What makes a psychological thriller a must-watch for students? Usually, it’s a combination of a gripping plot that will make you forget about your stressful schedule and an original script that makes you want to analyze every detail in depth to really delve into its central intrigue. Think of thrillers like Christopher Nolan’s Inception and Memento, Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island, M.N. Shyamalan’s The Sixth Sense, and many more. What all these movies have in common is that they keep you watching till the end as you try to unravel the mystery, all while providing a thrilling, captivating experience that has you hooked.
We can suggest so many psychological thrillers that would be perfect for students, and chances are, if you log onto your favorite streamer and have a look at what’s on there, you’ll find something that grabs your interest. But if you’re after recommendations, we’re here to help! Whether you’d like to destress from the stress of assignments – in which case, some students also look for essay writing services like SpeedyPaper – or are simply in need of a good watch, here are 5 must-watch psychological thriller for students! Find them all below in alphabetical order. Happy watching!
1. Donnie Darko (2001)
From writer-director Richard Kelly, who was also behind 2009 hit The Box, Donnie Darko did a lot more than put Jake Gyllenhaal on the map, back when it was released in 2001. The film had an entire generation immediately hooked, as it was unlike anything audiences had seen before, up till then. It’s not just a matter of a truly complex plot that you’ll only be able to understand after multiple rewatches; it’s that it’s also a highly philosophical, surprisingly meaningful movie. Despite containing elements of sci-fi and fantasy and even time travel, this 2009 gem manages to capture what it’s like to be a teenager with mental health issues in an eeringly accurate way, ultimately acting as an ode to outcasts that still works to this day.
It’s hard to sum up Donnie Darko‘s plot without giving its many twists away, but what you need to know it’s that it revolves around the titular character (Gyllenhaal), a bright but aloof and definitely depressed teenager whose life starts changing after he survives a freak accident. That’s when Donnie’s thoughts start to become existential, and his therapist’s attempts at hypnosis reveal even more of a darkness within him that he might be finally ready to explore. And so, Donnie embarks on a journey, accompanied by a disquieting giant bunny named Frank that only he can see, to uncover a secret that’s ultimately connected to both his own life and the entire universe.
If you’re looking for a truly thought-provoking thriller that combines mystery with supernatural elements, even delving into some pretty dark territory, look no further than Donnie Darko. If you’re not familiar with it yet, you’re in for a wild ride.
2. Get Out (2017)
Get Out‘s premise is not similar to that of many horror-thrillers from the 2000s, but this 2017 gem soon turns into something else entirely. From Oscar-winning writer-director Jordan Peele, Get Out is about a couple, Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) and Rose (Allison Williams) who are about to go on a weekend getaway in which the former is supposed to finally meet the latter’s parents. While the trip does happen, Chris soon finds out that he’s in for much more than he signed up for. Initially, our protagonist links his future parents-in-law’s odd behavior as due to them getting used to the idea of their daughter being in an interracial relationship. Soon, though, Chris makes a series of discoveries that show him a much more disquieting, potentially life-threatening truth.
It’s best to leave it at that to avoid spoilers, but Jordan Peele’s most beloved movie ultimately explores identity. With fantastic central performances from Kaluuya and Williams and impressive turns from the supporting cast – Bradley Whitford, Catherine Keener, and Caleb Landry Jones as Allison’s family and Marcus Henderson as Chris’s friend, among others, Get Out is a classic for exactly right now, made all the more disquieting by how provocative and on point it is. The movie definitely delves into horror territory, but before revealing its darkest aspects it also takes you on a slow-burning ride that has room for tension, introspection, and even humor.
3. Gone Girl (2014)
David Fincher is the master of suspense, counting so many counting an impressive number of genre gems in a long and successful career. The first movies that might come to mind are Se7en, Zodiac, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and you should absolutely seek them out if you haven’t seen them yet. For this article, we chose a more recent release, 2014’s Gone Girl, a deliciously subversive thriller about a marriage gone wrong.
Adapted from Gillian Flynn’s 2012 novel of the same name, Gone Girl starts in Carthage, Mo., where writer Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) and his wife Amy (Rosamund Pike) are having their best life – at least, that’s what it looks like from the outside. When his wife goes missing, Nick is devastated, and everyone’s sympathies are with him until more details emerge and he becomes the main suspect in her disappearance.
Up till this point, Gone Girl‘s plot might sound familiar: someone is wrongly accused of murdering their partner and have to prove their innocence when the entire world is against them. But Gone Girl is something else entirely, as there are many more secrets to discover in this apparently straightforward story, which all eventually take us back to Nick and Amy themselves, their relationship, and who they truly are. Not to be missed!
4. Saltburn (2023)
If you’re a student, chances are you might be looking for a film that takes place in a familiar environment, with a young cast and an academic setting, but that is also gripping enough to provide some escapism. This recent release from Promising Young Woman‘s Emerald Fennell is perfect for you, then, as its protagonist is an Oxford student who escapes his daily life to join a world of privilege.
When we first meet Oliver (Barry Keoghan), he has just arrived at Oxford, and he couldn’t look more out of place. Not only doe he have no friends, but his background is very different from that of his wealthy classmates. His luck changes when he meets Felix (Jacob Elordi), one of the most popular students at Oxford, who comes from an aristocratic family. The two immediately hit it off, so much so that, when Felix learns that Oliver’s father has died, he invites him to stay at his estate with his family in the summer.
Naturally, Oliver agrees: after all, Felix is his only friend. But this is a psychological thriller, and this holiday soon turns into something else when all our players – from Felix’s parents and sister (Richard E. Grant, Rosamund Pike and Millie Kent) to fellow student Farleigh (Archie Madekwe) and unwelcome house guest “poor dear Pamela” (Carey Mulligan) – start showing their true colors. Emerald Fennell’s sense of humor shines in a film that might not be revolutionary for its storytelling but that’s still a pleasure to watch unfold.
5. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
We couldn’t think of a better classic to recommend than Jonathan Demme‘s The Silence of the Lambs, which hasn’t aged a day since its release over 30 years ago. A young Jodie Foster is superb as Clarice Starling, a bright student at the FBI’s training academy who’s desperate to prove her worth. One day, the opportunity comes along when her boss Jack (Scott Glenn) asks her to interview the most notorious psychopath in town: Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), a cannibalistic man who used to be a psychiatrist until he gave in to his urges, and who’s now serving life in prison.
The FBI needs Lecter’s help with another case that has similarities with the inmate’s past murders – that of serial killer Buffalo Bill, who’s currently on the loose. Jack believes that Lecter might have known the wanted man, but he needs him to cooperate. He believes Clarice to be the perfect person for the job, as she’s an attractive young woman to whom Lecter might respond, and he’s right. But Clarice is also inexperienced, and this makes the relationship between her and Lecter even more complex.
There are power dynamics at work here, like in all great psychological thrillers, but this is also a tense ride, as there’s also another murder to solve. Hopkins and Foster excel here: the two are part of why the movie works as well as it does, and we could watch them talk for much longer than what we get to see on screen. But screenplay and camerawork are also impressive, as if our two protagonists spend so much time watching one another to figure each other out, so do we as an audience, and this makes for an even more compelling watch.
The five movies listed above are all must-watch psychological thriller for students, because they are all complex, fascinating and thought-provoking, and are bound to provide plenty of escapism. From mind-bending entries like Donnie Darko and Get Out to recent classics like Gone Girl and Saltburn and 1990s cult movie The Silence of the Lamb, you’ll definitely find something you’ll enjoy!
