Summary

  • Mental health movies on Netflix tackle a variety of issues, raising awareness about topics that are often taboo.
  • Movies like "The Starling" and "The Woman in the Window" depict the complexities of shared grief and the challenges of addressing one's own mental health.
  • Films like "Luckiest Girl Alive" and "Pieces of a Woman" explore trauma and the healing process, shedding light on difficult experiences.

Content Warning: This article discusses mental health issues and disorders that some readers may find triggering.

While it is often a difficult subject to address, mental health movies on Netflix attempt to look at the experiences countless people deal with on a daily basis. Mental health has been a growing concern, a topic that is more in the public eye as younger generations show a willingness to discuss it more openly. With Netflix's collection of movies, there are a number of titles in its current library that tackle a variety of mental health issues.

The subject of mental health has been a notoriously difficult one to see accurately portrayed in movies. There are countless movies that use such illnesses and struggles in gimmicky and exploitative ways that are offensive. However, there are also movies that give eye-opening looks at subjects not often dealt with in the mainstream, while even flawed movies can raise awareness about things many people are still reluctant to discuss. From documentaries to intense dramas, the best mental health movies on Netflix are worth examining.

15 The Starling (2021)

A Grieving Mother Tries To Take Care Of Everyone But Herself

Lilly staring at a bird in The Starling
The Starling

Release Date
September 17, 2021
Director
Theodore Melfi
Cast
Rosalind Chao , Kimberly Quinn , Laura Harrier , Daveed Diggs , Loretta Devine , Timothy Olyphant , Skyler Gisondo , Kevin Kline , Melissa McCarthy , Chris O'Dowd
Runtime
103 minutes

Though Melissa McCarthy has received plenty of praise for her comedic work, she has also starred in a number of dramas, including The Starling. The movie stars Melissa McCarthy as a woman dealing with the loss of her infant daughter. The loss has led to her husband seeking treatment at a psychiatric hospital while she attempts to maintain life back home. While the movie didn’t receive strong reviews, it does address shared grief in an interesting way. While her husband’s grief has taken her priority as she attempts to get him healthy again, McCarthy’s character ignores her own grief intensifying within her.

14 The Woman In The Window (2021)

A Reclusive Woman Witnesses A Crime

The Woman in the Window

Release Date
May 14, 2021
Director
Joe Wright
Cast
Julianne Moore , Brian Tyree Henry , Jeanine Serralles , Gary Oldman , Fred Hechinger , Liza Colón-Zayas , Amy Adams , Wyatt Russell , Mariah Bozeman , Anthony Mackie , Anna Cameron
Runtime
100minutes

Based on the novel of the same name, 2021's The Woman in the Window is a star-studded thriller starring Amy Adams as an agoraphobic woman who thinks she witnessed a murder in the apartment across the street. While the movie uses the mental health issue partially as a plot device to aid in the mystery, Adams’ committed performance grounds the character’s struggles. The meetings with her psychiatrist are also illuminating as they show the defensive and protective reactions some people have when being asked to address their own mental health.

13 Luckiest Girl Alive (2022)

A Successful Woman Confronts Past Trauma

Luckiest Girl Alive Mila Kunis as Ani
Luckiest Girl Alive

Release Date
September 30, 2022
Director
Mike Barker
Cast
Mila Kunis , Finn Wittrock , Scoot McNairy , Justine Lupe , Thomas Barbusca , Alex Barone , Dalmar Abuzeid
Runtime
113 minutes

Mila Kunis received some of the best reviews of her career for the psychological thriller Luckiest Girl Alive. Based on the book of the same name, Kunis stars as a successful magazine editor who is forced to deal with a dark secret when the story of her surviving a school shooting as a teenager is brought back up. Along with the heavy subject matter of gun violence, this Netflix movie about mental health addresses past abuse Kunis’ character has attempted to suppress. The movie deals with the trauma of such experiences and the healing that comes from finally acknowledging the painful truths.

