Existential crisis movies and TV shows
The list contains the best, new and most relevant existential crisis movies ordered by relevance. The recommendation service has sorted out melancholic, art house, captivating, psychological, independent film and existential films and TV shows about / with existential crisis, psychological drama, character study, self discovery, loneliness, existentialism, obsession, coming of age, flashback and memory plots mostly in Drama, Comedy and Romance genres shot in USA, UK, France and other countries.
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TOP 10 movies tagged as existential crisis: The Worst Person in the World (2021), Into the Wild (2007), I wanted to be a rock star (2019), I Origins (2014), Room (2015), Scrambled (2023), Sartre, Years of Passion (2006), Lost in Translation (2003), The New Life of Paul Sneijder (2016), Barbie (2023).
Best films
New films
List of existential crisis movies
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: Norway, France, Sweden, Denmark
Duration: 128 min.
Story:
Chronicles four years in the life of Julie, a young woman who navigates the troubled waters of her love life and struggles to find her career path, leading her to take a realistic look at who she really is.
Style:
thought provoking, funny, art house, disturbing, psychological ...
Plot:
breakup, male female relationship, cancer, infidelity, female protagonist, millennial, voice over narration, drug trip, yoga, love, existential crisis, pregnancy ...
Time:
2020s
Place:
oslo norway, europe
Is relevant?
692K
Genre: Adventure, Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 148 min.
Story:
The true story of top student and athlete, Christopher McCandless, who after graduating from Emory University in 1992, abandoned his possessions, gave his entire $24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhiked to Alaska to live in the wilderness.
Style:
road movie, philosophical, melancholic, inspirational, reflective ...
Audience:
teens, date night, teen drama, adult
Plot:
wilderness, self discovery, survival, road trip, freedom, isolation, solitude, journey, life philosophy, lifestyle change, beautiful scenery, nature ...
Time:
2000s, year 2007, 20th century, year 1990, year 1992 ...
Place:
alaska, los angeles, north america, northern california, america ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: Italy
TV show
Story:
Olivia is a twenty-seven year old girl in an existential crisis. In life she did everything in a hurry: first love disappointment at sixteen, simultaneously with the first pregnancy and then a job (since Nadja, her mother, is a lost freak) to become ...
Style:
captivating, semi serious, feel good, entertaining, satirical ...
Plot:
existential crisis, gay, eccentric family, family problems, satire, family relations, family life, single mother, self discovery, female protagonist, family drama, lifestyle ...
Time:
2010s
Is relevant?
140K
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 106 min.
Story:
I Origins follows a molecular biologist studying the evolution of the human eye. He finds his work permeating his life after a brief encounter with an exotic young woman who slips away from him. As his research continues years later with his lab ...
Style:
thought provoking, mind bending, spiritual, philosophical, enigmatic ...
Plot:
reincarnation, eye, metaphysics, genetics, buddhism, religion, atheism, death, spirituality, love story, sex scene, elevator ...
Time:
year 2014, 2010s, 90s, year 1998, year 2005 ...
Place:
india, usa, new york, asia, delhi ...
Is relevant?
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477K
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: Ireland, Canada, UK, USA
Duration: 118 min.
Story:
Jack is a young boy of 5 years old who has lived all his life in one room. He believes everything within it are the only real things in the world. But what will happen when his Ma suddenly tells him that there are other things outside of Room?
Style:
sentimental, heartbreaking, emotional, sad, thought provoking ...
Audience:
teens, chick flick, date night, adult
Plot:
kidnapping, isolation, kidnapped, captive, room, mother son relationship, child born of rape, female protagonist, child protagonist, rape, boy, childhood ...
Time:
year 2015, 2010s, near future, 2000s, 21st century
Place:
ireland, persia, canada
Is relevant?
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min.
Story:
When a doctor visit reveals her fertility may be in jeopardy, thirty-something Nellie Robinson stares down the barrel of a future without options and decides to freeze her eggs.
Style:
satirical, captivating, psychological, comedy drama, romantic comedy ...
Plot:
fertility, existential crisis, motherhood, single woman, thirty something, female friendship, self discovery, personal growth, midlife crisis, female protagonist, crisis, empowerment ...
