Agitated-Key-9188

Looking for movies that feel like Close (2022), Biutiful, 21 Grams, Incendies, The Eight Mountains, Falcon Lake — emotionally devastating but also beautiful, atmospheric, and haunting.

I’m especially looking for:

• grief, loss, loneliness, guilt, suicide, fractured relationships
• strong cinematography and a memorable score/BGM
• that dreamy, melancholic quality where the movie stays with you for days
• preferably 2010+, foreign films are very welcome

Not just “sad movies” — more like films that feel deeply human, heavy, mysterious, and almost poetic.

I’ve already seen most of the usual recommendations like **Aftersun, Manchester by the Sea, All of Us Strangers, Monster, Blue Valenti

Something like Close (2022) that deals with the aftermath of an unfortunate event suicide, death, loss, or some irreversible tragedy and really stays in that emotional space. Aftersun came somewhat close, and All of Us Strangers too, but neither quite hit me like Close.

I’m especially looking for films on these themes, not just generally “sad” movies. Lesser-known recommendations would be great!

I’ve watched Aloners (2020), Fremont (2023), Sometimes I Think About Dying (2023) and am looking for others along these lines.

Looking for something that hits like Manchester by the Sea — gut-wrenching, bleak, grounded, introspective, and emotionally devastating, but preferably 2020s or at least post-2015.

Foreign films are absolutely welcome. Some of the films that have hit this exact nerve for me are:

Incendies, The Hunt, Revanche, Lilya 4-ever, Peppermint Candy, An Elephant Sitting Still, Tokyo Sunrise, Close.

I'm especially looking for films about grief, guilt, trauma, loneliness, regret, or the aftermath of something irreversible — not just a generic "sad movie." I love when there's a great atmosphere/BGM, quiet tension, ambiguity, or a slow emotional buildup that leaves you staring at the wall afterward

I think I've finally figured out what I'm looking for. Incendies is still the only film that ticked everything. It's not just the twist it's the slow-burn mystery, nonlinear storytelling, quiet tension, haunting score, and the way it builds toward an emotionally devastating payoff. The war is just the backdrop; it's really about the human condition.

The closest for me have been Revanche, The Hunt, Lilya 4-ever, and to a lesser extent Atonement, maybe Festen but nothing has reached that same level. I'm not looking for straightforward tearjerkers like Requiem for a Dream or Dancer in the Dark, nor action-revenge thrillers like Oldboy. I'm looking for films that capture what makes

i've seen most of the classic recommendations, so I'm mainly looking for modern films (2010+). I want something gut-wrenching, riveting, atmospheric, with a haunting BGM/score, maybe narration or a reflective quality, and themes of grief, guilt, trauma, loneliness, or moral dilemmas that leave you emotionally numb and thinking for days.

Some of my favourites are Incendies, Manchester by the Sea, Close (2022), Train Dreams, 21 Grams, Revanche, The Hunt. etc.

Rather than just listing titles, please tell me why your recommendation compares to these—what emotional chord it hits, what it does similarly (or even better), and why it stayed with you.

i've seen most of the classic recommendations, so I'm mainly looking for modern films (2010+). I want something gut-wrenching, riveting, atmospheric, with a haunting BGM/score, maybe narration or a reflective quality, and themes of grief, guilt, trauma, loneliness, or moral dilemmas that leave you emotionally numb and thinking for days.

Some of my favourites are Incendies, Manchester by the Sea, Close (2022), Train Dreams, 21 Grams, Revanche, The Hunt. etc.

Rather than just listing titles, please tell me why your recommendation compares to these—what emotional chord it hits, what it does similarly (or even better), and why it stayed with you.

Looking for emotionally devastating, atmospheric films that stay with you long after they're over. On the lines of "Incendies, The Hunt, Revanche, Close, 21 Grams, Biutiful, Manchester by the Sea, Atonement". Basically, films driven by grief, guilt, trauma, moral dilemmas, haunting BGM, quiet moments, and introspection rather than just being "sad." I'd love your top 5 recommendations, but please tell me why they affected you or compare them to the films above instead of just listing titles. Foreign & modern movies are especially welcome. (Looking for grounded human dramas only -- no anime, sci-fi, fantasy, or horror, pls)

I posted a few days ago asking for emotionally crushing, cerebral films but didn't really find what I was looking for.

