If you loved the dark, twisty psychological thriller Gone Girl, you’re probably craving more movies that will shock you with their clever plotting and unreliable narrators. Gillian Flynn‘s bestselling novel, brilliantly adapted by director David Fincher, stars Rosamund Pike as Amy Dunne, a woman who goes missing on her fifth wedding anniversary. Her husband Nick (Ben Affleck) becomes the prime suspect as the media circus intensifies and secrets about their marriage come to light.
Gone Girl was a huge hit, captivating audiences with its he-said-she-said structure, biting social commentary, and career-defining performances. It’s a tough act to follow, but luckily there are plenty of other smart, suspenseful movies out there with Gone Girl vibes. Whether you’re looking for more missing person mysteries, charismatic sociopaths, or examinations of troubled marriages, this list has something for every Gone Girl fan.
Get ready for pulse-pounding tension, jaw-dropping reveals, and characters you’ll love to hate. Here are the 20 best movies to watch if you liked Gone Girl:
1. The Girl on the Train (2016)
Based on the bestselling novel by Paula Hawkins, this psychological thriller stars Emily Blunt as Rachel, an alcoholic divorcée who becomes obsessed with a seemingly perfect couple she sees from the window of her daily train commute. When the wife Megan (Haley Bennett) goes missing, Rachel inserts herself into the investigation, but her unreliable memory makes her an untrustworthy witness and potential suspect.
Like Gone Girl, The Girl on the Train features an unreliable female narrator, a missing woman, and plot twists galore. It will keep you guessing as it explores themes of voyeurism, addiction, and the dark secrets lurking behind the facade of suburban domesticity.
2. Nocturnal Animals (2016)
Amy Adams stars as Susan, a wealthy art gallery owner who receives a manuscript written by her estranged ex-husband Edward (Jake Gyllenhaal). As Susan reads the violent thriller novel, she interprets it as a veiled threat and symbolic revenge tale, stirring up memories of their failed marriage. The film cuts between Susan’s present-day reality and her imagination of Edward’s novel.
Nocturnal Animals has a uniquely layered storytelling style, blurring the lines between fiction and reality in a way that will appeal to Gone Girl fans. Like Gone Girl, it offers a cutting look at a deteriorating marriage and the idea that we can never truly know the people closest to us.
3. A Simple Favor (2018)
Marketed as “the darker side of Gone Girl,” this stylish mystery thriller stars Anna Kendrick as Stephanie, a mommy vlogger who befriends the glamorous Emily (Blake Lively). When Emily suddenly vanishes, Stephanie launches her own investigation, uncovering a web of secrets and lies. Twists, betrayals, and biting humor ensue.
While more comedic in tone than Gone Girl, A Simple Favor is still an engrossing missing person mystery anchored by two strong female leads. It’s a fun, soapy homage to classic thrillers like Diabolique and Gaslight.
4. The Invisible Guest (2016)
In this clever Spanish thriller, a successful businessman Adrián (Mario Casas) wakes up in a locked hotel room next to the dead body of his mistress. With no memory of what happened, he hires a prestigious lawyer Virginia (Ana Wagener) to help him construct a credible defense. As Adrián tells his version of events, Virginia pokes holes in his story, suggesting alternate theories.
The plot unfolds through flashbacks, police interrogations, and Adrián’s conversations with Virginia. The Invisible Guest will keep you riveted as it reveals a tangled web of secrets and lies, echoing Gone Girl‘s deft manipulation of the truth.
5. Side Effects (2013)
Directed by Steven Soderbergh, this twisty psychological thriller stars Rooney Mara as Emily, a woman battling depression. After her husband Martin (Channing Tatum) is released from prison for insider trading, Emily’s mental health worsens. She begins seeing psychiatrist Jonathan (Jude Law) who prescribes her an experimental new drug, but the side effects lead to deadly consequences.
As the mystery surrounding Emily deepens, nearly every character’s motivations and reliability are called into question. Like Gone Girl, Side Effects excels at misdirection, constantly subverting the audience’s expectations with each new revelation. It’s a smart, unsettling thriller that offers sharp commentary on the pharmaceutical industry.
6. Shutter Island (2010)
Legendary director Martin Scorsese adapts Dennis Lehane‘s novel, crafting a mind-bending psychological thriller. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Teddy Daniels, a U.S. Marshal investigating the disappearance of a patient at Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane. As Teddy digs deeper, he begins to doubt everything he knows, including his own sanity.