Time:
21st century
Is relevant?
Genre: Biography
Country: Switzerland, France, Italy, Belgium
Duration: 165 min.
TV show
Story:
Biographical film about French writer Jean-Paul Sartre, concentrating on his passionate affairs with women.
Style:
dramatic, intense, sensual, intellectual, period drama
Plot:
philosopher, biopic, passion, philosophy, writers, existential crisis, character study, existentialism, obsession, creative process, moral ambiguity, betrayal ...
Time:
20th century, 60s
Place:
paris france, algeria, switzerland
Is relevant?
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA, Japan
Duration: 102 min.
Story:
Two lost souls visiting Tokyo -- the young, neglected wife of a photographer and a washed-up movie star shooting a TV commercial -- find an odd solace and pensive freedom to be real in each other's company, away from their lives in America.
Style:
melancholic, atmospheric, cerebral, intellectual, sexy ...
Audience:
girls' night, date night, family friendly, chick flick
Plot:
loneliness, midlife crisis, older man younger woman relationship, age difference, friendship, character study, alienation, fish out of water, melancholy, unlikely couple, actor, hotel room ...
Time:
2000s, year 2003, 21st century
Place:
japan, tokyo, asia, yale university, america ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: Canada, France
Duration: 114 min.
Story:
Following a rare accident, Paul Sneijder opened his eyes to the reality of his life as a "senior manager" in Montreal: his work no longer interested him, his wife annoyed him and deceived him, his two sons despised him ... How can we ...
Style:
realistic, touching, psychological, disturbing, serious ...
Plot:
dysfunctional family, husband wife relationship, ambition, existential crisis, psychiatrist, loss of daughter, new job, drastic change of life, lifestyle change, family problems, changing lives, family relations ...
Time:
year 2016, 2010s
Place:
canada, montreal, dubai
Is relevant?
658K
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 114 min.
Story:
To live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you're a Ken.
Style:
rom com, captivating, entertaining, funny, humorous ...
Audience:
chick flick
Plot:
barbie, fantasy world, doll, social satire, voice over narration, teenage girl, female protagonist, interdimensional travel, pregnant woman, ceo, patriarchy, mother daughter relationship ...
Time:
2020s, 21st century
Place:
california, los angeles
Is relevant?
78K
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 90 min.
Story:
A man crippled by the mundanity of his life experiences something out of the ordinary.
Style:
adult animation, surreal, philosophical, depressing, cerebral ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
sex, depression, sex scene, stop motion, loneliness, sex toy, relationships, existentialism, melancholy, infidelity, inferiority complex, sex shop ...
Time:
2010s, year 2015, 2000s
Place:
cincinnati ohio
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Musical
Country: USA
Duration: 114 min.
Story:
Inspired by the book, The Man Who Fell To Earth, Lazarus focuses on Thomas Newton, as he remains still on Earth - a 'man' unable to die, his head soaked in cheap gin and haunted by a past love. We follow Newton during the course of a few ...
Style:
psychological, existential, melancholic, captivating, thrilling ...
Plot:
loneliness, existential crisis, isolation, immortality, character study, relationships, social problems, troubled past, social issues, life is a bitch, lifestyle, desperation ...
Is relevant?
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Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: Canada
Duration: 94 min.
Story:
A vivacious aspiring social worker brings together five peculiar strangers to help solve their existential problems but finds herself in way over her head.
Style:
contemplative, independent film, realistic, comedy drama, life affirming ...
Plot:
existential crisis, character study, personal growth, self discovery, misfit, mental health, female protagonist, intimate, social work, outsider, bittersweet, slice of life ...
Time:
2020s
Is relevant?
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 91 min.
Story:
Suburban every-man George Cassermeyer cuts his middle finger off in a carpentry accident. From then on the loss of his finger has a strange and profound effect on him. Lost in his own existential crisis over his finger his marriage, career, and even ...
Style:
surreal, mind bending, psychological horror, art house, dark comedy
Plot:
time travel, existential crisis, loss of control, mental breakdown, domestic drama, obsession, male protagonist, alienation, isolation, midlife crisis, body horror, grief ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: Poland
Duration: 95 min.