This time, could you comment your top 5 (or so) films that fit this vibe? I'd really appreciate it if you could also explain why they affected you, or relate them to the films below instead of just listing titles.

I'm looking for introspective, atmospheric films with quiet nature shots, aching BGM, grief/guilt/trauma, maybe voice-over, and stories that stay with you long after they're over. Some examples,

• Incendies (2010) & Oldboy (2003)
Both build toward a revelation that changes everything. I prefer Incendies for its slower, more devastating build-up and hauntin

I'm looking for movies that leave you emotionally shattered—films with a kind of cerebral numbness, gut-wrenching emotional weight, and the kind of atmosphere that makes you cry long after they're over. A haunting score/BGM is a huge plus; music that amplifies the grief or melancholy can make all the difference.

Some movies that absolutely destroyed me:

• Incendies
• Oldboy
• 21 Grams
• The Hunt
• Manchester by the Sea
• Detachment
• Revanche
• Lilya 4-ever
• Peppermint Candy
• Tokyo Sunrise
• An Elephant Sitting Still
• bleak night
• burning

On the other hand, some highly recommended tearjerkers surprisingly didn't affect me much, including Dancer in the Dark, in the bedroom, dear zachar

Looking for films about the aftermath of an unexpected loss (death, suicide, accident, loss of a close friend/loved one), where the loss hits both the protagonist and the viewer out of nowhere.

I prefer dreamlike, introspective films with great atmosphere/BGM that explore grief, guilt, and unresolved emotions. Bittersweet, realistic, and emotionally devastating rather than melodramatic.

Some examples: Revanche, 21 Grams, Train Dreams, Manchester by the Sea, Tokyo Sunrise, Bleak Night, Troubled Water, A Single Man.

Any recommendations, especially international films?

I’m looking for character-driven films where a major event changes everything, and the story focuses on the emotional aftermath someone trying to keep moving through life while carrying something unresolved.

I’m drawn to films that feel restrained but devastating, with more atmosphere and emotional weight than exposition. A strong score/BGM is a great add-on, something that really carries or deepens the emotional weight of the film. I also love films with a non-linear or gradually unfolding structure, where details are revealed slowly and there’s a sense of mystery or discovery beneath the drama.

Some favorites: *Incendies, Oldboy, Revanche, The Hunt, Atonement, Lilya 4-ever, Oslo August 3

i’m looking for novels with characters from humble beginnings who are flawed but keep giving themselves (and others) chances, and who bring a quiet, steady passion to life no matter what happens to them. the kind of stories that feel true to how people actually process grief, memory, and consciousness — through routine, endurance, and self-observation rather than big gestures.

i’m especially drawn to third-person narration that observes a life unfolding with restraint and gentleness, exploring inner contradictions (action vs inaction, feeling vs restraint). by the end, something meaningful happens — not loudly, but in a way that feels quietly extraordinary.

seeking similar **writing style

i’m drawn to real characters from humble beginnings, flawed, yet still willing to give themselves (and others) chances — people who keep bringing some measure of passion to life regardless of what happens to them. to me, this mirrors how people actually move through grief, memory, and consciousness: quietly, through observation of their own lives, through rituals, through endurance.

told sometimes in a third-person POV that watches a life unfold — restrained but gentle — these stories explore internal contradictions: doing vs. not doing, feeling vs. restraint. by the end, something does get done, and it feels extraordinary precisely because of how quietly it happens.

i’m looking for simi

i’m especially into films with a constructed trauma / revelation-driven structure where something sudden or devastating happens, and the effects unfold slowly, with the psychological weight carried by the protagonist rather than explained outright. aftermath-focused narratives where the weight is carried internally by the protagonist and they’re forced to keep moving, dealing with practical or physical realities, while still struggling to process what’s happened internally. i prefer films that let you feel it rather than explain it, moral residue. a little lyrical or reflective monologue is fine, but not heavy exposition. open to international films.

for ref, i’ve already seen and loved *in