Films like Joker
15 picks with a similar feel
What defines Joker, going by its Boxlist taste profile: Heightened and serious: an unsavoury crime thriller, fresh rather than familiar. Best if you like depth over escapism. Its strongest markers on Boxlist are themes of self-destruction, troubled leads and deep rivalry, plus tags such as criminal mastermind, origin story and society.
Here are 15 films with a similar feel, ranked by how closely they match that profile. Treat them as picks to try, not a definitive list.
Based on Joker (2019).
- 1
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Film8.3
Why it's like Joker: Also weighty and dark, with themes of troubled leads and deep rivalry. Common ground: psychological thriller, murder.
- 2
Misery (1990)
Film7.7
Why it's like Joker: Also weighty and heightened, with themes of troubled leads and underdogs. Common ground: psychological thriller.
- 3
The Shining (1980)
Film8.2Slower burn
Why it's like Joker: Also heightened and weighty, with themes of self-destruction and troubled leads. Common ground: psychological thriller.
- 4
Us (2019)
Film7.0
Why it's like Joker: Also heightened and weighty, with themes of troubled leads and mysteries that are not what they seem. Common ground: psychological thriller, murder.
- 5
Enemy (2013)
Film6.9More intricate
Why it's like Joker: Also heightened and weighty, with themes of self-destruction and troubled leads. Common ground: mental illness.
- 6
American Psycho (2000)
Film7.3Lighter option
Why it's like Joker: Also dark and heightened, with themes of troubled leads and social commentary. Common ground: psychological thriller.
- 7
25th Hour (2002)
Film7.4Slower burn
Why it's like Joker: Also weighty and dark, with themes of self-destruction and troubled leads. Common ground: dream.
- 8
Black Swan (2010)
Film7.6
Why it's like Joker: Also weighty and heightened, with themes of self-destruction and troubled leads. Common ground: mental illness, psychological thriller.
- 9
Fight Club (1999)
Film8.4
Why it's like Joker: Also weighty and heightened, with themes of self-destruction and troubled leads.
- 10
Shutter Island (2010)
Film8.2More intricate
Why it's like Joker: Also weighty and inventive, with themes of troubled leads and deep rivalry. Common ground: psychological thriller.
- 11
Lost Highway (1997)
Film7.6
Why it's like Joker: Also weighty and dark, with themes of self-destruction and troubled leads. Common ground: dream, murder.
- 12
Film7.3Slower burn
Why it's like Joker: Also heightened and weighty, with themes of self-destruction and troubled leads. Common ground: murder.
- 13
Pi (1998)
Film7.1More intricate
Why it's like Joker: Also weighty and dark, with themes of self-destruction and troubled leads.
- 14
In the Mouth of Madness (1995)
Film7.2More intricate
Why it's like Joker: Also heightened and weighty, with themes of self-destruction and troubled leads.
- 15
The Lighthouse (2019)
Film7.5Slower burn
Why it's like Joker: Also heightened and weighty, with themes of self-destruction and troubled leads.
Boxlist compares Joker with every film in its catalogue on ten taste scores (pace, tone, weight, realism and more), story themes, genres and TMDB keywords, and ranks the closest. Every pick has a TMDB rating of 6.7 or more from at least 1,000 votes, new releases wait until their ratings settle, and only one title per franchise makes the list. It is an approximation of feel, so treat it as a starting point. Ratings are TMDB audience scores out of 10.
Which of these suit you?
Take the taste test and every pick shows how well it matches you.
Take the taste testQuestions
- What should I watch if I like Joker?
- Picks with a similar feel include The Silence of the Lambs, Misery, The Shining and Us. Each shares part of Joker's taste profile, themes or tags; the full list has 15 films.
- How are these films like Joker chosen?
- Boxlist compares Joker with every film in its catalogue on ten taste scores (pace, tone, weight, realism and more), story themes, genres and TMDB keywords, and ranks the closest. Every pick has a TMDB rating of 6.7 or more from at least 1,000 votes, new releases wait until their ratings settle, and only one title per franchise makes the list. It is an approximation of feel, so treat it as a starting point.
- Is there a lighter film like Joker?
- American Psycho has a similar feel but scores lighter on Boxlist's weightiness scale.