father daughter relationship, bombing, infidelity, hopelessness, rape victim, riot, female terrorist, parent child relationship ...
Time:
year 2016, 70s, 60s
Place:
usa, pittsburgh
Is relevant?
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: Canada
Duration: 102 min.
Story:
A couple in Québec deals with the pitfalls, pressure and high expectations of raising kids in a society obsessed with success and social media image.
Style:
psychological, humorous, captivating, feel good
Audience:
kids
Plot:
parenthood, mother son relationship, school, parents and children, social network, social media, social class, social problems, social issues, social criticism, father daughter relationship, kids and family ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Crime, Sci-Fi
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 136 min.
Story:
Demonic gang-leader Alex goes on the spree of rape, mugging and murder with his pack of "droogs". But he's a boy who also likes Beethoven's Ninth and a bit of "the old in-out, in-out". He later finds himself at the ...
Style:
disturbing, controversial, psychedelic, philosophical, atmospheric ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
psychology, insanity, dystopia, surrealism, gang, rape, violent, controversy, violence, psychopath, sociopath, murder ...
Time:
future, 20th century, 90s, 70s, 80s ...
Place:
britain, london, england, united kingdom, europe
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
Genre: Adventure, Biography, Drama
Country: Australia
Duration: 94 min.
Story:
In 1931, three aboriginal girls escape after being plucked from their homes to be trained as domestic staff and set off on a trek across the Outback.
Style:
touching, thought provoking, poignant, factual, heartbreaking ...
Audience:
family outing, kids, girls' night
Plot:
child abuse, aborigine, australian outback, racism, kidnapping, australian aboriginal, children, survival, colonialism, indigenous people, culture clash, desert ...
Time:
1930s, 20th century, year 2002, year 1931, 70s
Place:
australia, tasmania, oceania, new zealand, africa
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: UK, France, Belgium
Duration: 101 min.
Story:
A story exploring the issue of hardship in modern-day Britain through a young couple scraping to get by in a casual jobs market. A hard-up delivery driver and his carer wife are pushed to breaking point as they struggle to keep their family afloat ...
Style:
social, political, disturbing, realistic, psychological ...
Plot:
working class, poverty, social realism, father daughter relationship, delivery man, teenage boy, father son relationship, job interview, husband wife relationship, couples, adaptation, life is a bitch ...
Time:
year 1984, year 1996, year 2008, 2010s
Place:
united kingdom
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: Russia
Duration: 118 min.
Story:
Veniamin, a teenager in the midst of a mystical crisis, has his mother, schoolmates and entire high school turned upside down by his questions. - Can girls go to their swimming classes in bikinis? - Does sex education have a place in school? - ...
Style:
psychological, captivating, suspense, disturbing, cult classic ...
Audience:
teens, pre-teens, teen drama
Plot:
religion, teacher, school, religious fundamentalism, religious fundamentalist, swimming pool, bible, male pubic hair, high school student, going insane, faith, anger ...
Time:
2010s, 21st century
Place:
russia, eastern europe, asia
Is relevant?
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: USA, Canada, Hong Kong
Duration: 127 min.
Story:
A young girl is raised in a dysfunctional family constantly on the run from the FBI. Living in poverty, she comes of age guided by her drunkard, ingenious father who distracts her with magical stories to keep her mind off the family's dire ...
Style:
sentimental, thought provoking, emotional, sad, psychological ...
Plot:
dysfunctional family, family conflict, funeral, painting, hospital, pride, regret, father daughter relationship, mountain, biopic, female protagonist, writers ...
Time:
year 2017, year 1964, year 1989
Place:
west virginia, nebraska, new york, manhattan new york city, utah ...
Is relevant?
224K
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: France, USA
Duration: 113 min.
Story:
On the day of his daughter's birthday, William "D-Fens" Foster is trying to get to the home of his estranged ex-wife to see his daughter. His car breaks down, so he leaves his car in a traffic jam in Los Angeles and decides to walk. ...
Style:
cult classic, psychological, rough, black comedy, philosophical ...
Audience:
date night, manly
Plot:
rage, vigilante, anger, midlife crisis, alienation, violence, character study, social commentary, urban decay, losing-it hero, traffic jam, road rage ...
