Films About Anxiety
Anxiety is a pervasive theme in cinema, often explored through the lens of personal struggle, societal pressures, and the psychological complexities of the human experience. These films delve into the characters' internal battles, portraying how anxiety affects their relationships, decisions, and sense of self. From psychological thrillers to poignant dramas, filmmakers have used various storytelling techniques to articulate the nuances of anxiety, resonating with audiences who may share similar feelings of unease and dread.
Here are some notable films that center on anxiety:
“A Ghost Story”, 2017
Director: David Lowery
A haunting exploration of grief and existential dread, this film follows a recently deceased man who lingers as a ghost, observing how life goes on without him, ultimately reflecting the anxiety of facing an uncertain future.
Starring: Casey Affleck, Rooney Mara, McColm Cephas Jr., Kenneisha Thompson, Grover Coulson, Liz Cardenas, Barlow Jacobs, Richard Krause, Dagger Salazar, Sonia Acevedo, Carlos Bermudez, Kimberly Fiddes, Daniel Escudero, Kesha, Jared Kopf, Afomia Hailemeskel, Will Oldham, Brea Grant, Augustine Frizzell, Jonny Mars, Rachel Ballard, Bryan Pitts, Rob Zabrecky, Sara Tomerlin, Margot Tomerlin, Sylvie Tomerlin, Savanna Walsh, Derrick Halverson, David Miller, Hector Escalante, Randy E. Aguebor, Joel David Taylor, Monalisa Amidar, Phillip Amidar, Stan Sanders, Alvis Lewis, David Fraga, Kimberly Gail Williams, Tanya Foster, Giovannie Cruz, Paulie Killgore, Otis Harris, Kathy Jordan, Scooter Walsh, William Sydney, David Helms, Jordan Jett Raines, Kelli Holdridge, Taylor Anne Ramsey, Alexis Fleisig;
Production year: 2017;
Genre: fantasy, drama, melodrama, detective;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 92 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,8;
More information about the film “A Ghost Story” on the website imdb.com
“Black Swan”, 2010
Director: Darren Aronofsky
In this psychological thriller, a dedicated ballet dancer becomes consumed by her quest for perfection, leading to paranoia and anxiety as she struggles to maintain her sanity while preparing for a demanding role.
Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey, Winona Ryder, Sebastian Stan, Toby Hemingway, Benjamin Millepied, Ksenia Solo, Kristina Anapau, Janet Montgomery, Sergio Torrado, Mark Margolis, Tina Sloan, Abraham Aronofsky, Charlotte Aronofsky, Marcia Jean Kurtz, Shaun O'Hagan, Chris Gartin, Deborah Offner, Stanley Herman, Michelle Rodriguez Nouel, Kurt Froman, Marty Krzywonos, Leslie Lyles, John Epperson, Arkadiy Figlin, Tim Fain, Sarah Lane, Liam Flaherty, Patrick Heusinger, Olga Kostritzky, Christine Redpath, Alexandra Damiani, Rebecca Azenberg, Laura Bowman, Holly L. Fusco, Abigail Mentzer, Barette Vance, Lillian di Piazza, Megan Dickinson, Jessy Hendrickson, Geneviève Lebean, Rachel Jambois, Ryoko Sadoshima, Kaia A. Tack, Lauren Fadeley, Sarah Hay, Adrianna de Svastich;
Production year: 2010;
Genre: drama, thriller;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 103 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8;
More information about the film “Black Swan” on the website imdb.com
“The Social Network”, 2010
Director: David Fincher
This biographical drama delves into the creation of Facebook, highlighting the anxiety and isolation experienced by its founder, Mark Zuckerberg, as he navigates the treacherous waters of innovation, friendship, and betrayal.
