From terrifying horror movies to disturbing dramas, we've seen a lot of great psychological thrillers over the years. And while there's no reason why you can't have a great thriller that's also family-friendly, some of the best movies in the genre are the ones made specifically for an adult audience, with practically no limits on the gore, sex, or mature themes. Netflix is home to quite a few movies that fit that description, but considering the size of the streamer's catalog, it can be a little difficult to zero in on the true greats. That's why we've done the work for you. Read on to discover our selection of the greatest R-rated psychological thrillers that you can watch right now on Netflix, including acclaimed hits and underrated gems.
For more twisted and suspenseful stories, be sure to check out our lists of the best thriller and psychological thriller movies on Netflix, the best psychological thriller shows on Netflix, or the best shows or movies on Netflix in general.
Disclaimer: These titles are available on US Netflix.
'It's What's Inside' (2024) Rotten Tomatoes: 77% | IMDb: 6.6/10 Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Like It's What's Inside R Comedy Horror Mystery 7.0/10 Release Date January 19, 2024 Runtime 105 Minutes Director Greg Jardin Cast See All Brittany O'Grady Shelby James Morosini Cyrus Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming
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Written, directed, and edited by Greg Jardin, It's What's Inside is a science fiction comedy thriller that follows a group of college friends who meet after eight years for a pre-wedding reunion. Despite simmering tensions, everything seems to be going great until an estranged friend unexpectedly arrives with a mysterious suitcase that allows people to swap bodies. The movie boasts an ensemble cast that includes Brittany O'Grady, James Morosini, Gavin Leatherwood, Nina Bloomgarden, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Reina Hardesty, Devon Terrell, David W. Thompson, and Madison Davenport.
It's What's Inside had its world premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival in the Midnight section, receiving critical acclaim for its visuals, performances, and darkly satirical story. A spectacularly edited movie with impeccable cinematography and an excellent soundtrack, the film is an extremely entertaining experience that remixes body-swap horror with a kind of locked-room mystery. Suspenseful and deliciously twisted, this thriller will keep you guessing until the very end.
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'The Novice' (2021) Rotten Tomatoes: 93% | IMDb: 6.5/10 Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Like The Novice Drama Thriller Release Date December 17, 2021 Runtime 94 minutes Director Lauren Hadaway Cast See All Isabelle Fuhrman Alex Amy Forsyth Jamie Dilone Dani Jonathan Cherry Coach Pete Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming RENT BUY
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A psychological sports drama, The Novice was written and directed by Lauren Hadaway in her feature directorial debut. The film stars Isabelle Fuhrman as an obsessive and highly competitive college freshman who sets out to join the rowing program, putting herself through punishing and self-destructive training that endangers her life. The movie also stars Amy Forsyth, Dilone, Charlotte Ubben, Jonathan Cherry, Kate Drummond, and more in supporting roles.
The Novice premiered at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival to near-universal critical acclaim, winning three awards: Best US Narrative Feature Film, Best Cinematography, and Best Actress (Fuhrman). The movie has received several other accolades as well, including five Independent Spirit Award nominations. A brilliantly directed and sharply written dramatic thriller that explores the harmful consequences of a singular obsession, the film is both a cautionary tale and a brilliant character study anchored by Fuhrman's exceptional performance. The movie is perfect for fans of haunting character-driven dramas set in high-pressure environments.
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'Watcher' (2022) Rotten Tomatoes: 88% | IMDb: 6.3/10 Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Like Watcher R Horror Drama Thriller 7.0/10 Release Date June 3, 2022 Runtime 96 Minutes Director Chloe Okuno Cast See All Maika Monroe Julia Karl Glusman Francis Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming RENT BUY
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Written and directed by Chloe Okuno in her feature directorial debut, Watcher stars Maika Monroe as a young American actress who relocates to Bucharest with her partner. Left alone at home for long hours, she becomes increasingly unsettled when she notices a man watching her from across the street. Her fears are further exacerbated when she learns that a serial killer is stalking the neighborhood. Based on an original screenplay by Zack Ford, the film also stars Karl Glusman and Burn Gorman in key supporting roles.
Watcher premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, where it received critical acclaim and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize. Subsequently released in the US by IFC Midnight and Shudder, the movie proved quite popular with audiences as well, earning IFC their highest opening gross of all time. A highly suspenseful thriller with a grounded, realistic plot, the film presents a well-crafted, almost Hitchcockian narrative that is further elevated by Maika Monroe's arresting central performance.
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'1922' (2017) Rotten Tomatoes: 92% | IMDb: 6.2/10 Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Like Follow Followed 1922 TV-MA Thriller Crime Documentary Horror Mystery Release Date October 20, 2017 Runtime 101minutes Director Zak Hilditch Cast See All Thomas Jane Dylan Schmid Neal McDonough Molly Parker Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming
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Adapted from Stephen King's eponymous 2010 novella, 1922 is a period horror thriller written and directed by Zak Hilditch. Thomas Jane stars as Wilfred James, a haunted Nebraska farmer who narrates the tragic tale of his downfall, which begins when he convinces his young son (Dylan Schmid) to help him murder his wife (Molly Parker). The movie also stars Neal McDonough, Kaitlyn Bernard, Brian d'Arcy James, and Bob Frazer in key supporting roles.
