There seems to be an endless list of characters with double lives and a willingness to cause immeasurable harm.
We as movie-goers never seem to tire of films in which men or women who look perfectly normal to us at the beginning turn on other characters to betray or destroy in horrendous fashion those who love and trust them the most. Here’s a list of thirteen films about narcissists you should definitely see.
13 Movies about Narcissists
In the descriptions below of each film, I won’t specifically give away who the narcissists or psychopaths are or what the relationships to those characters are in each because, in some of the films, it’s meant to be a mystery while watching. With that being said, I also tried to provide some comments about what I thought was noteworthy when it came to narcissism or psychopathy in each film.
Please be warned that because death makes for enticing drama, almost all of these films contain a death, usually murder. Also, I tried to be as clear as possible about what the films were about and the genre of the film without giving too much away.
If you know you find a particular genre to be triggering or upsetting, such as horror films, or you believe that watching a comedy with a narcissist in it would be upsetting, please use your own best judgment about watching these films.
Some of the films also contain domestic violence, sexual assault, or suicidal themes. If the film has a star next to the title, it contains one or more of these three sensitive topics in it, so please be aware of this if you plan to watch the film.
*1. American Psycho
- Release Year: 2000
- Genre: horror; satire
- Rated: R
- Rotten Tomatoes (critics) Rating: 68%
- Starring: Christian Bale, Willem Dafoe, Reese Witherspoon
- Description: A very successful yet vain and shallow businessman leads a double life as a serial killer.
- Things to Note about Narcissism/Psychopathy: The obvious display of many of the criteria for Narcissistic Personality Disorder and Antisocial Personality Disorder; also the film does a good job of showing the pervasive emptiness that lies behind the mask the main character wears.
- How to Watch: Rent from Amazon here
*2. Big Little Lies (HBO mini-series)
- Release Year: 2017
- Genre: drama; mystery
- Rated: M (Mature)
- Rotten Tomatoes (critics) Rating: 93%
- Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Alexander Skarsgard
- Description: Against the backdrop of a murder where neither the identity of the victim nor the suspect is disclosed, a wealthy community unravels as the secrets that hide behind the veneer of perfection threaten to tear apart marriages, families, and friendships.
- Things to Note about Narcissism/Psychopathy: The primary abusive relationship in this film, in particular, the characteristics of the abuser that unfold throughout the series and the trauma bonding effect on the survivor
- How to Watch: Watch for free on your HBOGo subscription, which you can try for free for 7 days here
3. Catch Me If You Can
- Release Year: 2002
- Genre: drama; comedy
- Rated: PG-13
- Rotten Tomatoes (critics) Rating: 96%
- Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks
- Description: Based on a true story, this film portrays the financial cons performed by a young man in his late teens by impersonating people in important occupations.
- Things to Note About Narcissism/Psychopathy: The ease with which Frank can slip in and out of multiple lives and engage in his pathological lies.
- How to Watch: Rent from Amazon here
4. Creep
- Release Year: 2014
- Genre: horror; suspense
- Rated: R
- Rotten Tomatoes (critics) rating: 96%
- Starring: Patrick Brice, Mark Duplass
- Description: A photographer answers a Craig’s List ad and is asked to make a video of a man who claims to be dying that he can leave behind for his unborn son, yet the photographer is increasingly asked to do things that seem unorthodox.
- Things to Note About Narcissism/Psychopathy: The methods of grooming on the part of the man doing the hiring and how the photographer’s boundaries are slowly eroded over time. Also, pay attention to the very end of the film and what it says about the photographer’s trust and view of humankind.
- How to Watch: Watch for free with your Netflix subscription
5. Cruel Intentions
- Release Year: 1999
- Genre: drama
- Rated: R
- Rotten Tomatoes (critics) Rating: 48%
- Starring: Sara Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon
- Description: Two wealthy, unsupervised teenaged stepsiblings make a high-stakes bet with one another that entails the sexual manipulation of two unsuspecting younger women.
- Things to Note About Narcissism/Psychopathy: This is sociopathy at the far end of the spectrum: cold, calculating, and meant to cause as much damage as possible for sheer amusement and revenge. How many sociopaths are there in the film?
