Shubhabrata Dutta
It is said that more than the ones who bring you into this world, the ones who bring you up and grow with you are those who deserve your love. While oftentimes, these people have the word “step” added in front of the relationship you share with them, which makes them sound false, they are indeed the ones who help you choose your “steps” at every juncture in life. Their influence is undeniable, and being grateful to them is a lifelong responsibility. For decades, films have depicted such relationships and shown how they, too, fall into the trap of misunderstandings, setting off tears in our eyes and making us hope for things to get better soon. Here, we bring you the best films about stepsiblings and stepparents on Netflix.
13. Phaedra (1962)
‘Phaedra’ is a black-and-white Oscar-nominated American-Greek film directed by Jules Dassin. Starring Melina Mercouri, Raf Vallone, and Anthony Perkins, the film explores a taboo affair between Phaedra (Mercouri), the second wife of Thanos (Vallone), and Thanos’ estranged son from his first marriage, twenty-four-year-old Alexis (Perkins).
When Thanos plans to marry Alexis off, Phaedra is grief-stricken, both due to shame and her yearning to be with Alexis. With an affair that is deemed to destroy many lives, can she set things off straight? A step-relationship drama that delves into the complexity of human desire, ‘Phaedra’ is a necessary addition to the list of cinephiles who take pride in watching classics. It can be streamed on Prime.
12. After We Fell (2021)
Based on Anna Todd’s 2014 bestselling novel, ‘After We Fell’ is the sequel to ‘After We Collided’ (2020) and the third installment in the ‘After’ film franchise. The film shows Tessa Young (Josephine Langford) and Hardin Scott (Hero Fiennes Tiffin), the lead couple, going through a rough patch in their steamy relationship when Tessa states that she will be moving to Seattle to be closer to her employer. However, Hardin wants her to join him in London after graduation.
Amongst all the issues and misunderstandings, there is Hardin’s strained relationship with his family, including his stepbrother, Landon (Chance Perdomo), and stepmom, Karen (Frances Turner). A twist at the end adds another step-member to Hardin’s family. How he and Tessa deal with their conflicting emotions and feelings that result from mutual and exclusive issues is what we find out in this intense romance. The film co-stars Louise Lombard, Rob Estes, and Stephen Moyer in crucial roles. You can watch ‘After We Fell’ on Netflix.
11. My Girl 2 (1994)
A sequel to ‘My Girl’ (1991), ‘My Girl 2’ follows 13-year-old Vada Sultenfuss (Anna Chlumsky), whose new step-mom, Shelly (Jamie Lee Curtis), arranges a 5-day trip to Los Angeles trip for her so that she can find more information on her biological mother, Maggie (Angeline Ball), for her school essay.
Her experiences in Los Angeles, including meeting a boy named Nick (Austin O’Brien), getting to know her mother’s previous husband, and discovering unexpected info on her mom, lead to fruitful realizations that only strengthen her relationship with Shelly and her newly-born son (Vada’s stepbrother). Chlumsky won a Young Artist Award for her role. Dan Aykroyd plays the role of Vada’s father, Harry. A sweet story about a young girl that will remind you of your childhood emotions, ‘My Girl 2’ can be streamed on Netflix.
10. Little Evil (2017)
Directed by Eli Craig, ‘Little Evil’ is a supernatural horror comedy in which newlywed Gary Bloom finds out that an evil entity possesses his 5-year-old stepson Lucas. While Gary’s wife Samantha believes that there’s nothing wrong with Lucas, Gary digs into the truth behind Lucas’ erratic behavior. Soon, he finds himself in the company of a Doomsday cult bent on bringing about the end of the world, and the only way to prevent it from doing so is by nurturing his relationship with his stepson. Starring Adam Scott, Evangeline Lilly, and Owen Atlas, ‘Little Evil’ is an entertaining film that manages to balance supernatural elements with core human emotions. You can watch it on Netflix.
9. My Fault (2023)
The Spanish romantic drama is Domingo González’s directorial debut and stars Nicole Wallace and Gabriel Guevara as step-siblings Noah and Nick, respectively. Noah is forced to move with her mother to the house of the latter’s new husband, William. This is where she meets her stepbrother Nick, and they clearly don’t like each other. A string of events leads to sparks, which ignites a flame neither of the two expected but readily walks into, unbeknownst to their respective pasts that will soon catch up to them. Based on the eponymous Wattpad story by Mercedes Ron, ‘My Fault’ explores an unorthodox angle to a step-sibling relationship customized for teens. You can watch it on Prime.
8. Lift Me Up (2015)
Mark Cartier’s ‘Lift Me Up’ follows 16-year-old Emma (Sarah Frangenberg), a dancer with immense love and determination for the art form. However, the death of mom is a huge blow to her, one that compromises her self-belief. This is where her stepfather, John (Todd Cahoon), comes in, and though she isn’t inclined towards living with him, his kindness and patience slowly help her overcome her grief and regain her stance. A heartwarming drama that stresses the relationship between a stepdad and her daughter, underscored by love, care, and patience, ‘Lift Me Up’ is a binge-worthy titular drama. You can watch it on Prime.