Time:
90s, 80s, 20th century
Place:
los angeles, california, persia, usa
Is relevant?
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Horror
Country: USA
Duration: 102 min.
Story:
A wealthy New York investment banking executive hides his alternate psychopathic ego from his co-workers and friends as he escalates deeper into his illogical, gratuitous fantasies.
Style:
psychological, disturbing, psychological thriller, bloody, twist ending ...
Audience:
date night, adult
Plot:
psychopath, serial killer, insanity, sociopath, satire, violence, dark humor, psycho killer, materialism, yuppie, nihilism, millionaire ...
Time:
year 2000, 80s, 2000s, year 1987, y2k ...
Place:
new york, yale university, manhattan new york city, america, seattle ...
Is relevant?
14K
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: Italy
Duration: 105 min.
Story:
The fates of an apparently random group of strangers who each come into contact with a mysterious figure who they believe possesses the power to grant any wish, in return for which they must carry out a task he assigns them.
Style:
philosophical, intellectual, thought provoking, inspirational, clever ...
Plot:
human nature, desire, mysterious man, coffee, kidnapping, remorse, moral dilemma, restaurant, death, moral ambiguity, occult, thoughtful ...
Is relevant?
338
Genre: Drama
Country: Switzerland, Turkey
Duration: 94 min.
Story:
An ordinary day in the megacity of Istanbul: Ten-year-old Cemo sells paper tissues in the streets, Hayat is controlled by her husband and transsexual Ebru sells her body. All three have a secret love and they do everything that satisfies their ...
Style:
anthology, psychological, suspense, disturbing, emotional ...
Plot:
social criticism, humanity, longing, loneliness, street life, social issues, unrequited love, tragic love, social relations, unfulfilled love, urban setting, multiple storylines ...
Time:
21st century
Place:
istanbul turkey
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
Genre: Drama
Country: West Germany
Duration: 105 min.
Story:
A juvenile offender is handed over to authorities at age 13 and placed in an institution in this somber social drama. Martin is a petty thief who enjoys stealing and looks up to his older brother. When he is informed that his brother has died, ...
Style:
bleak, grim, tragic ending, melancholic, intense ...
Plot:
runaway, social realism, juvenile delinquency, teen suicide, reform school, desperation, social criticism, mental health, loneliness, alienation, child psychologist, character study ...
Time:
70s
Place:
southern germany
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: Portugal
Duration: 46 min.
TV show
Story:
Based on Eça de Queiroz's 1875 novel, the plot takes place in Leiria, Portugal, at the end of the 1860s, and follows the story of the forbidden passion between Amaro, a young priest, and Amélia, "the most beautiful girl in Leiria". ...
Style:
historical drama, period piece, serious, art film, dramatic ...
Plot:
priest in love, forbidden love, priest, female nudity, sex with a priest, religion, brothel, social criticism, literary, celibacy, catholic church, woman ...
Time:
19th century, 1860s, 1870s
Place:
portugal
Is relevant?
259K
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 131 min.
Story:
Struggling to find his place at Oxford University, student Oliver Quick finds himself drawn into the world of the charming and aristocratic Felix Catton, who invites him to Saltburn, his eccentric family's sprawling estate, for a summer never ...
Style:
dark comedy, psychological thriller, philosophical, psychological, captivating ...
Audience:
teen drama
Plot:
college, class differences, obsession, college student, homoerotic friendship, country estate, university, drug use, murder, butler, teenage boy, violence ...
Time:
year 2006, 2000s, 21st century
Place:
england, oxford university, united kingdom
Is relevant?
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Country: UK
Duration: 88 min.
Story:
Police sergeant Neil Howie is called to an island village in search of a missing girl whom the locals claim never existed. Stranger still, however, are the rituals that take place there.
Style:
creepy, dark, cult horror, twist ending, psychotronic ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
folk horror, religion, paganism, occult, disappearance, ritual, human sacrifice, female nudity, temptation, sacrifice, investigation, conspiracy ...
Time:
70s, 20th century, year 1973
Place:
scotland, fictional island, europe, united kingdom, scottish highlands
Is relevant?
1.0M
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 114 min.