- How to Watch: Rent from Amazon here
6. Deceived
- Release Year: 1991
- Genre: suspense; mystery
- Rated: PG-13
- Rotten Tomatoes (critics) Rating: 39%
- Starring: Goldie Hawn, John Heard
- Description: A man dies not soon after being accused of museum art forgery. After his death, however, his wife discovers that he wasn’t the man she thought he was.
- Things to Note About Narcissism/Psychopathy: This is a mystery so I don’t want to say too much, but if you pay attention to the dynamics of the relationship between Hawn and Heard, you can recognize the abusive pattern of a narcissistic relationship immediately.
- How to Watch: Rent from Amazon here
*7. The Girl on the Train
- Release Year: 2016
- Genre: suspense; mystery
- Rated: R
- Rotten Tomatoes (critics) Rating: 45%
- Starring: Emily Blunt, Rebecca Ferguson, Justin Theroux
- Description: A woman with an alcohol problem becomes involved in a murder investigation when a woman she sees from the window of a train every day goes missing.
- Things to Note About Narcissism/Psychopathy: I don’t want to give too much away because this is a mystery, but when the movie is over, think back on the tactics used to confuse the characters (and the audience) about who to believe.
- How to Watch: Rent from Amazon here
*8. Gone Girl
- Release Year: 2014
- Genre: suspense, mystery
- Rated: R
- Rotten Tomatoes (critics) Rating: 45%
- Starring: Emily Blunt, Rebecca Ferguson, Justin Theroux
- Description: When a woman suddenly disappears under mysterious and apparently violent circumstances, her husband comes under intense media scrutiny, while he and the police try to unravel the clues that will lead to finding her and possibly her killer.
- Things to Note About Narcissism/Psychopathy: Again, I don’t want to give too much away but, as with The Girl on the Train, think back on your own perceptions of who the credible witnesses are and why.
- How to Watch: Rent from Amazon here
*9. Ordinary People
- Release Year: 1980
- Genre: drama
- Rated: R
- Rotten Tomatoes (critics) Rating: 90%
- Starring: Donald Sutherland; Timothy Hutton; Mary Tyler Moore
- Description: When the oldest son in a family dies accidentally, the destructive pattern and underlying emotions of the remaining family members begins to surface.
- Things to Note About Narcissism/Psychopathy: This film does not focus on romantic relationships that much, however, it shows what happens when narcissists have children, and one becomes a golden child and the other, a scapegoat.
- How to Watch: Rent from Amazon here
10. The Talented Mr. Ripley
- Release Year: 1999
- Genre: suspense; drama
- Rated: R
- Rotten Tomatoes (critics) Rating: 83%
- Starring: Matt Damon, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow
- Description: A young washroom attendant meets a wealthy shipping tycoon by chance, who offers to pay him to bring his son back from Italy, but after the two become friends, his goal shifts significantly.
- Things to Note About Narcissism/Psychopathy: Matt Damon’s character is a character study in sociopathy, but he’s not the only character in this film with a Cluster B Personality Disorder.
- How to Watch: Rent from Amazon here
11. To Die For
- Release Year: 1995
- Genre: black comedy
- Rated: R
- Rotten Tomatoes (critics) Rating: 87%
- Starring: Nicole Kidman, Joaquin Phoenix
- Description: A woman with aspirations of being a famous news journalist seduces and manipulates three local teenagers into a murder plot to help her accomplish her goal.
- Things to Note About Narcissism/Psychopathy: There are so few films about female narcissists or sociopaths of this type, that this film is a great one for comparing and contrasting the differences in the portrayal between men and women.
- How to Watch: Rent from Amazon here
*12. White Oleander
- Release Year: 2002
- Genre: drama
- Rated: PG-13
- Rotten Tomatoes (critics) Rating: 69%
- Starring: Alison Lohman, Michelle Pfeiffer, Renee Zellweger
- Description: A teenaged girl passes through a series of foster homes after her impulsive, aloof mother is given a prison sentence for murdering her boyfriend.
- Things to Note About Narcissism/Psychopathy: Many of the tactics that narcissists use can be seen, but from the eyes of someone on whom they are not being used (most of the time).
