One of the key elements that make Gone Girl a great film is its unique and twisted plot. The story is full of unexpected twists and turns that keep the audience on the edge of their seats. If you’re looking for similar movies, then for your consideration, we have curated a list of movies like Gone Girl you might enjoy. Be sure to check them out!
The film explores complex themes such as marriage, gender roles, and media manipulation. What particularly makes the adaptation of the original book so good is the outstanding performances from both Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike. The film’s dark and moody cinematography, coupled with the haunting score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, adds to the overall atmosphere of the film. Gone Girl is a great film that stands out in its genre of filmmaking.
List of Movies Like Gone Girl
1. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011)
David Fincher’s psychological thriller The Girl With The Dragon is a Stieg Larsson novel adaptation where a journalist named Mikael Blomkvist (played by Daniel Craig) teams up with a computer hacker named Lisbeth Salander (played by Rooney Mara) to investigate a wealthy family’s dark secrets.
Maneuvering the world of corporate corruption, sexual violence and vengeance, this movie features similar dark aspects of human nature and complex performances from its lead actors to movies like Gone Girl. If you were intrigued by hope media plays a role in shaping the public perception, then this is a great pick for you.
2. Prisoners (2013)
First hollywood feature film by director Denis Villeneuve, Prisoners tells the story of two families whose daughters go missing on Thanksgiving Day. The main protagonists are Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman), father of one of the disappeared daughters and Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal), the detective investigating the case.
As time passes in th search of the girls, Keller gets desperate and resorts to any means necessary to save his girl. The movie reflects on revenge, morality and obsession in a tense and gripping way. If you are big fan of psychological thriller genre and want to see brilliant movies like Gone Girl, Prisoners in a must-watch!
3. Thoroughbreds (2017)
Thoroughbreds revolves around 2 teenage girls, Lily (Anya Taylor-Joy) and Amanda (Olivia Cooke), who rekindle their friendship and hatch a plan to murder Lily’s stepfather. In this werildy disturbing black comedy thriller, we see the 2 embark a unique journey of facing first-world nightmares.
What makes Thoroughbreds similar to films like Gone Girl is how it develops complex character personalities with sociopathic tendencies into engaging anti-heros. The score of Thoroughbreds is hauntingly beautiful and while the movie is not for everyone, the story is such a well-crafted thriller that you might just enjoy it!
Also Read: Movies like Shutter Island
4. Side Effects (2013)
A young woman named Emily (Rooney Mara) struggles with depression and anxiety after her husband, Martin (Channing Tatum) is released from prison. She seeks treatment from a psychiatrist (Jude Law) who prescribes her a new drug, which has unforeseen and dangerous side effects.
Similar to movies like Gone Girl, Side Effects looks at how difficult situations in a relationship can turn the people into the darkest versions of themselves. The deceptions and manipulations of these relationships are paired with twisted drama. Side Effects challenges the audience’s perceptions of what is real and what is not.
5. Dark Places (2015)
A year after Gone Girl released, another one of Gillian Flyn’s novel Dark Places was adapted to into a movie. The story of this move, similar to movies like Gone Girl, has Gillian’s signature brand of snarling social commentary and horrifically cold characters.
Libby Day (Charlize Theron), as a child, witnesses a the brutal murder of her family. Years later, Libby is approached by a group of amateur investigators who believe her brother Ben (Corey Stoll) was wrongfully convicted for the crime. As she delves deeper into her family’s past, Libby begins to uncover dark secrets and conspiracies that threaten to upend everything she thought she knew about her family and their murder.
6. Get Out (2017)
Jordan Peele’s Get Out follows a young African-American man named Chris, who visits his white girlfriend’s family for the weekend, only to discover a dark and twisted secret about their true intentions.
Similar to films like Gone Girl this film is a commentary on the societal issues and does so by some very unexpected twists. Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, and Catherine Keener give unforgettable intense acting performances and the cleverly crafted plot tackles themes of racism, exploitation, and identity. This brilliant film is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat!
Also Read: Movies like Zodiac
7. Eye Wide Shut (1999)
Iconic director Stanley Kubrick’s psychological thriller Eyes Wide Shut is a great example of a marriage filled with jealousy, infidelity and sexual obsession. Featuring Tom Cruise an Nicole Kidman in the central roles, this film follows them as their relationship becomes strained and they confess to each other their true desires.
As fas as movies similar to Gone Girl go, this one also delves into the darker side of human nature, exploring the secrets and desires that drive people to extreme actions. Building a dark unsettling atmosphere, Eyes Wide Shut is a eerie film that might just scare you a bit.
8. Nocturnal Animals (2016)
One thing that is so memorable about movies like Gone Girl is just how it leaves the the characters and the viewers in a sense of unsettling reality in the end, and the movie Nocturnal Animals does just that. The director, Tom Ford weaves together 2 parallel narratives.
The film tells the story of a successful art dealer, Susan (Amy Adams) who is married to a wealthy man (Armie Hammer). One day, she receives a manuscript from her ex-husband, Edward (Jake Gyllenhaal), which is a story about a Wife and Huband who along with their daughter are on the road with their belongings to move to a new home. The story slowly brings Susan to realise her own true self changing her perspective about everything.
9. Burning (2018)
Burning is a critically acclaimed South Korean mystery-drama film based on a short story by celebrated novelist Haruki Murakami. The film follows the story of Jong-soo, a working-class man who becomes envious of his childhood friend’s affluent lifestyle and mysterious new girlfriend. The characters spiral into obsession, class struggle, and existential angst.
The film subverts expectations and slowly reveals dark truths which culminating in a haunting and ambiguous ending. If you like to watch movies similar to Gone Girl that offers a nuanced look in the human psyche, then Burning’s captivating psychological thriller is worth a watch.
10. A Simple Favour (2018)
A Simple Favor is a dark comedy-thriller film that follows the story of Stephanie, a mommy blogger played by Anna Kendrick, who sets out to investigate the sudden disappearance of her friend Emily, played by Blake Lively. As Stephanie goes deeper into Emily’s mysterious past, she uncovers shocking secrets that turn her life upside down.
For a film with a female characters with hidden agendas and unexpected twists, this is another engaging option for movies like Gone Girl. What sets A Simple Favor apart from other psychological thrillers is its use humor and suspense making it definitely worth a watch.
11. The Woman in the Window (2021)
A child psychologist (Amy Adams) suffering from agoraphobia, witnesses a disturbing event while spying on her neighbors. The Woman in the Window is based on the novel of the same name by A. J. Finn and features a talented ensemble cast including Gary Oldman, Julianne Moore, and Anthony Mackie.
SImilar to movies like Gone Girl, The Woman in the Window‘s intricate plot moves forward with an unreliable narrator through her exploration of mental health issues. While the movie can come off a bit overwhelming, many aspects of the movie are intriguing enough if you want to give it a watch.
12. The Girl on the Train (2016)
Emily Blunt’s poignant role in the movie The Girl on the Train tells the story of her as Rachel Watson, an alcoholic divorcee who becomes embroiled in a missing persons case after witnessing something shocking while riding the train. Based on the novel of the same name by Paula Hawkins, we follow Rachel as she tries to unravel the truth.
As Rachel’s character becomes increasingly paranoid, morals and intentions come in to question. If you’ve been interested in psychological thrillers with mysterious disappearances, then you should probably check out this eye-opening movie, perfect for films like Gone Girl.
Honorable Mentions
Here are a few movies like Gone Girl that didn’t make this list, but you can check them out nonetheless:
- Zodiac
- Les Diaboliques
- Tell No One
- Fresh