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Armie Hammer, Max Minghella, Rashida Jones, Brenda Song, Rooney Mara, Bryan Barter, Joseph Mazzello, Dustin Fitzsimons, Patrick Mapel, Toby Meuli, Alecia Svensen, Jami Owen, James Dastoli, Robert Dastoli, Scotty Crowe, Jayk Gallagher, Marcella Lentz-Pope, Trevor Wright, Barry Livingston, Marybeth Massett, Randy Evans, Denise Grayson, John Getz, Carrie Armstrong, Henry Roosevelt, Joshua Pence, David Selby, Pamela Roylance, Brian Palermo, Brett Leigh, Chris Gouchoe, Nicholas Tubbs, Kevin Chui, Richie Ferris, Burke Walton, Anh Tuan Nguyen, Inbal Amirav, Dane Nightingale, Stephen Fuller, John He, Nick Smoke, Cali Fredrichs, Shelby Young, Steve Sires, Melise, Victor Z. Isaac, Abhi Sinha;
Production year: 2010;
Genre: drama, biography;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 120 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,8;
More information about the film “The Social Network” on the website imdb.com
“Uncut Gems”, 2019
Director: Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie
Following a high-stakes jeweler in New York City, this film immerses viewers in a whirlwind of anxiety as the protagonist makes increasingly reckless decisions in pursuit of success, demonstrating how external pressures can spiral into chaos.
Starring: Adam Sandler, Julia Fox, Idina Menzel, LaKeith Stanfield, Kevin Garnett, Eric Bogosian, Keith William Richards, Judd Hirsch, Mike Francesa, Noa Fisher, Mesfin Lamengo, Sun Zhi Hua-Hilton, Liang Wei-Hui-Duncan, Sunny Wu Jin Zahoo, Deneke Muhugeta, Habtunu Africho, Warren Finkelstein, Tommy Kominik, Maksud Agadjani, Ca$h Out, Andrea Linsky, Roman Persits, Pom Klementieff, Paloma Elsesser, Sean Reinggold, Jeremy Sample, Todd Vulpio, Demany Eastman, Gerard McQuiller, Arthur Borukhov, Damien Howard, Jonathan Aranbayev, Ronald Greenberg, Marshall Greenberg, Michael A. Sollecito, Shemsi Selimaj, Jacob Dylan Igielski, Hailey Gates, Mitchell Wenig, Stuart Wenig, Raleem Moses, Keren Shemel, Aren Topian, Louis Anthony Arias, Marcia DeBonis, Anthony Mecca, Max Bartos, Jake Ryan, Shiv Pai, Lino Eisenberg;
Production year: 2019;
Genre: thriller, drama, crime;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 135 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,4;
More information about the film “Uncut Gems” on the website imdb.com
“The Perks of Being a Wallflower”, 2012
Director: Stephen Chbosky
This coming-of-age drama follows a socially anxious teenager as he navigates the complexities of high school, friendship, and mental health, offering a heartfelt portrayal of the struggles many face during formative years.
Starring: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Nina Dobrev, Dylan McDermott, Kate Walsh, Paul Rudd, Mae Whitman, Adam Hagenbuch, Johnny Simmons, Erin Wilhelmi, Tom Savini, Joan Cusack, Melanie Lynskey, Tom Kruszewski, Zane Holtz, Reece Thompson, Nicholas Braun, Patrick de Ledebur, Brian Balzerini, Julia Garner, Emily Marie Callaway, Chelsea Zhang, Jesse Scheirer, Justine Nicole Schaefer, Jules Atlas, Leo Miles Farmerie, Isabel Muschweck, Jordan Paley, Timothy Breslin, Mark McClain Wilson, Atticus Cain, Stacy Chbosky, Dihlon McManne, Laurie Klatscher, Landon Pigg, Jennifer Enskat, William L. Thomas, Morgan Wolk, Tony Amen, Diedra Arthur-O'Ree, Tiffany Bell, Matt Black, Zachary Bolen, Andre Brassil, Ralph Browning, Lisa Buckley, Owen Campbell, Roberto Capriotti, Daniel Clayton;
Production year: 2012;
Genre: drama;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 102 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,9;
More information about the film “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” on the website imdb.com
“Melancholia”, 2011
Director: Lars von Trier
A visually stunning exploration of depression and anxiety, this film juxtaposes two sisters' differing responses to the impending doom of a planet colliding with Earth, illustrating how anxiety can manifest in the face of existential threats.
Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Alexander Skarsgård, Brady Corbet, Cameron Spurr, Charlotte Rampling, Jesper Christensen, John Hurt, Stellan Skarsgård, Udo Kier, Kiefer Sutherland, James Cagnard, Deborah Fronko, Charlotta Miller, Claire Miller, Gary Whitaker, Katrine A. Sahlstrøm, Christian Geisnæs, Stefan Cronwall, Peter Ekedahl, Christian Kinell, Lovisa Håkansdotter Wallin;
Production year: 2011;
Genre: science fiction, drama;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 130 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,1;
“Hereditary”, 2018
Director: Ari Aster
Blending horror with psychological tension, this film follows a family unraveling after a tragic loss, exploring themes of inherited trauma and anxiety as they confront their dark legacies.
