Shubhabrata Dutta
Stalking is one of the oldest forms of crime known to humanity, with an eerie nature that lies in the anticipation of what the act will result in. In other words, the fear of stalking is associated with various possible dark outcomes. Movies have, since their inception, employed stalking in multiple genres, ranging from romance to thriller to horror, and beyond. Considering the treatment stalking receives, here are the best movies about stalking available on Netflix for you to binge and “chill,” each one exploring the absurd behavior from a different angle.
9. The Most Assassinated Woman in the World (2018)
‘The Most Assassinated Woman in the World’ is a French drama that blends elements of horror, fantasy, and thriller to showcase the tragic story of a female theatre actor. Set in the 1930s, the movie focuses on Paula Maxa (Anna Mouglalis), a leading stage actor in Paris, who has garnered the titular reputation for being murdered over 10,000 times on stage. However, when her deaths are found similar to those being carried out in the streets by a killer, that’s when Maxa starts to panic. She has already seen evidence of someone stalking her and must figure out a way to protect herself. Moreover, there is also the vision of a little girl she is having that seems to be connected to her nightmares and all that’s conspiring around her. With a journalist named Jean (Niels Schneider) looking into the matter, she may have a chance to get to the truth, but only if she survives. As effective to the mind as it is to the eyes, Franck Ribière’s ‘The Most Assassinated Woman in the World’ is a twisted thriller that is a must-watch. It can be streamed here.
8. Fatal Affair (2020)
Peter Sullivan’s ‘Fatal Affair’ is about an old flame’s bloody comeback. Humor aside, it focuses on Ellie Warren (Nia Long), a lawyer, whose husband is recuperating after an accident. This has led to an emotional distancing between them, though they share the same bed. One day at work, Ellie meets David (Omar Epps), a friend from college, dating back 20 years. During a party, things get intimate between the two, but Ellie stops midway, reminding herself of being a wife and a mother. However, David tries to be close to her through stalking and eventually becomes the new date of her close friend Courtney. When Ellie finds out about David’s past, she realizes that he will be tough to get rid of. As an unhinged David inches closer, Ellie is forced to take drastic measures to stop him from ruining her family life. ‘Fatal Affair,’ as its title suggests, is about an affair of a single night gone fatal, made watchable by Long and Epps, who keep the screenplay brewing. You can stream the movie here.
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7. The Fanatic (2019)
John Travolta plays an obsessed fan/stalker in Fred Durst’s ‘The Fanatic.’ He features as Moose, a street hustler earning a living in Hollywood. He is obsessed with an actor named Hunter Dunbar and wants nothing more than to meet him and get his autograph. He does get the chance, but Dunbar denies the autograph and even abuses him. Bent on revenge and getting back at Dunbar for his ego and arrogance, Moose begins stalking Dunbar and even makes his way inside the actor’s house. Moose is clearly unhinged as we see him go to extreme lengths to “meet his hero” and remind him of his futility, even as a star. The question is whether Moose will go all the way to prove his fanhood. Travolta single-handedly elevates the otherwise passable drama with his on-screen presence and compelling performance. The thriller flick can be watched here.
6. You Get Me (2017)
‘You Get Me’ has attraction evolve into threat as we see Tyler, a boy whose relationship with Alison is going through a bad phase, get intimate with a girl named Holly, whom he meets on the same night he seemingly breaks up with Alison. A weekend “well spent” with Holly reveals to Tyler her extravagant lifestyle. However, upon getting back with Holly, he suffers the wrath of Holly, who is obsessed with him and endangers those around him. Only Tyler can stop her, if that’s even possible, but before that, he has to find out what is driving her and why she is doing what she is doing. The movie stars Taylor John Smith as Tyler, Halston Sage as Alison, and Bella Thorne as Holly. ‘You Get Me’ is predictable but manages to stay afloat due to the way it targets our guilty pleasure regarding teen thriller flicks. It can be binged here.
5. The Occupant (2020)
‘The Occupant,’ AKA ‘Hogar,’ is a Spanish movie about a man who loses his job, and thus his house, and resorts to stalking the new owners of his house. Javier (Javier Gutierrez), an executive at a company, loses his high-paying job, compromising his lavish lifestyle, and is forced to move to a middle-class house with his family. Frustrated and enraged at how far things have fallen for him, he infiltrates the lives of the new people who now live in the posh house he once owned. He befriends the man of the house and makes up a fake identity, only to step inside the house. However, as time passes, his behaviour becomes more and more dangerous, as stalking turns murderous. ‘The Occupant’ is a fun movie that has its thrilling and exciting moments, though they shouldn’t be performed in real life. The movie can be watched here.
4. Secret Obsession (2019)
Directed by Peter Sullivan, ‘Secret Obsession’ follows Jennifer (Breanda Song), who opens her eyes in the hospital with a man who claims to be her husband, Russel (Mike Vogel). She was attacked, and it cost her her memory, and she has to be reminded of her life before the attack, which Russel is trying to do. Days pass, and an investigation into Jennifer is underway, while Jennifer herself starts exploring the house she is in. Proofs of the life she doesn’t remember reveal a shocking truth that proves why the movie has been added to this list. Unrequited love can be dangerous, after all. You can watch ‘Secret Obsession’ right here.
3. The Boy Next Door (2015)
Stalking gets steamy in Rob Cohen’s ‘The Boy Next Door,’ which stars Jennifer Lopez as Claire Peterson, a single mother, who is charmed by her new, much younger neighbor, Noah Sandborn (Ryan Guzman). After a passionate night that is clearly an outcome of physical attraction, Claire makes it clear that she and Noah can never happen. This is when Noah’s true colors reveal themselves, and he infiltrates Claire’s life in various ways. It is clear that he wants to have her all to himself, or she cannot be anyone else’s. Obsession and stalking take center stage in ‘The Boy Next Door,’ though it is due to Lopez that the movie has garnered its bingeworthy status. You can watch it here.
2. Watcher (2022)
Directed by Chloe Okuno, ‘Watcher’ is a psychological thriller movie at the center of which is a woman named Julia (Maika Monroe), who has recently moved into a posh apartment in an upscale neighborhood in Romania with her husband, Francis (Karl Glusman). However, she soon notices a stranger (Burn Gorman) staring at them from the building across the street. Days pass, and she realizes that she is being stalked outdoors as well. Then, the murder of a woman in her building raises her doubts. While the investigation into the murder proceeds, she sets off on her own endeavor to find out the truth about the murder and whether her mysterious neighbor is the killer. Unfortunately, the change in her behavior starts to affect her marriage, although it does little to stop her from seeking the truth, which, needless to say, can be fatal. To find out her fate, you can stream the compelling thriller right here.
1. The Woman in the Window (2021)
Starring Amy Adams in the lead, ‘The Woman in the Window’ revolves around Anna, an agoraphobic woman living away from her husband and daughter. As a means of entertainment, she watches her new neighbors across the street, the Russells. One day, she witnesses a murder in the Russells’ apartment, but subsequent events compel her to question herself. While navigating what’s real and what’s not, Anna meets the Russells, who are clearly not who they seem. However, if she wants closure on the murder, she must first accept the truth about herself, one she has locked away inside her. Directed by Joe Wright, ‘The Woman in the Window’ presents an intriguing take on stalking, underscored by Adams’ brilliant performance, a well-crafted screenplay, and effective cinematography. The movie also stars Gary Oldman, Fred Hechinger, Julianne Moore, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Anthony Mackie. It can be streamed here.
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