🏷 Discover The Best Self-destruction Movies & TV Shows To Watch Today

24 titles with this tag

Exploring the Darker Side of Human Nature: Self-Destruction in Movies and TV Shows

Delve into the complex and often disturbing world of self-destruction, where characters push themselves to the edge, testing the boundaries of human endurance. From the gripping dramas of addiction to the haunting tales of mental illness, we've curated a list of the best movies and TV shows that explore the darker aspects of human nature.

Cast

Meat Loaf

8.4 32.3K votes

Genre: Drama, Thriller

Country: Germany, United States of America

Duration: 139 min.

Audience: R

Story: A ticking-time-bomb insomniac and a slippery soap salesman channel primal male aggression into a shocking new form of therapy. Their concept catches on, with underground "fight clubs" forming in every town, until an eccentric gets in the way and ignites an out-of-control spiral toward oblivion.

Plot: dual identity, rage and hate, based on novel or book, nihilism, fight, support group, dystopia, insomnia, ...

Cast

William H. Macy

Jeremy Allen White

Ethan Cutkosky

Shanola Hampton

Shameless (2011) TV Show

8.2 3.4K votes

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Country: United States of America

Seasons: 11

Episodes: 134

Audience: TV-MA

Story: Chicagoan Frank Gallagher is the proud single dad of six smart, industrious, independent kids, who without him would be... perhaps better off. When Frank's not at the bar spending what little money they have, he's passed out on the floor. But the kids have found ways to grow up in spite of him. They may not be like any family you know, but they make no apologies for being exactly who they are.

Plot: sibling relationship, illinois, single parent, self-destruction, big family, remake, dysfunctional family, drugs, ...

Place: chicago

Cast

Idris Elba

Dermot Crowley

Hermione Norris

Michael Smiley

Luther (2010) TV Show

7.9 1.2K votes

Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery

Country: United Kingdom

Seasons: 5

Episodes: 20

Audience: TV-14

Story: A dark psychological crime drama starring Idris Elba as Luther, a man struggling with his own terrible demons, who might be as dangerous as the depraved murderers he hunts.

Style: psychological, suspenseful

Plot: london, england, detective, self-destruction, police, psychopath, murder, serial killer, ...

Place: united kingdom

Cast

Hugh Jackman

Dafne Keen

Patrick Stewart

Elizabeth Rodriguez

Logan (2017)

7.8 20.5K votes

Genre: Action, Drama, Science Fiction

Country: United States of America

Duration: 137 min.

Audience: R

Story: In the near future, a weary Logan cares for an ailing Professor X in a hideout on the Mexican border. But Logan's attempts to hide from the world and his legacy are upended when a young mutant arrives, pursued by dark forces.

Plot: experiment, immortality, self-destruction, cyborg, dystopia, superhero, mutant, road trip, ...

Time: future

Cast

Amy Adams

Patricia Clarkson

Chris Messina

Eliza Scanlen

Sharp Objects (2018) TV Show

7.8 1.1K votes

Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery

Country: Canada, United States of America

Seasons: 1

Episodes: 8

Audience: TV-MA

Story: Reporter Camille Preaker confronts the psychological demons from her past when she returns to her hometown to investigate the murders of two young girls.

Style: intimate

Plot: based on novel or book, child murder, self-destruction, trauma, police chief, missouri, dysfunctional family, reporter, ...

Cast

Natalie Portman

Mila Kunis

Vincent Cassel

Barbara Hershey

Black Swan (2010)

7.7 15.7K votes

Genre: Drama, Horror, Thriller

Country: United States of America

Duration: 108 min.

Audience: R

Story: A committed dancer struggles to maintain her sanity after winning the lead role in a production of Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake."

Plot: new york city, dance, nightmare, obsession, insanity, paranoia, hallucination, ballet dancer, ...

Cast

Dirk Bogarde

James Fox

Sarah Miles

Wendy Craig

The Servant (1963)

7.6 377 votes

Genre: Drama

Country: United Kingdom

Duration: 116 min.

Audience: 12

Story: Indolent aristocrat Tony employs competent Barrett as his manservant and all seems to be going well until Barrett persuades Tony to hire his sister as a live-in maid.

Plot: london, england, servant, bachelor, manipulation, con man, role reversal, alcoholism, ...

Cast

David Duchovny

Natascha McElhone

Evan Handler

Pamela Adlon

Californication (2007) TV Show

7.6 1.3K votes

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Country: United States of America

Seasons: 7

Episodes: 84

Audience: TV-MA

Story: A self-loathing, alcoholic writer attempts to repair his damaged relationships with his daughter and her mother while combating sex addiction, a budding drug problem, and the seeming inability to avoid making bad decisions.

Plot: self-destruction, change, addiction, writer, willpower

Place: california

Absolutely Fabulous (1992) TV Show

7.6 188 votes

Genre: Comedy

Country: United Kingdom

Seasons: 6

Episodes: 34

Audience: TV-PG

Story: Set in the world of fashion and PR, immature fun-loving mother Edina Monsoon and her best friend Patsy drive Eddie's sensible daughter, Saffron, up the wall with their constant drug abuse and outrageous selfishness. Numerous in-jokes and heavy doses of cruel humour have made this series a cult hit in the UK and abroad.

Plot: london, england, self-destruction, career woman, alcoholism, satire, teenage girl, single mother, ...

Cast

David Threlfall

Nicky Evans

Rebecca Atkinson

Tina Malone

Shameless (2004) TV Show

7.6 153 votes

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Seasons: 11

Episodes: 138

Audience: TV-MA

Story: The story of a young group of siblings pretty much abandoned by their parents, surviving by their wits - and humor - on a rough Manchester council estate. Whilst they won't admit it, they need help and find it in Steve, a young middle class lad who falls for Fiona, the oldest sibling, and increasingly finds himself drawn to this unconventional and unique family. Anarchic family life seen through the eyes of an exceptionally bright fifteen year old, who struggles to come of age in the context of his belligerent father, closeted brother, psychotic sister and internet porn star neighbors.

