Dark movies like Winters Bone or Eastern Promises?

March 24, 2011 10:13 PM

Movies with a certain atmosphere really hit the spot when life gets me down. The top three movies that match this mood are Winters Bone, Eastern Promises, and Mystic River. Can you think of others I might like?

It's more than just being dark, gritty, and miserable, because for instance, Biutiful did not exactly hit the spot, if that helps at all. I'll watch this thread, in case this is too little to go on. Thanks in advance for any suggestions you might have.

posted by slidell to media & arts (45 answers total)

The Return
posted by invisible ink at 10:24 PM on March 24, 2011

Gone Baby Gone.
posted by fshgrl at 10:34 PM on March 24, 2011 [1 favorite]

The Limey. Shiner.
posted by Mr. Yuck at 10:38 PM on March 24, 2011

Affliction
posted by dhammond at 10:42 PM on March 24, 2011 [1 favorite]

Older film, but perhaps Dead Man Walking?
posted by Gilbert at 10:47 PM on March 24, 2011

This thread is off to an excellent start. I'm off to watch The Return on Netflix streaming right now. Thank you for these good suggestions.
posted by slidell at 10:57 PM on March 24, 2011

McCabe & Mrs. Miller.
posted by Victorvacendak at 11:09 PM on March 24, 2011

THE AMERICAN FRIEND

INSOMNIA (the original)

STROSZEK

SCUM

LE TROU

AU HASARD BALTHAZAR (Anything by Robert Bresson - especially BALTHAZAR as well as PICKPOCKET and A MAN ESCAPED)

TWO-LANE BLACKTOP

BRING ME THE HEAD OF ALFREDO GARCIA
posted by cinemafiend at 11:51 PM on March 24, 2011 [1 favorite]

If you need anything darker and filled with more melancholy than the films I've listed above - I can go deeper... I've seen some soulcrushers.
posted by cinemafiend at 11:55 PM on March 24, 2011

The Proposition
posted by hototogisu at 12:08 AM on March 25, 2011

This is the first thing that I thought of, an unfairly under recognized Jeff Bridges film from the early 80s, Cutter's Way and from the 70s another Bridges film, Winter Kills.
posted by Phlegmco(tm) at 12:16 AM on March 25, 2011

I have watched Winter's Bone 4 times, so I can relate. Other films that give me similar feelings:
The Sweet Hereafter
Breaking the Waves
All the Real Girls
Stuff from this thread
posted by analog at 12:18 AM on March 25, 2011 [2 favorites]

I think I get where you're coming from... for me, these 4 give me that feeling of "man, the world sure is a heap of trouble":
Children of Men
Drugstore Cowboy
Michael Clayton
Clean & Sober
posted by artlung at 12:25 AM on March 25, 2011

Lone Star, for sure. Soul-crushing bordertown stuff.

I'm thinking Eve's Bayou, too, although it's been a while since I've seen it.
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 12:26 AM on March 25, 2011

Dancer in the Dark.
posted by coraline at 1:54 AM on March 25, 2011

A History of Violence

This Is Not a Love Song
posted by jon1270 at 2:00 AM on March 25, 2011 [1 favorite]

Winter's Bone felt in the same mood as Frozen River to me.

You might also try Ratcatcher, Revanche, and Terribly Happy.
posted by Karlos the Jackal at 3:40 AM on March 25, 2011

"The House of Sand and Fog" has the same kind of gloomy, drifty thing going on. You may also want to look into "Mumblecore" movies which can be sort of precious, but are also very character-centric, lazily paced mood pieces.
posted by GilloD at 4:29 AM on March 25, 2011

Ratcatcher

Fish Tank

O homen do ano/The Man of the Year

Ciudad de m/City of M

Lila Says
posted by Forktine at 5:21 AM on March 25, 2011

posted by Karlos the Jackal

Which reminds me: the miniseries Carlos is available on streaming on Netflix, and has a lot of the elements that this question is looking for.
posted by Forktine at 5:23 AM on March 25, 2011

Strongly 2nding McCabe & Mrs. Miller.