Story:
A mentally unstable Vietnam War veteran works as a night-time taxi driver in New York City where the perceived decadence and sleaze feeds his urge for violent action, attempting to save a preadolescent prostitute in the process.
Style:
psychological, neo noir, bleak, atmospheric, cult classic ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
loner, vigilante, character study, alienation, vigilantism, violence, obsession, loneliness, psychology, lone wolves, taxi, social decay ...
Time:
70s, year 1976, 20th century, year 1975
Place:
new york, manhattan new york city, usa, america, harlem ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 124 min.
Story:
A Victorian surgeon rescues a heavily disfigured man being mistreated by his "owner" as a side-show freak. Behind his monstrous façade, there is revealed a person of great intelligence and sensitivity. Based on the true story of Joseph ...
Style:
emotional, touching, psychological, sad, poignant ...
Audience:
family outing, teens
Plot:
disability, hospital, dignity, freak, melancholy, disfigurement, social misfits, cruelty, isolation, hopes, biopic, humanism ...
Time:
19th century, victorian era, ancient times, 20th century, turn of the century ...
Place:
england, london, britain, europe
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
Genre: Drama, War
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 116 min.
Story:
A pragmatic U.S. Marine observes the dehumanizing effects the U.S.-Vietnam War has on his fellow recruits from their brutal boot camp training to the bloody street fighting in Hue.
Style:
clever, suspense, visually stunning, bleak, psychological ...
Audience:
manly, boys' night, adult
Plot:
vietnam war, military, war, soldier, anti war, suicide, basic training, boot camp, violence, sniper, military life, brutality ...
Time:
20th century, year 1967, year 1968, year 1987, 60s ...
Place:
vietnam, persia, america, asia, south carolina ...
Is relevant?
779K
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 98 min.
Story:
Jerry, a small-town Minnesota car salesman is bursting at the seams with debt... but he's got a plan. He's going to hire two thugs to kidnap his wife in a scheme to collect a hefty ransom from his wealthy father-in-law. It's going to ...
Style:
neo noir, black comedy, dark comedy, atmospheric, cult classic ...
Audience:
boys' night, adult
Plot:
small town, snow, dark humor, crime gone awry, ransom, kidnapping, murder, satire, foul language, police, psychopath, winter ...
Time:
80s, 20th century, 90s, year 1987, year 1996
Place:
minnesota, minneapolis minnesota, north dakota, usa, persia
Is relevant?
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 119 min.
Story:
Derek Vineyard is paroled after serving 3 years in prison for killing two thugs who tried to break into/steal his truck. Through his brother, Danny Vineyard's narration, we learn that before going to prison, Derek was a skinhead and the leader ...
Style:
cerebral, rough, serious, clever, disturbing ...
Audience:
boys' night, date night, teens, teen drama
Plot:
gang, skinhead, racism, prison, neo nazism, neo nazi, character change, nazism, juvenile delinquency, murder, politics, african american ...
Time:
20th century, year 1998, 90s
Place:
los angeles, usa, california, america, north america ...
Is relevant?
371K
Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 126 min.
Story:
After a violent storm, a dense cloud of mist envelops a small Maine town, trapping artist David Drayton and his five-year-old son in a local grocery store with other people. They soon discover that the mist conceals deadly horrors that threaten ...
Style:
twist ending, psychological, bad ending, atmospheric, scary ...
Audience:
boys' night, adult
Plot:
survival, monster, apocalypse, stephen king, creature, fear, trapped, twists and turns, survival horror, cosmic horror, chaos and mayhem, death ...
Time:
year 2007, 2000s, distant future, year 2000, 21st century
Place:
usa, maine
Is relevant?
121K
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: Germany, France
Duration: 107 min.
Story:
A school teacher discusses types of government with his class. His students find it too boring to repeatedly go over national socialism and believe that dictatorship cannot be established in modern Germany. He starts an experiment to show how easily ...
Style:
philosophical, political, disturbing, suspense, educational ...
Audience:
teens, pre-teens, teen drama
Plot:
fascism, nazism, suicide, dictator, experiment, bullying, teacher, teachers and students, high school, fanaticism, dictatorship, against humanity ...
