30 Mind-Bending Psychological Thrillers on Netflix That Will Totally Trip You Out
Not anxious enough as it is? Here, watch these Netflix picks….
It's anyone's guess when we became the generation that turns to anxiety-filled films to wind down, but here we are. There is just something about covering my eyes with my hands and jumping out of my skin while watching a hot serial killer that helps me sleep at night (hi, Joe Goldberg). Sometimes the only way to relax is to forego rom-coms in favor of burying your head behind a pillow, you know?
Horror films are one thing, but psychological thrillers are the ultimate mind f*ck of all entertainment genres. What even are psychological thrillers, you ask? They're the films that scare people more subtly, often revolving around larger existential behavioral questions and concerns. Is what's happening even real? Has that person been dead this whole time? Can that one really see dead people? If you catch yourself asking those kind of Qs, chances are you've found yourself watching a psychological thriller.
Psychological thrillers tend to linger in watchers' minds for days, maybe even weeks. And Netflix has done us justice over the years by providing a highly suspenseful selection of psychological thrillers to choose from. A creepy nurse? Inescapable grass? Mind altering schemes? Sign us up! Here are the 30 best psychological thrillers on Netflix right now for you to Netflix and chill Netflix and overthink.
Spiderhead
Guess what? Two of your Hollywood crushes joined forces to give you the team you always wanted. (Thanks boys!) Netflix's Spiderhead focuses on two inmates that are held at a state-of-the-art penitentiary run by a man (Chris Hemsworth) who experiments on his subjects with mind-altering drugs.
The Woman in the Window
There's a reason the old adage "mind your own business" exists. The Woman in the Window is about child psychologist Dr. Anna Fox, who suffers from agoraphobia. She witnesses something sinister taking place with the picture perfect family across the street as she struggles. This film will have you on the edge of your seat!
Ratched
This 2020 Netflix original from Ryan Murphy tells the origin story of asylum nurse Mildred Ratched from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. In the late 1940s, the young nurse seeks employment at leading psychiatric hospital in Northern California. Bonus: This features another chilling performance by Sarah Paulson, so what's not to love?
Sightless
Madelaine Petsch stars in the 2020 film Sightless, playing a young violinist who is left blind after a brutal attack. While recovering, her other senses become heightened, which causes her to grow more and more suspicious of the people around her.
YOU
What would you do if you were being stalked by your local bookstore manager? The 2018 Netflix show follows Joe Goldberg, a NYC bookstore manager who begins to stalk an aspiring writer, Guinevere Beck. If you're looking for the "hot serial killer" section, you've come to the right place. There's something about Joe Goldberg that makes everyone want to hate him...but also date him.
Se7en
In this 1995 thriller, Detective William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) and Detective David Mills (Brad Pitt) take on a string of gruesome murder cases. The two discover the serial killer they're battling is targeting people he thinks represent one of the seven deadly sins. Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt? Name a better duo...I'll wait.
Gerald's Game
I Care a Lot
Marla Grayson is a court-appointed guardian who has scammed many elderly people by seizing legal control of their lives and defrauding them. But her usual routine begins to crumble when she learns her latest victim has ties to a powerful gangster. Not only did Rosamund Pike win a Golden Globe for her performance for this, but she also gave unfortunate insight into modern conservatorships.
Fractured
After his wife and injured daughter are sent to the ER, a man discovers hours later that they have gone missing. When the hospital claims to have no record of them ever being there, the man goes on a hunt to prove the hospital is hiding something. And Fractured has a twist ending you will truly not see coming....
The Platform
In the 2019 Netflix film The Platform, a prison feeds their inmates via (you guessed it) a platform. The inmates on the top floor eat generously while those on the bottom have to feed off the scraps that fall down. As tension heightens, the situation grows in severity with a morbid end.
The Gray Man
TBH, I don't know what we did to deserve a Netflix original where Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans share the same screen, but we are thankful. The Gray Man tells the story of a CIA agent (Ryan Gosling) who uncovers major secrets of the agency, which leads to an assassin-hunt from his ex colleague (Chris Evans).
The Paramedic
After a deadly accident, a paramedic is left paralyzed from the waist down. While recovering and adjusting to his new life, his relationship with his partner begins to fall apart. As he grows suspicious of how faithful she has been to him, his obsession overtakes his mind. TL;DR This is why we meet up with our exes in public places, people!
Lavender
This 2016 psychological thriller is a bit of a roller coaster, so buckle up. Lavender features a young mother who is struggling with the relapse of childhood memories after a fatal car crash. The woman soon ventures to the home she grew up in, which wasn't exactly a happy place....
Ozark
It should be no surprise that Ozark made its way onto this list. This award-winning 2017 Netflix series tells the story of Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman), a financial planner who falls into trouble when his money-laundering scheme goes sideways. In order to keep his family safe, Marty moves them to the Ozarks while paying off a great debt to a Mexican drug lord.
Clickbait
Clickbait focuses on the disappearance of a loving family man, Nick Brewer. After Nick goes missing, a video surfaces online showing him badly beaten and holding up signs that suggest he abuses women. This is a must-watch for anyone living in this digital age.
CAM
If you see your doppelgänger, it's best to run the other way. In the 2018 film CAM, an online cam girl fights to get her identify back after it is stolen by someone who looks identical to her. The internet is a scary place!!
Intrusion
Ever felt like you can't trust anyone? This may *not* be the movie for you then. Netflix's Invasion features a married couple moving in to their dream home. Shortly after, they become traumatized by a deadly home break-in, leaving the wife to question everyone around her.
Awake (2021)
Awake features a world where a global disaster wipes out humanity's ability to sleep. Citizens become delusional and even dangerous, and all the while, an ex-solider fights to keep her family safe. And it all reaches new levels of wild when she learns her daughter actually can sleep after all.
In the Tall Grass
I've never been scared of grass so much in my entire life. In the Tall Grass tells the story of a brother and sister who hear the cries of a boy in the grass. After trying to save him, they realize they can't get out.
Calibre
Netflix's Calibre features two childhood friends, Vaughn and Marcus, who travel to the Highlands of Scotland for a hunting trip. They soon face a chaotic situation...moral of the story: sometimes it's better to leave childhood friends in your childhood.
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