- How to Watch: Rent from Amazon here
*13. The Wolf of Wall Street
- Release Year: 2013
- Genre: drama; black comedy
- Rated: R
- Rotten Tomatoes (critics) Rating: 78%
- Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Margot Robbie, Jonah Hill
- Description: Based on a true story, this film shows the rise of a Wall Street tycoon who built his own company and eventually led a very excessive and affluent lifestyle until eventually being arrested and serving time for corruption and fraud.
- Things to Note About Narcissism/Psychopathy: This film mostly depicts a corporate psychopath, however, his behavior in every other aspect of his life shown (e.g., family, friendship, property, etc.) demonstrate how and why it is a personality disorder and not merely greed motivating his behavior.
- How to Watch: Rent from Amazon here
Why These Films?
These films, documentaries, and mini-series depict narcissists and psychopaths doing something besides chasing people with butcher knives through the forest wearing masks while people scream and trip over dead branches (although they may certainly commit violence as well).
Although violence plays a role in almost all of these films, it is almost never the point of the plots. The films show the characters in their every day lives, interacting in their social worlds as well.
Some of the films portray the behavior as harmful and negative, some portray it as humorous, and some portray it as admirable, however, the narcissists and psychopaths are shown acting in cold, manipulative and conscienceless ways even when they are not intentionally hurting someone.
They often intentionally cause harm for enjoyment or revenge, however, often it’s just because someone got in their way.
NOTE: All “How to Watch” information about these films is current as of October 2018. Please double-check the websites linked to ensure the films are available as listed.
Have others you’d like to add? Comment below with your favorites!
Also, check out the narcissistic abuse playlist and this list of books and online resources for narcissistic abuse recovery.
22 Comments
Sage
Riding in Cars With Boys – also shows parentification of a child
The Meyerowitz Stories
Mary Beth Malooly
What about The Florida Project? Seems to me the young daughter is daily learning the ropes on how to become a better con-man, destroyer of peoples’ property, and liar. All about materialism – and her crying at the end when it all falls down at last is about losing the situation – not about relationships. This movie is about budding narcissism – I feel sorry for whatever good samaritan would take this kid in, even temporarily.
Margot MacCallum
Wizard of Lies, starring Robert DeNiro, 2017. The story of Bernie Madhoff.
Kelly
The mom in Sharp Objects! Yikes. Gillian Flynn must of been raised by a narcissist.
S
Try the highly underrated 1997 film “The Game” with Michael Douglas, Sean Penn and others. The “birthday gift” one brother gives to the other (and can Michael Douglas play anything BUT a filthy-rich guy?!) of a “structured experience” which is nothing more than pure narcissistic devaluation — by an entire company of deliberate actors — enough to drive anybody to suicide, is classic Cluster B madness.
Many years ago, my ex-narc actually made me watch this with her, laughing with cackling joy at seeing the protagonist come home to find his house vandalized, bank accounts drained and relationships poisoned!
A revealing scene is where before the protagonist has his “game” he encounters others in his gentleman’s club who have already completed this “experience.” Curious about what is about to happen to him, he asks “what is it all about?” The other describes it by quoting the Bible’s John 9:25, “whereas (before) I was blind, now I see.”
This film is an amazing allegory of narcissistic abuse. If you are able to connect with the direct overlaps (the classic abuse cycle, catastrophic loss, hitting rock bottom, being driven to suicide…), you, too “will see.”
Teresa Gorman
Yes this movie is excellent.
Guy
so the best and most useful films hands down IMHO are the ones that show real life narcissists on camera, and give insight into the way that they are. Literally blew me away when I saw the film about the cult leader who was secretly having sexual relationships with dozens of cult members simultaneously, not just because of what he did, but because how I could recognise the look he often had in his eyes. I can’t remember the name of the film off the top of my head, sorry!
Michelle D Merideth
The movie”Identity” is about a convicted inmate whose psychiatrist is attempting to obtain a stay of execution. It’s a mystery/thriller so I won’t give it away but there are multiple disorders including all types of npd and even psychopathy.
The end blew me away!!
Kristen Milstead
Thanks, Michelle! I’ll be updating this page soon to include more films, and I will include this one. It sounds really intriguing… I’ll have to watch it myself to see what happens. Appreciate the suggestion. -Kristen
Michelle Merideth
Hi Kristen, just a heads up. I seriously do not recommend anyone who has had emotional or psychological damage try to watch it alone. 2 of my psychiatrist team sent it to me in an effort prompting self reflection with DId & CPTSD. It is a horror film and it will trigger some.