La promesse.
Le temps du loup.
River's Edge.
posted by Sys Rq at 5:50 AM on March 25, 2011

Amores Perros
posted by Gilbert at 6:25 AM on March 25, 2011

Transsiberian

Frozen River
posted by The Deej at 6:28 AM on March 25, 2011

Animal Kingdom
posted by h00py at 8:14 AM on March 25, 2011

The Good Girl
Synechdoche New York
Lovely and Amazing
posted by rmless at 8:58 AM on March 25, 2011

A Simple Plan
posted by kirkaracha at 9:18 AM on March 25, 2011

Naked
posted by perhapses at 9:51 AM on March 25, 2011

Nthing The Sweet Hereafter. It's so so so good.
posted by nushustu at 10:08 AM on March 25, 2011 [1 favorite]

seconding The Sweet Hereafter. Also The Last Emperor, Until the End of the World, and A Home at the End of the World.

Definitely marking this thread for future reference!
posted by dawkins_7 at 10:12 AM on March 25, 2011

Came in to recommend the The Proposition, Return and A Simple Plan. (I would also recommend practically every other movie mentioned above - people here have excellent taste.)

Below I've listed a few films that haven't been mentioned yet, with what I would describe as a quiet, dark intensity (regardless of content matter, time period or setting).

L'enfant
There Will Be Blood
Birth
Practically anything and everything Kieslowski directed.
Snow Falling on Cedars
The Weight of Water
Frozen Land (aka Paha Maa) which is the Finnish evil twin of Pay It Forward.

I'll have more of a think (and a look at my film collection) and possibly recommend a few more films.
posted by slimepuppy at 10:21 AM on March 25, 2011

You might also like Candy with Heath Ledger and Abbie Someone. It's pretty gritty and a fantastic movie.
posted by fshgrl at 10:22 AM on March 25, 2011

Someone=Cornish
posted by fshgrl at 10:22 AM on March 25, 2011

Also, you have seen Blood Simple, right?
posted by slimepuppy at 10:23 AM on March 25, 2011

Oh, yeah, definitely Transsiberian.

Also, maybe True Grit?
posted by misha at 10:46 AM on March 25, 2011

Recently seen, these may be more viscerally gritty, but both have a real misanthropic feel:
Lilja 4 Ever
A Prophet


I'm not sure it's quite in the zone of tone you want, but a movie I like very much is
Heavenly Creatures

You may also like
The Long Good Friday
posted by dhartung at 11:01 AM on March 25, 2011

Undertow.
posted by Dmenet at 11:02 AM on March 25, 2011

The Deep End
posted by juliplease at 11:08 AM on March 25, 2011

Sangre de Mi Sangre
Half Nelson
Sin Nombre
posted by plokent at 11:31 AM on March 25, 2011

38 answers and no Requiem for a Dream??
posted by nevercalm at 12:41 PM on March 25, 2011

Came in with Frozen River on my mind, so ditto that.
Try Swimmers, too. It's simply great.
posted by dpcoffin at 12:46 PM on March 25, 2011

And Dead Man, too.
posted by dpcoffin at 12:51 PM on March 25, 2011

In The Bedroom
posted by Neiltupper at 2:55 PM on March 25, 2011

38 answers and no Requiem for a Dream??

It doesn't really fit the mood, I'd say. Too MTV. Christiane F (basically the same movie, but more brooding and German) would be a much better fit. And it has David Bowie!
posted by Sys Rq at 3:53 PM on March 25, 2011

What Doesn't Kill You
posted by PaulBGoode at 11:15 PM on March 25, 2011

The Return was exactly what I was looking for. I'm really looking forward to watching more of these. Thank you all again for the good suggestions.
posted by slidell at 1:27 AM on March 27, 2011