Shutter Island shares Gone Girl‘s mastery of misdirection, making you question what’s real and what’s imagined. It’s a trippy, unsettling mystery that will leave you reeling long after the credits roll.
7. Prisoners (2013)
When his young daughter and her friend vanish without a trace, Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman) takes matters into his own hands. Convinced the police aren’t doing enough, Keller begins his own investigation, clashing with the lead detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal). As the pressure mounts, Keller resorts to increasingly desperate and morally questionable measures.
Prisoners is a gripping, emotionally intense thriller that explores how far a parent will go for their child. Like Gone Girl, it offers a grim look at the ripple effects of a disappearance on a family and community. Jackman and Gyllenhaal both deliver powerhouse performances.
8. The Game (1997)
David Fincher directed this mind-bending mystery thriller a full 17 years before Gone Girl. Michael Douglas stars as Nicholas Van Orton, a wealthy investment banker who receives an unusual birthday gift from his estranged brother Conrad (Sean Penn): a voucher to play a mysterious “game” that promises to change his life. As Nicholas becomes immersed in the game, the lines between reality and fiction blur, putting his life in jeopardy.
The Game is a wild ride filled with shocking twists and turns. Like Gone Girl, it excels at manipulating both the protagonist and the audience, keeping you constantly off-balance. It’s a must-see for any Fincher fan.
9. The Machinist (2004)
Christian Bale famously lost a dangerous amount of weight to play Trevor Reznik, a factory worker battling severe insomnia and psychological issues. After a workplace accident, Trevor’s mental state deteriorates as he experiences strange occurrences and paranoid delusions. He becomes obsessed with a mysterious coworker named Ivan (John Sharian), who may or may not actually exist.
The Machinist is a surreal, unsettling character study that keeps you questioning what’s real. Like Gone Girl, it slowly peels back the layers of an unreliable narrator’s psyche, building to a shocking reveal.
10. Memento (2000)
Directed by Christopher Nolan, this groundbreaking neo-noir thriller stars Guy Pearce as Leonard, a man with anterograde amnesia who can’t form new memories. Determined to find his wife’s killer, Leonard relies on Polaroids, tattoos, and notes to himself to track down the mysterious “John G.” The film is presented in two intercut narratives: one in color told backwards, the other in black-and-white told forwards.
Memento‘s unique structure keeps the audience as disoriented as its protagonist, making us question the nature of memory and identity. Like Gone Girl, it’s a puzzle box of a film that demands active engagement from the viewer.
11. Primal Fear (1996)
Richard Gere stars as Martin Vail, a hotshot defense attorney who takes on the high-profile case of Aaron Stampler (Edward Norton in his breakout role), a young altar boy accused of brutally murdering an archbishop. As Martin digs deeper into Aaron’s troubled past, a shocking truth emerges that will change both of their lives forever.
Primal Fear is a gripping courtroom thriller with a killer twist. Like Gone Girl, it plays with the audience’s sympathies and expectations, delivering a jaw-dropping final act reveal.
12. The Usual Suspects (1995)
When a truck loaded with stripped gun parts is hijacked, the five criminals brought in for questioning are immediately suspects. As they are interrogated, the story of their involvement unfolds through a series of flashbacks, all leading back to one mythical crime boss: Keyser Söze.
The Usual Suspects is a twisty neo-noir thriller that keeps you guessing until the very end. Like Gone Girl, it’s a masterclass in unreliable narration and misdirection. Kevin Spacey won an Oscar for his unforgettable performance.
13. The Handmaiden (2016)
Inspired by Sarah Waters‘ novel Fingersmith but transplanted to 1930s Korea, Park Chan-wook‘s erotic psychological thriller follows Sook-hee (Kim Tae-ri), a pickpocket hired to be the maid of wealthy heiress Lady Hideko (Kim Min-hee). Sook-hee is secretly involved in a plot to defraud Hideko of her inheritance, but finds herself unexpectedly falling for her target.
The Handmaiden is a lush, sensual thriller full of shocking twists and turns. Like Gone Girl, it subverts expectations, using its central romance to explore themes of deception, manipulation, and female agency.