Story:
A middle-aged man sets out on a symbolic journey through past, present, and future to learn why an old friend committed suicide, and learns much about his own life along the way.
Style:
reflective, existential, melancholic, bleak, philosophical ...
Plot:
suicide, memory, existential crisis, symbolism, loss, midlife crisis, self discovery, guilt, flashback, mature, regret, isolation ...
Place:
poland
Is relevant?
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: Spain
Duration: 83 min.
Story:
Marisa feels that she is the supporting actress of her own life. She has no job, no projects, no prospects for the future. She looks away from her own life's downfall to become the rescuer of her best friend Mina, who is immersed in a desperate ...
Style:
road movie, independent film, melancholic, captivating, touching ...
Plot:
loneliness, relationship problems, existentialism, boyfriend girlfriend relationship, guilt, theater, existential crisis, character study, female protagonist, aimlessness, slice of life, urban ...
Place:
madrid, spain
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: Soviet Union
Duration: 92 min.
Story:
On the eve of his fortieth anniversary Sergei Makarov looks back at his life and learns that he has achieved nothing. He was not able to be happy and to bring happiness to the closest people in his life, neither to his long-suffering wife nor young ...
Style:
psychological, melancholic, poignant, period piece, satirical ...
Plot:
middle aged man, midlife crisis, character study, loneliness, regret, alienation, existential crisis, family drama, intimate, infidelity, urban, slice of life ...
Place:
soviet union, poetic realism, ussr
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: Tunisia, France
Duration: 104 min.
Story:
Youssef Soltane, a 45-year-old Tunisian intellectual, is the product of a generation that lived the era of euphoria and great ideologies in the sixties, and their subsequent failure. He was incarcerated and tortured for his political opinions. ...
Style:
melancholic, bleak, art house, political drama
Plot:
introspection, existential crisis, political repression, character study, social commentary, identity crisis, isolation, alienation, nostalgia, moral ambiguity, class conflict, reflection ...
Time:
80s
Place:
tunisia
Is relevant?
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Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: Romania
Duration: 102 min.
Story:
An uncompromising journalist obsessed with the idea of absolute justice ends up committing suicide after reading his father's biography.
Style:
bleak, melancholic, serious, philosophical, art house ...
Plot:
justice, character study, existential crisis, journalism, suicide, alienation, moral ambiguity, literary, tragic hero, introspection, existentialism, obsession ...
Time:
80s, post world war one
Place:
bucharest
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 62 min.
Story:
Forced to watch flashbacks of his life, a pious man comes to the realization he's dead and on his way to hell. Inspired by a true event.
Style:
dark, religious drama, intense, grim, psychological thriller ...
Plot:
mortality, hell, existential crisis, afterlife, sin, judgment, character study, curse, flashback, faith, regret, guilt ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Mystery
Country: USA, Thailand
Duration: 85 min.
Story:
Bardo Blues is the story of a man coming to grips with tragedy by escaping to paradise. Set in Thailand, Bardo Blues follows Jack as he struggles to learn the truth about the mother that abandoned him and his own reason for existing. Weaving ...
Style:
existential, spiritual, independent film, emotional, meditative ...
Plot:
self discovery, identity, identity crisis, spiritual awakening, existential crisis, soul searching, mental illness, trauma, grief, journey, memory, abandonment ...
Place:
thailand, southeast asia
Is relevant?
Genre: Comedy, Sport
Country: Iceland
Duration: 90 min.
Story:
A business man and weekend dad is getting worn down by family trouble, business failure and the continuous loss of his favorite football team. He decides to start importing Bulgarian energy cigarettes in a last ditch attempt at success ... his best ...
Style:
dark comedy, independent film, cynical, mockumentary, black humor
Plot:
single father, satire, midlife crisis, existential crisis, social satire, male protagonist, absurdism, social commentary, desperation, deadpan, football, unemployment ...
Time:
2000s
Place:
iceland
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: Italy
Duration: 102 min.
