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Cape Fear poster

Movies that feel likeCape Fear (1991)

Sam Bowden is a small-town corporate attorney. Max Cady is a tattooed, cigar-smoking, Bible-quoting, psychotic rapist. What do they have in common? 14 years ago, Sam was a public defender assigned to Max Cady's rape trial, and he made a serious error: he hid a document from his illiterate client that could have gotten him acquitted. Now, the cagey Cady has been released, and he intends to teach Sam Bowden and his family a thing or two about loss.

If you loved Cape Fear, the closest films we have are Road to Perdition (2002), The Square (2008) and Dogman (2018). All three share Cape Fear's contemplative and gritty feel, which is what we rank on before quality.

Seen the big three already? The under-the-radar pick below is The Outfit (1973).

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If Cape Fear hit the spot, these will too

Road to Perdition poster
Road to Perdition
2002 Β· dir. Sam Mendes
πŸ… 82%β˜… 7.6crime Β· drama Β· thriller

The same preoccupation in both: revenge

The difference: Easier on the unease than Cape Fear

Mike Sullivan works as a hit man for crime boss John Rooney. Sullivan views Rooney as a father figure, however after his son is witness to a killing, Mike Sullivan finds himself on the run in attempt to save the life of his son and at the same time looking for revenge on those who wronged him.

The Square poster
The Square
2008 Β· dir. Nash Edgerton
πŸ… 86%β˜… 6.7crime Β· drama Β· thriller

Common ground: revenge

Ray, a construction worker trapped in an unhappy marriage, pursues an affair with his neighbor, Carla. Carla's husband, Greg, is a mobster who keeps large sums of drug money in their home. With this in mind, Carla comes up with a plan: She and Ray will steal Greg's money, burn down her house, convince Greg the money was lost in the fire and then run away together. Carla's scheme, however, doesn't go off as planned.

Dogman poster
Dogman
2018 Β· dir. Matteo Garrone
πŸ… 84%β˜… 7.2crime Β· drama Β· thriller

Both land stillness and grit at once

The difference: 27 years apart, and the 2010s show

Marcello, a small and gentle dog groomer, finds himself involved in a dangerous relationship of subjugation with Simone, a former violent boxer who terrorizes the entire neighborhood. In an effort to reaffirm his dignity, Marcello will submit to an unexpected act of vengeance.

The Salesman poster
The Salesman
2016 Β· dir. Asghar Farhadi
πŸ… 96%β˜… 7.7drama Β· thrillerPrime Video

One thread runs through both: rape

Forced out of their apartment due to dangerous works on a neighboring building, Emad and Rana move into a new flat in the center of Tehran. An incident linked to the previous tenant will dramatically change the young couple’s life.

Lady Vengeance poster
Lady Vengeance
2005 Β· dir. Park Chan-wook
πŸ… 76%β˜… 7.5drama Β· thrillerRent or buy

Both keep coming back to the same thing: prison

Released after being wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for 13 years, a woman begins executing her elaborate plan of retribution.

Wrath of Man poster
Wrath of Man
2021 Β· dir. Guy Ritchie
πŸ… 68%β˜… 7.1thriller Β· crime Β· dramaPrime Video

Tense and relentless in the same breath

A cold and mysterious new security guard for a Los Angeles cash truck company surprises his co-workers when he unleashes precision skills during a heist. The crew is left wondering who he is and where he came from. Soon, the marksman's ultimate motive becomes clear as he takes dramatic and irrevocable steps to settle a score.

New Police Story poster
New Police Story
2004 Β· dir. Benny Chan
πŸ… 63%β˜… 6.9action Β· thriller Β· crime

Contemplative drama in both cases

The difference: Sits closer to action than Cape Fear does

Sent into a drunken tailspin when his entire unit is killed by a gang of thrill-seeking punks, disgraced Hong Kong police inspector Wing needs help from his new rookie partner, with a troubled past of his own, to climb out of the bottle and track down the gang and its ruthless leader.

Rolling Thunder poster
Rolling Thunder
1977 Β· dir. John Flynn
πŸ… 82%β˜… 6.9drama Β· thriller Β· action

Both lean on grit more than on crime

A recently-returned Vietnam POW loses his family and his right hand during a violent home invasion, and seeks retribution against those responsible.

Blue Ruin poster
Blue Ruin
2014 Β· dir. Jeremy Saulnier
πŸ… 96%β˜… 7.1crime Β· thrillerPrime VideoPeacock

Thriller built on tension, twice over

When the quiet life of a beach bum is upended by dreadful news, he sets off for his childhood home to carry out an act of vengeance. However, he proves an inept assassin and finds himself in a brutal fight to protect his estranged family.

Green Street Hooligans poster
Green Street Hooligans
2005 Β· dir. Lexi Alexander
πŸ… 45%β˜… 7.4crime Β· drama

Relentless drama, and it commits to that

The difference: The scrappier of the two with critics

After being wrongfully expelled from Harvard University, American Matt Buckner flees to his sister's home in England. Once there, he is befriended by her charming and dangerous brother-in-law, Pete Dunham, and introduced to the underworld of British football hooliganism. Matt learns to stand his ground through a friendship that develops against the backdrop of this secret and often violent world. 'Green Street Hooligans' is a story of loyalty, trust and the sometimes brutal consequences of living close to the edge.

Desperado poster
Desperado
1995 Β· dir. Robert Rodriguez
πŸ… 71%β˜… 7.1thriller Β· action Β· crimePrime Video

Crime with a pulse of grit, in both cases

El Mariachi plunges headfirst into the dark border underworld when he follows a trail of blood to the last of the infamous Mexican drug lords, Bucho, for an action-packed, bullet-riddled showdown. With the help of his friend and a beautiful bookstore owner, El Mariachi tracks Bucho, takes on his army of desperados, and leaves his own trail of blood.

The Outfit poster
The Outfit
1973 Β· dir. John Flynn
πŸ… 86%β˜… 7crime Β· drama

Thriller built on stillness, twice over

A two-bit criminal takes on the Mafia to avenge his brother's death. Earl Macklin is a small time criminal who is released from prison after an unsuccessful bank robbery only to discover that a pair of gunmen killed his brother.

In the mood for more contemplative?

all contemplative movies β†’

The best-reviewed films that share Cape Fear’s defining feeling.