Time:
year 2008, 20th century, year 2011
Place:
germany, middle east, israel, europe, berlin germany ...
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
1.2M
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 149 min.
Story:
With his wife's disappearance having become the focus of an intense media circus, a man sees the spotlight turned on him when it's suspected that he may not be innocent.
Style:
psychological, suspense, surprise ending, twist ending, clever ...
Audience:
chick flick, girls' night, date night, teens, boys' night ...
Plot:
twists and turns, psychology, murder mystery, missing person, manipulation, infidelity, investigation, marriage, femme fatale, revenge, missing wife, adultery ...
Time:
year 2014, 2010s, 2000s, year 2012, 21st century
Place:
peru, america, usa, manhattan new york city, new york ...
Is relevant?
661K
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 117 min.
Story:
When Lou Bloom, desperate for work, muscles into the world of L.A. crime journalism, he blurs the line between observer and participant to become the star of his own story. Aiding him in his effort is Nina, a TV-news veteran.
Style:
neo noir, psychological, disturbing, suspense, atmospheric ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
character study, sociopath, journalism, obsession, cynicism, psychopath, manipulation, morality, journalist, violence, deception, ethics ...
Time:
year 2014, 2010s, near future, 21st century
Place:
los angeles, california, usa, venice beach california, america ...
Is relevant?
236K
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Thriller
Country: Argentina, Spain, France, UK
Duration: 122 min.
Story:
Six short stories that explore the extremities of human behavior involving people in distress.
Style:
suspense, dark comedy, psychological, tense, unusual plot structure ...
Plot:
multiple storylines, revenge, dark humor, twists and turns, sex scene, human nature, vengeance, violence, corruption, destiny, wedding party, comedy of errors ...
Time:
year 2014, 2010s, y2k, 21st century
Place:
argentina, south america, persia, latin america
Is relevant?
330K
Genre: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: Ireland, UK, Greece, France, Netherlands, Belgium, USA
Duration: 119 min.
Story:
In a dystopian near future, single people, according to the laws of The City, are taken to The Hotel, where they are obliged to find a romantic partner in forty-five days or are transformed into beasts and sent off into The Woods.
Style:
surreal, art house, clever, absurd, ironic ...
Audience:
date night, adult
Plot:
absurdism, dystopia, distopia, solitude, blindness, love, manhunt, society, suicide attempt, hotel, relationships, secret relationship ...
Time:
year 2015, year 2016, 2010s, future, near future
Place:
ireland, greece, hellas, canada
Is relevant?
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 115 min.
Story:
After seven months have passed without a culprit in her daughter's murder case, Mildred Hayes makes a bold move, painting three signs leading into her town with a controversial message directed at Bill Willoughby, the town's revered chief ...
Style:
black comedy, ambiguous ending, dark comedy, crime drama, psychological ...
Plot:
small town, revenge, rape, small town life, loss of daughter, billboard, police brutality, regret, death of daughter, anger, violence, guilty conscience ...
Time:
2010s, year 2017, 21st century
Place:
missouri, idaho, persia, america, usa
Is relevant?
1.1M
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: South Korea
Duration: 132 min.
Story:
All unemployed, Ki-taek's family takes peculiar interest in the wealthy and glamorous Parks for their livelihood until they get entangled in an unexpected incident.
Style:
suspense, black comedy, psychological thriller, exciting, captivating ...
Audience:
family friendly, adult
Plot:
poverty, wealthy family, working class, social satire, class differences, scam, wealth, basement, plot twist, rich snob, driver, unemployment ...
Time:
2010s, year 2019
Place:
south korea, east asia, seoul, asia, india
Is relevant?
320K
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: Spain
Duration: 94 min.
Story:
Two people per level. An unknown number of levels. A platform with food for all of them. Are you one of those who think too much when they are up? Or of those who have no guts when they are down? If you discover it too late, you will not live out of ...
Style:
suspense, disturbing, suspenseful, psychological thriller, mind bending ...
Plot:
survival, struggle for survival, confined, food shortage, cannibalism, social injustice, prison, social differences, isolation, rivalry, danger, survival horror ...
Time:
future, 2010s
Place:
iberian peninsula
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