The Benefits are still helping me. It was worth it.
Be blessed.
Kathy A
Hello. The only movie with the title IDENTITY is the one where 5 people are stranded because of a storm. Ray Liotta plays in it. So what inmate are you referring to?
Is there another movie titled Identity?
Also the movie Gone girl. In my humble opinion the woman in the movie is a psychopath not a narcist. I don’t see her displaying any signs of grandiosity, because narcists are attention seekers. Everything is about them
NPD exposer
Murder in law, that bitch is just like my ex. hated her within a couple minutes of the movie…
April
Tyler Perry’s new movie, A Fall from Grace! The lovebombing and arrogant devaluing are spot on, not to mention the mommy issues most of the male ones inevitably have.
JP
You should watch the Netflix series You. It’s talked about as if it’s about sociopathy but in my opinion it’s covert NPD all the way.
It’s about the pursuit of ‘love’.
Girl with dad abandonment issues get manipulated, controlled and stalked by handsome quasi-intellectual loner, with painful childhood, who creates a false persona, mirrors her likes, interests and needs, has little empathy, but knows how to mimic it, is intensely jealous, strangely paranoid, treats her life as an extension of his own and abuses her vulnerabilities to get what he wants, all in the name of ‘love’.
Sound familiar?
Even down to the ‘crazy’ ex who no one believes. And each new girl just laps him up. I found it compelling. But also way too close to the bone.
David Garry
There’s a few I haven’t heard of that I’ll be checking out. Also, one to add to the list is ‘Boogie Nights’. Dirk Diggler is almost a textbook case.
Geneva
Sneaky Pete is an Amazon Original created by Brian Cranston. Three seasons. Great storyline and stars Giovanni Ribisi. I have cPTSD so the entire aforementioned list of movies is a no-go for me but Sneaky Pete was really good. You forget what he is until you see it again… but that’s the point. I have a million triggers so I don’t watch TV anymore mostly – but this had zero (other than the Narcissist – LOL) so it was really fun to get involved with.
Also! My favorite fiction author Nora Roberts wrote a book called The Liar in 2015. Incredible but full of triggers (which I didn’t have yet when I read the book.) “He” hated that book – a huge hardback with the words THE LIAR in raised bold print. That novel was actually my first hint that maybe it wasn’t me that was the crazy one
annonymous
How about these?
Sleeping with the Enemy…with Julia Roberts (although he may just be more of a psycho abuser, but has some narc traits…
“Dirty John” with Connie Britton and Eric Bana…TRUE story…guy is a total narc/psycho
“Dangerous Intentions” with Corbin Bernsen and Donna Mills…another TRUE story…especially shows how people will believe the narc abuser no matter what…
Yvette
Recently on Dutch television I saw a reallife narc in the program ‘Help mijn man is klusser!’ 2018 episode 4. The serie is about women who are extremely stressed by the unfinished diy house improvements of their man. The relationship in this episode seems loving but it’s fake. The woman feels unsafe to tell her husband because he reacts so angry but at the end of the episode he flipped that around to being her fault. How he does it is so incidious. It’s so cunning how he let the workmen, the show host and the audience believe the woman is crazy. Chilling. She ends up asking for forgiveness. The bastard
Tania
I am a survivor of Narcissistic abuse from childhood and on to adulthood. I want to also recommend great books: Dodging Energy Vampires by Christians Northrop and You Can Thrive after Narcissistic Abuse by Melanie Tonia Evans. I was always drawn to these movies mentioned and to real life charismatic and manipulative men, and as an empath they wanted my Narcissistic feed (my good energy, admiration of them etc. and to control me). Very personal but I wanted to share these awesome books helped me heal and become aware of future Narcissistic people. The movies are still so interesting to me even more now.
Steffi
great list! I can also add a film about narcissistic family structures: August: Osage County with Meryl Streep
Kristen Milstead
I haven’t seen that one, Steffi! I will definitely add it to my list to watch soon. Thank you.
pascaleshealingjourney
Thank you for this list.