#2. 3-Iron (2004)

Storyline: A young drifter enters strangers' houses - and lives - while owners are away. He spends a night or a day squatting in, repaying their unwitting hospitality by doing laundry or small repairs. His life changes when he runs into a beautiful woman in an affluent mansion who is ready to escape her unhappy, abusive marriage.

Plot Keywords: abused wife, husband, drifter, cop, loner, dreamy, dark ...

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#3. Dolores Claiborne (1995)

Storyline: Dolores Claiborne works as a maid for a wealthy woman in remote Maine. When she is indicted for the elderly woman's murder, Dolores' daughter Selena returns from New York, where she has become a big-shot reporter. In the course of working out the details of what has happened, as well as some shady questions from the past and Selena's troubled childhood, many difficult truths are revealed about their family's domestic strife. This is cleverly portrayed with present reality shot in cool blue tones blending seamlessly into flashbacks shot in vivid color. As small town justice relentlessly grinds forward, surprises lie in store for the viewers....

Plot Keywords: journalist, housekeeper, elderly woman, detective, father, daughter, disturbing ...

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#4. This Boy's Life (1993)

Storyline: In 1957, a son and mother flee the East and an abusive boyfriend to find a new life, and end up in Seattle, where the mother meets a polite garage mechanic. The boy continually gets into trouble by hanging out with the wrong crowd. The mom marries the mechanic, but they soon find out that he's an abusive and unreasoning alcoholic, and they struggle to maintain hope in an impossible situation as the boy grows up with plans to escape the small town by any means possible. Based on a true story by Tobias Wolff.

Plot Keywords: young boy, stepfather, mother, friend, recruiter, emotional, disturbing ...

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#5. I Called Him Morgan (2016)

Storyline: On a snowy night in February 1972, celebrated jazz musician Lee Morgan was shot dead by his common-law wife Helen during a gig at a club in New York City. The murder sent shockwaves through the jazz community, and the memory of the event still haunts those who knew the Morgans. This feature documentary by Swedish filmmaker Kasper Collin is a love letter to two unique personalities and the music that brought them together. A film about love, jazz and America.

Plot Keywords: jazz musician, husband, wife, confident, cool, fascinating, offbeat ...

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#6. What's Love Got to Do with It (1993)

Storyline: Anna Mae Bullock always had a special voice. Soon after arriving in St. Louis to live with the mother who had walked out when she was small, she soon attracts the attention of pop group leader Ike Turner. She becomes his band's singer, his wife, and mother to his children - not all hers. In love with him and determined not to leave in the way her mother had, she finds herself the target of increasing violence from him who can't see who is making his band such a success.

Plot Keywords: singer, abusive husband, wife, musician, manager, dark, emotional ...

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#7. Evenhand (2002)

Storyline: Set in a dirt-poor neighborhood in the fictional city of San Lovisa, Texas, EvenHand tells the story of two very different cops, working together for the first time. Rob Francis, recently divorced, finds the adjustment from his previous assignment in "Sleepytown" difficult. With his new partner, the volatile Ted Morning, he spends his days breaking up domestic disputes and attempting to make sense of a parade of lowlifes, firebugs and junkies. Morning is the original Texas cowboy, all muscle and bravado: arrest 'em first, ask questions later. The characters and events in EvenHand subtly intertwine until Francis and Morning must both face the consequences of their very different approaches to the job. Filmed on location in San Antonio, Texas, EvenHand is a police story, but it's not about car chases or shoot-outs. It's about two cops struggling to survive in a world where, without warning, numbing routine can give way to primal fear.—george lacey

Plot Keywords: police officer, tough guy, criminal, arsonist, junkie, police chief, gritty ...

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#8. Petulia (1968)

Storyline: When she sees him at a hospital fund-raiser, newlywed San Francisco socialite Petulia Danner, who has been married to naval engineer David Danner for six months, seems determined to have an affair with soon to be divorced physician Dr. Archie Bollen, who has been married to his wife Polo for close to ten years, their marriage which many saw as being perfect. Archie doesn't even know Petulia's name, but only knows her as the woman who brought in a young Mexican boy into the hospital with serious injuries. Petulia's pursuit of Archie is relentless - she even declaring that they will someday be married - even as Archie dates another woman named May. Archie eventually learns part of the reason why Petulia is so determined to cheat on David as her relationship to David and David's wealthy father are brought to light. Archie also learns that getting involved with Petulia in any regard has its consequences, both for Petulia herself and for him, most specifically in his relationship to Polo.—Huggo

Plot Keywords: doctor, newlywed, son, husband, ex-wife, wife, cool ...