Starring: Toni Collette, Gabriel Byrne, Alex Wolff, Milly Shapiro, Ann Dowd, Mallory Bechtel, Christy Summerhays, Morgan Lund, Jake Brown, Harrison Nell, BriAnn Rachele, Heidi Méndez, Moises L. Tovar, Jarrod Phillips, Brock McKinney, Zachary Arthur, David Stanley, William «Bus» Riley, Austin R. Grant, Gabriel Monroe Eckert, Mark Blockovich, Kathleen Chalfant, John Forker, Rachelle Hardy, Alexis Long, Marilyn Miller, Jason Miyagi, Shane Morrisun, A.J. Moss, Nic Nielsen, Georgia Puckett, Travis Sanchez, Lorenzo Silva;
Production year: 2018;
Genre: horror, drama, detective;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 127 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,3;
“The Master”, 2012
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
This thought-provoking drama examines the relationship between a troubled World War II veteran and a charismatic leader of a controversial movement, delving into themes of existential anxiety and the search for identity.
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Laura Dern, Jesse Plemons, Ambyr Childers, Rami Malek, Martin D. Dew, Kevin J. O'Connor, Patty McCormack, Price Carson, Mike Howard, Sarah Shoshana David, Bruce Goodchild, Matt Hering, Dan Anderson, Andrew Koponen, Jeffrey W. Jenkins, Patrick Wilder, Ryan Curtis, Jay Laurence, Abraxas Adams, Tina Bruna, Kevin Hudnell, Hunter Craig, Ryder Craig, Rodion Salnikov, Emily Gilliam, Kody Klein, Amy Ferguson, W. Earl Brown, Frank Bettag, Ariel Felix, Vladimir Velasco, John Mark Reyes, Brian Fong, Diane Cortejo, Leonida A. Bautista, Myrna De Dios, Katie Boland, Lorelai Hoey, Joshua Close, Jillian Bell, Kevin J. Walsh, Lena Endre, Madisen Beaty, William O'Brien, Mimi Cozzens, Zan Overall, Barbara Brownell;
Production year: 2012;
Genre: drama, history;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 137 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,1;
“Lady Bird”, 2017
Director: Greta Gerwig
A coming-of-age story that captures the anxiety of adolescence as a high school senior navigates her tumultuous relationship with her mother and the pressures of finding her own path in life.
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts, Lucas Hedges, Timothée Chalamet, Beanie Feldstein, Lois Smith, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Odeya Rush, Jordan Rodrigues, Marielle Scott, John Karna, Jake McDorman, Bayne Gibby, Laura Marano, Marietta DePrima, Daniel Zovatto, Kristen Cloke, Andy Buckley, Paul Keller, Kathryn Newton, Myra Turley, Bob Stephenson, Abhimanyu Katyal, Chris Witaske, Ben Konigsberg, Gurpreet Gill, Richard Jin, Joan Patricia O'Neil, Robert Figueroa, Carla Valentine, Roman Arabia, Monique Edwards, Matthew Maher, Anita Kalathara, Debra Miller, Georgia Leva, Derek Butler, London Thor, Shaelan O'Connor, Christina Offley, Sabrina Schloss, Connor Mickiewicz, Erik Daniells, Cynthia Cales, Giselle Grams, Ithamar Enriquez, Luisa Lee, Danielle Macdonald, Adam Brock;
Production year: 2017;
Genre: drama, comedy;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 94 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,4;
More information about the film “Lady Bird” on the website imdb.com
These films not only entertain but also serve as a mirror reflecting the complex emotions associated with anxiety, fostering understanding and empathy among viewers.
The selection of films about anxiety delves deep into the human psyche, exploring the complexities of mental health and the impact of anxiety on individuals and their relationships. These films masterfully capture the visceral experience of anxiety, immersing the audience in the characters' emotional turmoil. From gripping psychological thrillers to poignant dramas, each film offers a unique perspective on anxiety, shedding light on the struggles and triumphs of those grappling with this pervasive condition. Through compelling storytelling and nuanced performances, these films not only entertain but also foster empathy and understanding, igniting important conversations about mental health in our society.