7. Wicked Minds (2003)
The TV Movie is directed by Jason Hreno and stars Angie Everhart, Andrew W. Walker, Winston Rekert, and Amy Sloan. It is a thriller in which Lana Price (Everhart) becomes the new wife of rich businessman Mason Price (Rekert) and takes on the role of stepmom for Mason’s son Holden (Walker). Soon, the marriage becomes abusive, with Mason forcing himself upon Lana and dominating her.
This eventually leads her to start a steamy affair with Holden. However, the death of the patriarch, which seems like a murder, finds the lovers as the suspects. Let it be known that one of them is the killer. The question is, who and why to kill him unless for money? Highly charged, both sexually and with twists, ‘Wicked Minds’ is a beguiling watch. You can stream it on Prime.
6. Semi-Precious (1995)
Also called ‘Whose Daughter Is She?,’ the Frank Arnold directorial shows how the lives of two young children, Andrea (Gaby Hoffmann) and Brad (Michael Shulman), are affected when their widowed stepmom, Laura (Joanna Kerns), and their biological mom, Cathy (Stephanie Zimbalist), fight for their custody. Cathy left when the kids were babies, after which they lost their father but returns ten years later. Will the children have to live with someone who left them earlier, or will they remain with the one who brought them up? To find out, you can watch this CBS original drama on Prime.
5. The Wrong Stepmother (2019)
Another thriller on this list, ‘The Wrong Stepmother’ stars Cindy Busby as Maddy, the new soon-to-be stepmom of Lily Stone (Calli Taylor) and her younger sister, Nicole (McKinley Blehm). Lily and Nicole’s mother has passed away, and ever since their father, Michael (Corin Nemec), introduced them to Maddy, whom he met online, Lily has been hesitant and suspicious.
This is not the case with Nicole, who is charmed by her new mom from the get-go. While Maddy tries hard to nurture a relationship with the girls, especially Lily, it is soon revealed that she is willing to get her hands dirty to have what, for her, is a perfect family. Featuring a commendable performance by Dusby, the film does manage to hold its title true while exploring a dramatic stepmom-daughter(s) relationship. You can watch it on Prime.
4. Daddy’s Home (2015)
The buddy comedy stars Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg as sterile Brad Whitaker and rugged muscular Dusty Mayron, respectively. Brad is the stepfather to Dusty’s biological children, Megan and Dylan. While their mother, Sara, is doubtful when Dusty announces his visit, Brad shows interest in forming a respectful relationship. However, as soon as Dusty arrives, a sense of competitiveness spreads in the household, with both fathers bent on proving themselves better.
The face-off is high-stakes but the fun is unending, with Ferrell and Wahlberg bringing their distinct comical elements to the table to give us an almost-stoner comedy. Directed by Sean Anders, ‘Daddy’s Home’ stands on Ferrell and Wahlberg’s onscreen chemistry and offers an entertaining watch. You can stream it on Prime.
3. The Stepfather (1987)
‘The Stepfather’ takes a different approach to the titular figure. The Joseph Ruben directorial is a psychological horror that follows Henry Morrison, an “undercover” serial killer whose latest targets are the beautiful widow Susan (Shelley Hack) and her daughter Stephanie (Jill Schoelen). He takes on the identity of Jerry Blake, a real estate agent.
While his intentions are made evident from the get-go, Stephanie’s growing suspicions about his stepfather pose a threat to Morrison’s plan. Will she find the truth, or will it be too late by then? Upon its release, ‘The Stepfather’ was nominated for multiple awards, including the Critics Award at the 1988 Cognac Festival. Over the years, the film has become a cult classic addition to the slasher genre and has gained two sequels and a remake. You can watch it on Prime.
2. Step Brothers (2008)
Adam McKay’s ‘Step Brothers’ offers a hilarious take on a step-sibling relationship. It follows two middle-aged good-for-nothing slackers, Brennan (Will Ferrell) and Dale (John C. Reilly), who are forced to share the same roof after Brennan’s mother and Dale’s father get married. Unwilling to let the other even touch his belongings, the two set off a series of chaotic and hilarious incidents that seem unending.
However, as they say, there is order in chaos, and soon, the two stepbrothers realize that there is a lot in common between them. Ferrel and Reilly tear the screen with their impeccable coming timing and poker-face acting that make ‘Step Brothers’ a crude laughter riot. You can watch it on Hulu.
1. Cruel Intentions (1999)
Starring Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon, and Sarah Michelle Gellar, ‘Cruel Intentions’ is a cult classic sexy, albeit toxic teen romance directed by Roger Kumble. It explores the twisted relationship between two step-siblings, Sebastian Valmont (Phillippe), a playboy, and the manipulative Kathryn Merteuil (Gellar). They make a deal wherein if Sebastian manages to have sex with Annette Hargrove (Witherspoon), the daughter of the school headmaster, Kathryn will sleep with him. If he fails, he will give her his vintage car.
What follows are Sebastian’s schemes to sleep with Annette, which backfire while simultaneously giving rise to “cruel intentions” in Kathryn’s mind. A hotchpotch of merciless desires, ‘Cruel Intentions’ won many awards, including at the MTV Movie Awards and the Teen Choice Awards. You can watch the film on Prime.
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