Plot: sibling relationship, self-destruction, white trash, big family, northern england, dysfunctional family, dark comedy, sexual humor, ...

Place: manchester

A Star Is Born (2018)

7.5 12.3K votes

Genre: Drama, Music, Romance

Country: United States of America

Duration: 136 min.

Audience: R

Story: Seasoned musician Jackson Maine discovers — and falls in love with — struggling artist Ally. She has just about given up on her dream to make it big as a singer — until Jack coaxes her into the spotlight. But even as Ally's career takes off, the personal side of their relationship is breaking down, as Jack fights an ongoing battle with his own internal demons.

Style: romantic

Plot: concert, country music, waitress, pop star, self-destruction, show business, talent, addiction, ...

Rake (2010) TV Show

7.5 64 votes

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Country: Australia

Seasons: 5

Episodes: 40

Audience: TV-MA

Story: Cleaver Greene is not about politics or morality or even justice. Cleaver Greene is about the law. And it is his passion for the law that drives him to use his formidable intelligence to defend people whom society and the justice system might otherwise convict without a fair trial. He uses his encyclopaedic knowledge of human nature and the Byzantine intricacies of our legal codes to guarantee that his clients get what is theirs by the law; the right to a diligent defence.

Plot: self-destruction, lawyer, criminal lawyer

Place: australia

Cast

Birgit Doll

Dieter Berner

Leni Tanzer

Silvia Fenz

The Seventh Continent (1989)

7.5 365 votes

Genre: Drama

Country: Austria

Duration: 107 min.

Story: Chronicles three years of a middle-class family seemingly caught up in their daily routines, troubled only by minor incidents. Behind their apparent calm and repetitive existence, however, they're planning something much more sinister.

Style: bleak

Plot: nihilism, boredom, modernity, family's daily life, materialism, only child, based on true story, middle class, ...

Time: 1980s

Place: austria

Cast

Dustin Hoffman

Valerie Perrine

Jan Miner

Stanley Beck

Lenny (1974)

7.3 314 votes

Genre: Drama

Country: United States of America

Duration: 112 min.

Audience: R

Story: The story of acerbic 1960s comic Lenny Bruce, whose groundbreaking, no-holds-barred style and social commentary was often deemed by the establishment as too obscene for the public.

Plot: adultery, husband wife relationship, court case, court, drug addiction, freedom of speech, comedian, civil rights, ...

Maron (2013) TV Show

7.2 50 votes

Genre: Comedy

Seasons: 4

Episodes: 49

Audience: TV-MA

Story: Marc Maron has been a comedian for 25 years. He’s had his problems. He was an angry, drunk, self involved, twice divorced compulsive mess for most of his adult life, but with the popularity of a podcast he does in his garage and a life of sobriety, his life and career are turning around. MARON explores a fictionalized version of Marc’s life, his relationships, and his career, including his incredibly popular WTF podcast, which features conversations Marc conducts with celebrities and fellow comedians. Neurosis intact, Maron is uniquely fascinating, absolutely compelling and brutally funny.

Plot: self-destruction, forty something

Cast

Keanu Reeves

Patrick Swayze

Lori Petty

Gary Busey

Point Break (1991)

7.2 4.0K votes

Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller

Country: United States of America

Duration: 122 min.

Audience: R

Story: In Los Angeles, a gang of bank robbers who call themselves The Ex-Presidents commit their crimes while wearing masks of Reagan, Carter, Nixon and Johnson. Believing that the members of the gang could be surfers, the F.B.I. sends young agent Johnny Utah to the beach undercover to mix with the surfers and gather information.

Plot: surfing, surfer, undercover agent, self-destruction, fbi, extreme sports, moral conflict, skydiving, ...

Cast

Vijay Deverakonda

Shalini Pandey

Rahul Ramakrishna

Kamal Kamaraju

Arjun Reddy (2017)

7.0 120 votes

Genre: Drama, Romance

Country: India

Duration: 187 min.

Audience: R

Story: A brilliant but impulsive young surgeon spirals into self-destruction after a painful breakup, struggling to cope with love, loss, and the consequences of his own temper.

Plot: depression, self-destruction, drug addiction, break-up, alcoholic, impulsive, mentally unstable

Cast

Kevin Bacon

James Purefoy

Shawn Ashmore

Jessica Stroup

The Following (2013) TV Show

6.9 598 votes

Genre: Crime, Drama

Country: United States of America

Seasons: 3

Episodes: 45

Audience: TV-14

Story: Notorious serial killer Joe Carroll, after being found guilty of murdering 14 female students on the Virginia college campus where he taught literature, escapes from death row. The FBI calls former agent Ryan Hardy to consult on the case, as he was the one responsible for Carroll’s capture in 2003. Ryan, working closely with an FBI team, including Mike Weston and FBI Specialist Debra Parker, piece together the ever-growing web of murders orchestrated by the devious Carroll.

Plot: fbi, self-destruction, cult, serial killer, murder investigation

Cast

Naomi Scott

Rosemarie DeWitt

Lukas Gage

Miles Gutierrez-Riley

Smile 2 (2024)

6.6 2.2K votes

Genre: Horror, Music, Mystery

Country: United States of America

Duration: 127 min.

Audience: R

Story: About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and the pressures of fame, Skye is forced to face her dark past to regain control of her life before it spirals out of control.

Style: creepy, disturbing

Plot: drug dealer, depression, new york city, dancing, suicide, concert, nightmare, escape, ...

Time: 2020s