Published 18:11 IST, October 10th 2019
Loved Joker? Here are other psychological thriller movies to watch
Joker has created a storm at the global box office in its opening weekend. The film has masterful performances by Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur and Robert De Niro.
Joker opened on an exceptional note at the Indian box office. The film faced competition from the Hrithik-Tiger starrer War but still managed to open to spectacular numbers. Warner Brothers Productions reportedly did not release a Hindi dubbed version of the film anticipating lesser numbers of people being interested in the film. It received a limited English release in India, but it still did not stop the film from bringing in the big numbers. The film raked in ₹32 crores in just six days at the box-office. The reception for a niche psychological thriller like Joker has proved that the Indian audience has an interest in cinema beyond Hollywood action blockbusters. Here are a few psychological thriller films like Joker.
1) Shutter Island (2010)
Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo starrer Shutter Island is considered to be one of the best psychological thrillers ever made. Without giving away any spoilers, the film revolves around two U.S. Marshals travelling to a mental asylum to investigate the disappearance of a patient. The film was directed by Martin Scorsese and was based on a novel by the same name. The psychologically twisted end of the film reportedly left many audience members shocked. The film has an IMDB rating of 8.1.
2) The Machinist (2004)
The Machinist is often appreciated for Christian Bale's amazing performance. The actor shed out more than 60 lbs to fit the role of a construction worker facing insomnia. His character in the film starts doubting his reality when chronic insomnia keeps him awake for months. What follows is a series of events that the protagonist doubts are whether real or not. Christian Bale's downright creepy and spooky portrayal of the character makes The Machinist worth a watch!
Also read: Joker: This Is How Joaquin Phoenix Prepared To Play The Character
3) Taxi Driver (1976)
Martin Scorsese is reportedly an ardent fan of psychological stories. Martin helmed Taxi Driver with Robert De Niro in the lead role. Interestingly, Todd Phillips, the director of Joker has stated in an interview that some portions of his film are inspired by Taxi Driver. Joker also features Robert De Niro in an important role. The film revolves around an army veteran dealing with mental health issues who works a night job driving a taxi. The consequences of being a war veteran are portrayed in the film in a twisted way.
Updated 23:17 IST, October 10th 2019