1922 premiered at the 2017 Fantastic Fest and was subsequently released on Netflix to critical acclaim. It's an intensely creepy slow-burner anchored by Thomas Jane's layered and gripping performance. While there are implications of the supernatural, the film's narrative remains grounded in reality while skirting the borders of delusion as it explores Wilfred's deteriorating state of mind. A hypnotic visual production that examines themes of guilt and greed, 1922 is easily one of the best Stephen King adaptations of all time -- and one of the most underrated.
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'Creep' (2014) Rotten Tomatoes: 91% | IMDb: 6.3/10 Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Like Creep R Horror Release Date June 23, 2014 Runtime 82 minutes Director Patrick Brice Cast See All Mark Duplass Josef Patrick Brice Aaron Franklin Katie Aselton Angela (voice) Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming
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Written by Patrick Brice and Mark Duplass, Creep is a found-footage horror film directed by Brice in his feature directorial debut. Brice and Duplass also star in the movie, which follows a videographer (Brice) hired to film a dying man's (Duplass) message to his unborn son. However, he begins to suspect that his client isn't who he says he is -- and realizes he may have walked right into a trap.
Creep had its world premiere at the 2014 South by Southwest festival, where it received critical acclaim. Released on VOD and streaming in 2015, the movie became a huge hit with horror fans, inspiring a cult following. A contained, claustrophobic thriller that places the focus almost entirely on its captivating performances, Creep is a masterclass in suspenseful storytelling and layered acting. A sequel, Creep 2, was released in 2017, and a spin-off series, The Creep Tapes, premiered on Shudder in 2024.
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'Gerald's Game' (2017) Rotten Tomatoes: 91% | IMDb: 6.5/10 Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Like Gerald's Game NR Horror Thriller Release Date September 29, 2017 Runtime 104 minutes Director Mike Flanagan Cast See All Bruce Greenwood Gerald Carla Gugino Jessie Henry Thomas Tom Chiara Aurelia Young Jessie Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming
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Based on the eponymous Stephen King novel, Gerald's Game is a psychological horror thriller directed, co-written, and edited by Mike Flanagan. The film stars Carla Gugino and Bruce Greenwood as Jessie and Gerald, a couple having marital troubles who drive out to a remote lakehouse for a romantic getaway. When Gerald unexpectedly dies during foreplay, Jessie is left handcuffed to an immovable bed with no one around to help, suffering intense hallucinations and repressed memories as she grows more and more desperate to get free.
An ambitious adaptation of one of King's most psychologically layered novels, Gerald's Game premiered at London's BFI Southbank in 2017 to critical acclaim. Subsequently released on Netflix, the film became a huge hit with audiences. An amazingly acted and expertly crafted production, Gerald's Game is a genuinely terrifying horror film with a plot that's as difficult as it is enthralling. The movie is easily one of Flanagan's best, a suspenseful story that uses scary events to bring out uncomfortable psychological truths.
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'Calibre' (2018) Rotten Tomatoes: 100% | IMDb: 6.8/10 Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Like Follow Followed Calibre Thriller Drama Release Date June 29, 2018 Runtime 101 Minutes Director Matt Palmer Cast See All Jack Lowden Vaughn Martin McCann Marcus Tony Curran Logan McClay Kate Bracken Iona Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming
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Written and directed by Matt Palmer, Calibre stars Jack Lowden and Martin McCann as Vaughn and Marcus, two lifelong friends who head to a village in the Scottish Highlands for a weekend hunting trip. After one of them accidentally kills a child, the two friends find themselves in a desperate position as they try to cover up the crime and escape the area before the local villagers discover what they've done. Tony Curran, Ian Pirie, Kate Bracken, Kitty Lovett, and more appear in supporting roles.
A grounded thriller that places relatable characters in a horrifying situation, Calibre has received highly positive reviews from critics. The movie premiered at the 2018 Edinburgh International Film Festival, where it won the Best British Film award. The movie also earned Jack Lowden a British Academy Scotland Award for Best Actor in Film, with Tony Curran and Martin McCann receiving nominations in the same category. The performances truly are the highlight of this movie, which uses the layered dynamics between its characters to create an oppressively tense sense of atmosphere.
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'Fair Play' (2023) Rotten Tomatoes: 85% | IMDb: 6.4/10 Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Like Follow Followed Fair Play R Drama Thriller Mystery 9 10 Release Date October 6, 2023 Runtime 113 minutes Director Chloe Domont Cast See All Phoebe Dynevor Alden Ehrenreich Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming
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An erotic thriller film starring Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich, Fair Play was written and directed by Chloe Domont in her feature directorial debut. The film follows two analysts at a cutthroat hedge fund who are secretly in a relationship. Shortly after they get engaged, they find their relationship tested by an unexpected promotion that threatens to derail far more than just their personal lives. Besides Dynevor and Ehrenreich, the film also features Eddie Marsan, Rich Sommer, Sebastian de Souza, and more in supporting roles.
Fair Play was very favorably received when it premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize - Dramatic. The movie has been praised for its steamy and suspenseful storytelling set in the brutal world of finance, with critics and fans comparing the film favorably to the hit TV drama Industry and classic '90s thrillers. A thrilling exploration of gender power dynamics in the workplace, Fair Play is a well-written, well-acted, and stylishly executed drama with a nail-biting narrative that's sure to keep you hooked.
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