Best Existential Movies

Best Existential Movies on 123movies dive into the big stuff — identity, meaning, and what it even means to be human — all streaming in clean HD, no sign-up noise. Existential movies in this category don’t offer answers, just questions that stick and moments that haunt. Whether it’s quiet dread or philosophical fire, these films hit the core and don’t let go. If you’re ready to stare into the void (with popcorn), this is your place — only on 123movies.

Mr. Nobody Mr. Nobody 7.7 2h 21min
Mr. Nobody
IMDb: 7.7
2h 21min

In this thought-provoking film directed by Jaco Van Dormael, the narrative explores the life of Nemo Nobody, played by Jared Leto, as he navigates the complexities of choice and consequence….

Into The Wild Into The Wild 8.0 2h 28min
Into The Wild
IMDb: 8
2h 28min

This film, directed by Sean Penn, follows the journey of Christopher McCandless, a young man who abandons his possessions and savings to travel across America and live in the Alaskan…

Stranger Than Fiction Stranger Than Fiction 7.5 1h 53min
Stranger Than Fiction
IMDb: 7.5
1h 53min

In this intriguing film directed by Marc Forster, Harold Crick, played by Will Ferrell, is an IRS auditor whose mundane life takes a surreal turn when he begins to hear…

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind 8.3 1h 48min
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
IMDb: 8.3
1h 48min

In this thought-provoking film, viewers are taken on a journey through the complexities of memory and love as the protagonist, played by Jim Carrey, undergoes a procedure to erase memories…

Waking Life Waking Life 7.6 1h 39min
Waking Life
IMDb: 7.6
1h 39min

Directed by Richard Linklater, this film is a visually captivating exploration of dreams and consciousness, following a young man as he navigates a series of philosophical discussions and surreal encounters….

Donnie Darko Donnie Darko 8.0 1h 53min
Donnie Darko
IMDb: 8
1h 53min

In this mind-bending psychological thriller, a troubled teenager named Donnie navigates a series of bizarre and unsettling events after narrowly escaping a freak accident. Set in the late 1980s, the…

Memento Memento 8.4 1h 53min
Memento
IMDb: 8.4
1h 53min

Directed by Christopher Nolan, this psychological thriller follows Leonard Shelby, played by Guy Pearce, as he seeks to avenge his wife’s murder while grappling with short-term memory loss. The narrative…

Requiem for a Dream Requiem for a Dream 8.3 1h 42min
Requiem for a Dream
IMDb: 8.3
1h 42min

Directed by Darren Aronofsky, this intense drama explores the harrowing descent into addiction experienced by four interconnected characters. The film stars Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, and Marlon Wayans,…

Girl Interrupted Girl Interrupted 7.3 2h 7min
Girl Interrupted
IMDb: 7.3
2h 7min

Set in the late 1960s, this film follows a young woman, played by Winona Ryder, who is admitted to a psychiatric hospital after a suicide attempt. There, she encounters a…

Being John Malkovich Being John Malkovich 7.7 1h 53min
Being John Malkovich
IMDb: 7.7
1h 53min

In this surreal and inventive film directed by Spike Jonze, a puppeteer named Craig Schwartz, played by John Cusack, discovers a portal that leads directly into the mind of actor…

Fight Club Fight Club 8.8 2h 19min
Fight Club
IMDb: 8.8
2h 19min

In this 1999 film directed by David Fincher, an unnamed protagonist, played by Edward Norton, navigates a mundane life plagued by insomnia. His world changes dramatically after meeting the enigmatic…

American Beauty American Beauty 8.3 2h 2min
American Beauty
IMDb: 8.3
2h 2min

Directed by Sam Mendes, this film explores the complexities of suburban life through the lens of Lester Burnham, played by Kevin Spacey, who experiences a midlife crisis that leads him…

eXistenZ eXistenZ 6.8 1h 37min
eXistenZ
IMDb: 6.8
1h 37min

In this 1999 science fiction thriller, viewers are plunged into a world where virtual reality games blur the lines between the real and the artificial. The story follows a game…

The Matrix The Matrix 8.7 2h 16min
The Matrix
IMDb: 8.7
2h 16min

In a dystopian future, a computer hacker named Neo, played by Keanu Reeves, discovers a shocking truth about his reality and his role in the war against its controllers. Guided…

The Truman Show The Truman Show 8.2 1h 43min
The Truman Show
IMDb: 8.2
1h 43min

In this thought-provoking film directed by Peter Weir, Jim Carrey stars as Truman Burbank, an ordinary man who gradually discovers that his entire life is part of a meticulously crafted…

The Big Lebowski The Big Lebowski 8.1 1h 57min
The Big Lebowski
IMDb: 8.1
1h 57min

In this 1998 cult classic directed by Joel Coen, Jeff Bridges stars as Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski, an easygoing slacker who becomes embroiled in a complex kidnapping plot after being…

