Club Benefits
We love a cozy watch as much as the next movie lover, but sometimes, we're after something with a little more jolt, the kind of flicks that get our pulse pumping, our hackles raised and our fight-or-flight response deliciously activated. We're talking about a good old psychological thriller, those suspenseful films full of emotional tension, unexpected twists, and, of course, a good dose of madness.
If you're a fan of the genre, we've got good news: Paramount+, one of the top streaming services around, has a stacked library of psychological thriller movies, including tried-and-true classics of the form. Of course, all of that selection can mean you can experience choice paralysis when trying to figure out what to click "Play" on next. But Tom's Guide is here to help, with three great thrillers that are packed with both psychological mind games and award-winning performances.
If you’re looking for something gripping to stream this week, here are three of the best psychological thrillers on Paramount+ to add to your watchlist.
Article continues below'Fatal Attraction'
Glenn Close received her fourth Academy Award nomination and her first Best Actress distinction via her intense and unforgettable performance as Alex Forrest, the seductive yet spurned femme fatale of Adrian Lyne's iconic 1987 erotic thriller "Fatal Attraction."
After engaging in a passionate affair with married Manhattan attorney Dan Gallagher (Michael Douglas), Alex is unceremoniously dumped by the dashing lawyer, leaving her jilted, desperate and, yes, just a little knife happy. Close's fierce heroine begins stalking Dan and his family, culminating in arguably cinema's most terrifying movie scene involving a pet bunny. One thing's for sure: You won't be able to ignore her.
Watch "Fatal Attraction" on Paramount+ now
'Rosemary's Baby'
Adapted from the Ira Levin novel of the same name, this freaky 1968 classic sees newlyweds Rosemary (Mia Farrow) and Guy Woodhouse (John Cassavetes) move into a lavish but unsettling New York City apartment, despite warnings that their new dwelling has a dark past. Soon, those small agitations — meddlesome neighbors (Ruth Gordon, in an Oscar-winning turn, and Sidney Blackmer), strange dreams, an odd "herbal" pendant and whatnot — grow into genuine turmoil, especially when Rosemary falls mysteriously pregnant with the couple's first child.
The legacy of "Rosemary's Baby" has understandably been tarnished over the decades thanks to the crimes of its writer-director, Roman Polanski, but it remains one of the most haunting horror-thrillers of all time.
Watch "Rosemary's Baby" on Paramount+ now
'Primal Fear'
Based on the 1993 novel of the same name by William Diehl, Gregory Hoblit's 1993 legal thriller "Primal Fear" stars Richard Gere as hotshot Chicago lawyer Martin Vail, whose career of defending mob bosses and other unseemly criminals takes an unexpected turn when he offers to defend Aaron Stampler (a Golden Globe-winning Edward Norton, in his film debut), a meek, small-town altar boy caught fleeing the scene of an archbishop's shocking murder.
Truly believing that his 19-year-old client is not guilty of killing the Catholic bishop, even as the prosecutor (Laura Linney) pursues the death penalty for the young man, Vail digs deep into Aaron's case, uncovering issues of parental abuse and personality disorder, all leading up to one of the genre's greatest jaw-dropping twists.
Watch "Primal Fear" on Paramount+ now
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