12 Pieces Of A Woman (2020)

A Wife And Mother Copes With Loss

Vanessa Kirby in Pieces of a Woman
Pieces Of A Woman

Release Date
January 7, 2021
Director
Kornél Mundruczó
Cast
Vanessa Kirby , Benny Safdie , Sarah Snook , Iliza Shlesinger , Shia LaBeouf , Molly Parker , Ellen Burstyn
Runtime
128 minutes

Vanessa Kirby was nominated for an Oscar for her harrowing performance in Pieces of a Woman. She stars as a young woman who goes through a complicated pregnancy and loses her child in the process. The movie deals with the depression of Kirby’s character and her husband (Shia Labeouf). While he self-medicates with cocaine, she deals with various people attempting to help her cope with the loss. However, the movie gives a powerful message of how such well-intentioned help can be harmful, as Kirby’s character needs time to process while acknowledging it is something she will never fully get over.

Related: 20 Movie Characters Who Accurately Portray Mental Illness

11 Brain On Fire (2016)

A Woman's Medical Situation Spirals

Chloe Grace Moretz in Brain on Fire.
Brain on Fire

Released in 2016, Brain on Fire is based on the memoir Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan. The book tells the story of Cahalan, who experienced a mysterious illness while working for the New York Post, which was misdiagnosed by doctors. This medical error saw her almost committed to a psychiatric facility, where she likely would have died. In the movie, Chloë Grace Moretz stars as Cahalan as she fights to find out the truth about her condition, which ends up being encephalitis. Once discovered, she received the treatment she needed and wrote her book to let others know that hope was possible.

10 Stutz (2022)

Intimate Mental Documentary Directed By Jonah Hill

Phil Stutz talking to the camera in Stutz.

Jonah Hill directed the documentary Stutz, which chronicled the life and career of Dr. Phil Stutz, his own personal therapist. The movie takes the form of a series of conversations where they discuss their life stories and the topic of mental health. Stutz also delves into his mode of approaching therapy and his relationship with his patients. This Netflix documentary about mental health was a critical success, with a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Not only is it about Stutz and his work, but also about Jonah Hill's own doubts and experiences surrounding his mental health.

9 Malcolm & Marie (2021)

Old Wounds Open As A Couple Fights

Malcolm And Marie

Release Date
February 5, 2021
Director
Sam Levinson
Cast
John David Washington , Zendaya
Runtime
106 minutes

Malcolm & Marie is a small and intimate movie starring John David Washington and Zendaya as the titular characters. Malcolm is an up-and-coming filmmaker who has returned from a screening of his latest movie which received a warm critical reception. However, the celebration is halted by Marie, who takes issue with not receiving acknowledgment for a movie based on her struggles with addiction. This Netflix movie about mental health isn't about the need for attention and recognition despite the premise, but rather Marie’s difficult journey to sobriety and the way such personal stories can be exploited for art.

8 Take Your Pills: Xanax (2022)

A Documentary Looking At The Use Of Xanax For Mental Health

A woman takes a pill into her mouth in Take Your Pills

Released in 2022, Take Your Pills: Xanax is a documentary that is directed by Blair Foster about the drug's rise in use over the years. One of the newer mental health movies on Netflix, this is actually a continuation of a 2018 Netflix documentary called Take Your Pills, which looked at medication like Adderall and Ritalin. The 2022 mental health documentary isn't taking sides when it comes to the use of Xanax, as it looks at both pros and cons of the medication and its implications on mental health in America. The doc features interviews with medical experts and professionals, as well as academics and Xanax users, about the overall effects of the medication.

7 All The Bright Places (2020)

Two People Bond While Facing Their Emotional Scars

Violet & Finch grinning in All The Bright Places

All the Bright Places is a book-to-movie adaptation released on Netflix in 2020. Justice Smith stars as Theodore Finch, a character living with an unnamed mental illness, with many symptoms similar to some people with bipolar disorder. Fanning's character also has symptoms of mental illness that sometimes correspond with trauma. Although the film doesn't highlight mental illness specifically, it manages to do a wonderful job showing how isolating and difficult it can be to live with any type of mental health issue. The Netflix mental health movie explores the value of talking openly about mental illness, whether as a result of teenage adolescence, grief, or abuse.

6 To The Bone (2017)

A Young Woman Addresses Her Eating Disorder

Lily Collins sitting in a doctors office in To The Bone.

To The Bone stars Lily Collins as a young woman with anorexia. The film's eating disorder subject became controversial, but if nothing else, it illustrates how difficult it is for filmmakers to responsibly portray eating disorders on the big screen. The film offers an insightful look into the issues associated with a person living with anorexia and the healing process. It makes an attempt not to glorify the disorder. However, it faced some backlash that would naturally come with showing such content, and many of the scenes were triggering to those in recovery from anorexia. LIly Collins commented on the controversy around the movie, defending taking on the role (via Collider):

This was something that I needed to talk about and bring to the attention of more people and go through for myself. When I read it, it struck me as such an important subject matter to bring to the attention of people. It is still considered quite taboo to talk about, and yet it’s becoming more and more prevalent within today’s society, and not just with women. If not now, when?