Dark City Dark City 7.6 1h 40min
Dark City
IMDb: 7.6
1h 40min

In a mysterious city where the sun never rises, a man named John Murdoch awakens with no memory and finds himself pursued by both the police and a group of…

Good Will Hunting Good Will Hunting 8.3 2h 6min
Good Will Hunting
IMDb: 8.3
2h 6min

This 1997 drama, directed by Gus Van Sant, follows the story of a young janitor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who possesses an extraordinary gift for mathematics. As he…

Fargo Fargo 8.1 1h 38min
Fargo
IMDb: 8.1
1h 38min

Set against the stark, snow-covered landscape of Minnesota, this film follows the story of a desperate car salesman, Jerry Lundegaard, who concocts a plan to have his wife kidnapped in…

The Shawshank Redemptionа The Shawshank Redemptionа 9.3 2h 22min
The Shawshank Redemptionа
IMDb: 9.3
2h 22min

In this 1994 film directed by Frank Darabont, the story follows Andy Dufresne, a banker sentenced to life in Shawshank State Penitentiary for the murder of his wife and her…

Groundhog Day Groundhog Day 8.0 1h 41min
Groundhog Day
IMDb: 8
1h 41min

In this 1993 comedy classic, directed by Harold Ramis, Bill Murray stars as Phil Connors, a cynical TV weatherman who finds himself inexplicably reliving the same day over and over…

Brazil Brazil 7.8 2h 12min
Brazil
IMDb: 7.8
2h 12min

Set in a dystopian future, this film follows the life of Sam Lowry, a low-level bureaucrat who becomes entangled in a web of mistaken identity and government overreach. As he…

The Breakfast Club The Breakfast Club 7.8 1h 37min
The Breakfast Club
IMDb: 7.8
1h 37min

In this iconic 1985 film directed by John Hughes, five high school students from different social cliques are brought together for a Saturday detention. As the day unfolds, these seemingly…

The Meaning of Life The Meaning of Life 7.5 1h 47min
The Meaning of Life
IMDb: 7.5
1h 47min

Directed by Terry Jones, this 1983 film is a British comedy that explores the various stages of human existence through a series of surreal and humorous sketches. The film features…

Blade Runner Blade Runner 8.1 1h 57min
Blade Runner
IMDb: 8.1
1h 57min

Set in a dystopian future, this iconic science fiction film follows Rick Deckard, a retired “blade runner,” as he is tasked with hunting down and “retiring” rogue bioengineered beings known…

Apocalypse Now Apocalypse Now 8.4 2h 27min
Apocalypse Now
IMDb: 8.4
2h 27min

At the height of the Vietnam war, Captain Benjamin Willard is sent on a dangerous mission that, officially, ”does not exist, nor will it ever exist.” His goal is to locate – and eliminate – a mysterious Green Beret Colonel named Walter Kurtz, who has been leading his personal army on illegal guerrilla missions into enemy territory.

Taxi Driver Taxi Driver 8.2 1h 54min
Taxi Driver
IMDb: 8.2
1h 54min

A mentally unstable Vietnam War veteran works as a night-time taxi driver in New York City where the perceived decadence and sleaze feeds his urge for violent action, attempting to save a preadolescent prostitute in the process.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest 8.7 2h 13min
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
IMDb: 8.7
2h 13min

In this 1975 classic directed by Miloš Forman, the story unfolds within the confines of a mental institution, where a rebellious inmate, played by Jack Nicholson, challenges the oppressive rules…

Harold and Maude Harold and Maude 7.9 1h 31min
Harold and Maude
IMDb: 7.9
1h 31min

This 1971 film, directed by Hal Ashby, is a unique romantic black comedy that explores the unconventional relationship between a young man obsessed with death and a lively, free-spirited elderly…

A Clockwork Orange A Clockwork Orange 8.2 2h 16min
A Clockwork Orange
IMDb: 8.2
2h 16min

Set in a dystopian future, this film follows the life of Alex DeLarge, a charismatic yet sociopathic delinquent with a penchant for violence and classical music. As the leader of…

Vertigo Vertigo 8.2 2h 8min
Vertigo
IMDb: 8.2
2h 8min

In this classic psychological thriller, a retired San Francisco police detective, played by James Stewart, is plagued by acrophobia and is hired to follow the wife of an acquaintance to…

The Seventh Seal The Seventh Seal 8.1 1h 36min
The Seventh Seal
IMDb: 8.1
1h 36min

Set in medieval Sweden during the Black Death, this iconic film follows a disillusioned knight, played by Max von Sydow, who returns home from the Crusades only to encounter Death,…

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Citizen Kane Citizen Kane 8.3 1h 59min
Citizen Kane
IMDb: 8.3
1h 59min

This groundbreaking film, directed by Orson Welles, follows the life of a wealthy newspaper magnate, Charles Foster Kane, as journalists attempt to uncover the meaning behind his enigmatic last word,…