Story:
Ten minutes a day can change the course of your day. Ten minutes doing something completely new can change the course of a life. This is what Bianca will discover in the midst of an existential crisis. New meetings, the discovery of special bonds ...
Style:
emotional, reflective, realistic, uplifting, life affirming ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
self discovery, female protagonist, existential crisis, introspection, rebirth, slice of life, coming of age, women, second chance, family relations, urban, depression ...
Place:
rome italy
Is relevant?
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163
Genre: Drama
Country: France, UK
Duration: 93 min.
Story:
A woman is on the verge of killing herself, in reverse.
Style:
dark, emotional, bleak, contemplative, independent film ...
Plot:
character study, existential crisis, self destructing, suicide, depression, desperation, mental health, actress, existentialism, mature, female protagonist, flashback ...
Time:
turn of the century
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: Canada
Duration: 75 min.
Story:
Anne hasn't been the same since the jump. While skydiving for her best friend Sarah's bachelorette party, the 27-year-old felt focused, free, above it all. Back on the ground, the pressures of her daily life threaten to overwhelm her.
Style:
captivating, psychological, thrilling, independent film, tension ...
Plot:
mental health, female protagonist, skydiving, existential crisis, character study, anxiety, lifestyle, social climber, job, relationships, relationship vs career, relationship problems ...
Place:
toronto ontario canada
Is relevant?
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 25 min.
TV show
Story:
After taking a one-way trip to the Red Planet, graphic designer Jeff Cooper finds himself adrift when his bosses unceremoniously eliminate his role.
Style:
adult animation, captivating, semi serious, black comedy, cynical ...
Plot:
mars, satire, space, job, colony, planet, existential crisis, lifestyle, isolation, office politics, alienation, unemployment ...
Time:
near future
Is relevant?
Genre: Comedy
Country: Egypt
Duration: 120 min.
Story:
A social worker in the Prison Service writes reports on the prisoners' psychological condition. In prison, an old classmate of his, who has become a successful businessman, invites him to a party, where he meets his old pals, realizes he's ...
Style:
reflective, contemplative, melancholic
Plot:
rehabilitation, character study, existential crisis, introspection, self discovery, social worker, mishap, realism, apathy, midlife crisis, identity, social commentary ...
Is relevant?
2.8M
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 148 min.
Story:
Cobb, a skilled thief who commits corporate espionage by infiltrating the subconscious of his targets is offered a chance to regain his old life as payment for a task considered to be impossible: "inception", the implantation of another ...
Style:
psychological, mind bending, cerebral, clever, twist ending ...
Audience:
date night, teens, adult
Plot:
dream, virtual reality, memory, alternate reality, teamwork, imagination, subconscious, philosophy, twists and turns, fictional reality, existentialism, lucid dream ...
Time:
year 2010, future, 2000s, 2010s, near future
Place:
japan, paris france, los angeles, iran, tokyo ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 103 min.
Story:
A coming-of-age story based on the best-selling novel by Stephen Chbosky, which follows 15-year-old freshman Charlie, an endearing and naive outsider who is taken under the wings of two seniors. A moving tale of love, loss, fear and hope - and the ...
Style:
touching, teen, sincere, melancholic, sad ...
Audience:
teens, chick flick, girls' night, teen drama
Plot:
coming of age, high school, teenager, adolescence, first love, friendship, teenage love, youth, high school life, depression, suicide, teenage life ...
Time:
90s, 2010s, year 1991, year 2013, 20th century ...
Place:
pittsburgh, pennsylvania, usa
Is relevant?
905K
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 113 min.
Story:
After narrowly escaping a bizarre accident, a troubled teenager is plagued by visions of a large bunny rabbit that manipulates him to commit a series of crimes.
Style:
psychological, surreal, mind bending, atmospheric, philosophical ...
Audience:
teens, date night, adult, teen drama
Plot:
mental illness, imaginary friend, schizophrenia, psychology, time travel, insanity, parallel universe, suburbs, surrealism, time loop, trippy, schizophrenic ...
Time:
80s, year 2001, 2000s, future, 20th century ...
Place:
los angeles, america, usa, virginia, harvard university
Is relevant?
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