5 Strange Voices (1987)

A Family Deals With A Daughter With Schizophrenia

Girl screaming by a car in Strange Voices.

Strange Voices is a mental health movie on Netflix about a young woman with schizophrenia. The film was one of the highest-rated TV movies in 1987 when released, at a time when discussions about mental health were not where they should have been. The New York Times called it "too much, too late," but the film touches on the difficulties many faced in the '80s receiving health care for mental illness, and what happened when they didn't get treatment. It also depicts the learning process of the family of a person with schizophrenia. From denial to acceptance, viewers watch the young woman and her family navigate her illness.

4 The Fundamentals Of Caring (2016)

A Grieving Man Becomes Caregiver For A Cynical Teen

Paul Rudd and Selena Gomez star in this comedy-drama film about a recent divorcee suffering from depression, and his unlikely friendship with a disabled teenager for whom he is the caregiver. Although The Fundamentals of Caring is primarily about this relationship and the things Trevor deals with as a man who uses a wheelchair. The Netflix mental health movie does a wonderful job highlighting the mental health difficulties that each of the characters faces. Paul Rudd's character deals with severe depression after the loss of his daughter and subsequent divorce, and Trevor battles anxiety associated with his disability.

3 Horse Girl (2020)

A Young Woman Struggles To Separate Dreams And Reality

Sarah in House Girl.
Horse Girl

Release Date
February 7, 2020
Director
Jeff Baena
Cast
Molly Shannon , Meredith Hagner , John Ortiz , Robin Tunney , Paul Reiser , Debby Ryan , John Reynolds , Matthew Gray Gubler , Alison Brie , Dylan Gelula
Runtime
104 minutes

Horse Girl is an independent movie following Sarah as she tries to find support for her mental health issues. Horse Girl takes a unique look at these topics, and the film requires more than one viewing to fully understand.The storyline for the 2020 Netflix movie about mental health reflects the real-life experience that actress Alison Brie has had with depression and schizophrenia in her family. Sarah has difficulty understanding social cues and her real symptoms of mental illness are brushed off as quirkiness by those closest to her. This is a reality for many who live with mental illness while also showing a refreshing depiction of someone seeking help.

Related: 10 Best Music Videos About Mental Health

2 I'm Thinking Of Ending Things (2020)

A Surreal Exploration Of A Woman's Troubled Mind

I'm Thinking of Ending Things

Release Date
September 4, 2020
Director
Charlie Kaufman
Cast
Jessie Buckley , Jesse Plemons , Colby Minifie , Toni Collette , David Thewlis , Jason Ralph
Runtime
134 minutes

I'm Thinking of Ending Things creates a jarring and psychologically difficult viewing experience for some. It takes a deeper look to fully understand the mental illnesses that the main character, Jake, lives with throughout the timeline of the film. Writer and director Charlie Kaufman uses abstract and metaphoric storytelling to dive into the mind of the mentally ill main character in one of the best mental health movies on Netflix. The film ends with a riddle, and viewers still question whether it is about childhood trauma, suicidal ideation, or schizophrenia.

1 Hillbilly Elegy (2020)

Multiple Generations Of A Family Struggle With Addiction

Glenn Close and Amy Adams in Hillbilly Elegy
Hillbilly Elegy

Release Date
November 9, 2020
Director
Ron Howard
Cast
Bo Hopkins , Freida Pinto , David Atkinson , Sunny Mabrey , Haley Bennett , Gabriel Basso , Glenn Close , Dylan Gage , Amy Adams
Runtime
116 minutes

Of the mental health movies on Netflix, Hillbilly Elegy received mixed reviews for its portrayal of mental health and a woman with addiction who is disconnected from her family. It isn't clear what Bev's, played by Amy Adams, undiagnosed mental illness is exactly, but the film highlights the issues a family faces when one of its members goes through this experience, especially when it manifests via addiction. The characterization is a little over-the-top and because of this, the film feels inauthentic, but at its basis, it highlights the ways untreated mental illness can create tumultuous relationships. Glenn Close earned an Oscar nomination for her performance.