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#9. Love Letters (1945)

Storyline: When a man asks another man more facile with words to do his wooing for him, there are always complications. The man with no talent for writing marries the girl, confesses one night he didn't write the letters and ends up with a knife in his back. The writer of the letters fell in love with the woman he wrote to and wants to become her second husband even if she did murder husband number one. Singleton doesn't remember the murder or anything about the first 22 years of her life as Victoria Remington. Then at her second wedding she wonders why she said "I take you, Roger," instead of "I take you, Alan."—Dale O'Connor <daleoc@interaccess.com>

Plot Keywords: soldier, woman, mother, fiancée, melodramatic, tense, italy ...

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#10. An Unfinished Life (2005)

Storyline: To escape an abusive boyfriend, without announcing her plans in advance, Jean Gilkyson takes her young daughter Griff to the Wyoming ranch of her father-in-law, Einar. Jean and Einar are disaffected, as he blames her for the death of his son in a car accident. Einar is taking care of his friend Mitch, who was attacked by a bear, and Einar does not know that he has a granddaughter. While Mitch heals and forgives the bear, Einar also changes his feelings regarding Jean, finally understanding that accidents happen and accepting her and loving Griff.

Plot Keywords: rancher, daughter-in-law, daughter, friend, boyfriend, abusive boyfriend, melodramatic ...

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#11. Bleeder (1999)

Storyline: Leo and Louise are a young couple living together in Copenhagen. Leo often goes out with his friends while Louise usually stays home. But when Louise tells Leo she's pregnant, a spark is ignited and Leo begins to become cold and distant. His anger and self-hatred finally erupt into violence against Louise.—Anonymous

Plot Keywords: factory worker, girlfriend, waitress, brother, best friend, security guard, bleak ...

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#12. The Book of Henry (2017)

Storyline: Juggling a job as a waitress and raising two boys on her own--little Peter, and the 11-year-old child prodigy, Henry--the single mother, Susan Carpenter, has a somewhat chaotic life, depending on Henry to manage the household's finances. However, things will take an unexpected turn, when Henry's innocent crush on the beautiful girl next door and hopeful ballet dancer, Christina, unveils a cruel and shocking revelation, dragging Susan in the middle of a dark conspiracy. Will the Carpenters take the law into their own hands; moreover, what's written inside Henry's little red book?

Plot Keywords: single mother, waitress, friend, son, neighbor, chilling, confident ...

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#13. Provoked (2007)

Storyline: Provoked is the true story of Kiranjit Ahluwalia, a Punjabi woman who moved to London after her marriage with Deepak Ahluwalia. Her husband seemed caring at first but then began to beat her up. He started drinking a lot and sleeping around with other women. he also subjected her to spousal rape. After ten years and having two children with him, out of fear, she sets him on fire while he is sleeping, two hours after another scene of domestic violence. He succumbs to the injuries and she is sentenced to life in prison for premeditated murder. However the Southall Black Sisters, an NGO organization which fights against domestic violence, helps her get justice. And after spending 3 1/2 years in jail, she is set free and reunited with her two children.—A. Bose

Plot Keywords: young man, young woman, husband, wife, mother, family member, shocking ...

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#15. Naked Alibi (1954)

Storyline: Questioned as a murder suspect, solid (but drunk) citizen Al Willis attacks his police questioners, is beaten, and swears vengeance against them. Next night, Lieut. Parks is murdered; Willis is the only suspect in the eyes of tough Chief Conroy, who pursues him doggedly despite lack of evidence. The obsessed Conroy is dismissed from the force, but continues to harass Willis, who flees to a sleazy town on the Mexican border. Of course, Conroy follows. But which is crazy, Conroy or Willis?—Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>

Plot Keywords: baker, murder suspect, police chief, girlfriend, police officer, young boy, bleak ...

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