14. Oldboy (2003)
In Park Chan-wook‘s twisted revenge thriller, Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik) is kidnapped and imprisoned in a room for 15 years without any explanation. When he’s finally released, Dae-su embarks on a quest for vengeance, aided by a young sushi chef named Mi-do (Kang Hye-jung). As Dae-su unravels the mystery of his imprisonment, he discovers a shocking truth that challenges everything he thought he knew.
Oldboy is a brutal, stylish thriller that keeps you guessing until its gut-punch of an ending. Like Gone Girl, it’s a dark exploration of the depths of human cruelty and the destructive power of secrets.
15. Shutter (2004)
In this Thai horror mystery, photographer Tun (Ananda Everingham) and his girlfriend Jane (Natthaweeranuch Thongmee) accidentally hit a young woman with their car. Afraid of the consequences, they flee the scene, but soon find themselves haunted by a ghostly presence in Tun’s photographs. As they investigate the mystery, they uncover dark secrets from Tun’s past.
Shutter is a chilling, atmospheric thriller that uses the language of horror to explore themes of guilt, trauma, and the inescapability of the past. Like Gone Girl, it slowly reveals the truth behind a troubled relationship, leading to a shocking conclusion.
16. The Chaser (2008)
In this gritty South Korean thriller, detective-turned-pimp Jung-ho (Kim Yoon-seok) becomes alarmed when several of his girls go missing. Suspecting one of his clients, Jung-ho sets out to catch the killer, only to find himself in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse.
The Chaser is a relentlessly tense, twist-filled thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Like Gone Girl, it offers a dark look at the underbelly of society and the lengths people will go to protect their secrets.
17. The Skin I Live In (2011)
Pedro Almodóvar directs this unsettling psychological thriller about a brilliant plastic surgeon, Robert (Antonio Banderas), who becomes obsessed with creating a new type of skin that can withstand any kind of damage. His human guinea pig is a mysterious woman named Vera (Elena Anaya) who is held captive in Robert’s mansion. As the film unfolds in a series of flashbacks, the disturbing truth about Vera’s identity and Robert’s past is revealed.
The Skin I Live In is a twisted, stylish thriller that explores themes of identity, obsession, and the dark side of desire. Like Gone Girl, it features a captivating central mystery and a shocking third act reveal.
18. Mother (2009)
In Bong Joon-ho‘s gripping mystery thriller, a widow (Kim Hye-ja) lives alone with her intellectually disabled son Do-joon (Won Bin). When a young girl is found brutally murdered and Do-joon is accused of the crime, his mother sets out to prove his innocence. As she digs deeper into the case, she uncovers dark secrets and unexpected twists.
Mother is a masterful blend of mystery, drama, and social commentary. Like Gone Girl, it keeps you guessing until the very end, offering a complex portrait of a mother’s love and the lengths she’ll go to protect her child.
19. The Secret in Their Eyes (2009)
This Argentine crime thriller follows a retired legal counselor Benjamín (Ricardo Darín) as he writes a novel about an unsolved rape and murder case from his past. As Benjamín revisits the case and reconnects with his former colleague Irene (Soledad Villamil), he uncovers shocking truths that have haunted him for decades.
The Secret in Their Eyes is a haunting, beautifully crafted mystery that explores themes of love, loss, and the pursuit of justice. Like Gone Girl, it offers a satisfying mix of suspense and emotional depth, with a gut-punch of an ending.
20. The Vanishing (1988)
In this Dutch psychological thriller, a young couple Rex (Gene Bervoets) and Saskia (Johanna ter Steege) are on holiday in France when Saskia suddenly disappears from a rest stop. Obsessed with finding out what happened to her, Rex embarks on a years-long search for the truth. Meanwhile, the viewer is introduced to Raymond (Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu), a chillingly ordinary family man who harbors a dark secret.
The Vanishing is a slow-burn thriller that builds to a devastating climax. Like Gone Girl, it offers a haunting exploration of obsession and the dark depths of the human psyche.
These 20 films are just a sample of the rich, diverse world of psychological thrillers that have followed in the footsteps of “Gone Girl.” From sleek Hollywood productions to international gems, these movies all share a fascination with the darker aspects of human nature and a willingness to explore them in bold, provocative ways.
Whether you’re in the mood for a twisty whodunit, a disturbing descent into madness, or a stylish tale of revenge, these films offer something for every taste. So dim the lights, settle in, and prepare to be thrilled, chilled, and challenged by some of the most exciting and unnerving movies of recent years.
