Highest-Rated Movies about 'Dysfunctional Family'

The Godfather (1972), The Godfather: Part II (1974), Back to the Future (1985), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), American History X (1998), The Lion King (1994), The Shining (1980), Autumn Sonata (1978) ... Let's take a look at the ranked list of the best Dysfunctional Family movies.

#16. Gran Torino (2008)

Storyline: Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) is a widower who holds onto his prejudices despite the changes in his Michigan neighborhood and the world around him. Kowalski is a grumpy, tough-minded, unhappy old man who can't get along with either his kids or his neighbors. He is a Korean War veteran whose prize possession is a 1972 Gran Torino he keeps in mint condition. When his neighbor Thao Lor (Bee Vang), a young Hmong teenager under pressure from his gang member cousin, tries to steal his Gran Torino, Kowalski sets out to reform the youth. Drawn against his will into the life of Thao's family, Kowalski is soon taking steps to protect them from the gangs that infest their neighborhood.

Plot Keywords: gang, widower, gang rape, teenager, street gang, directed by star, racism ...

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#17. What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)

Storyline: In a tale that almost redefines sibling rivalry, faded actresses Blanche and 'Baby' Jane Hudson live together. Jane was by far the most famous when she performed with their father in vaudeville but as they got older, it was Blanche who became the finer actress, which Jane still resents. Blanche is now confined to a wheelchair and Jane is firmly in control. As time goes by, Jane exercises greater and greater control over her sister, intercepting her letters and ensuring that few if anyone from the outside has any contact with her. As Jane slowly loses her mind, she torments her sister going to ever greater extremes.

Plot Keywords: sibling rivalry, psychological horror, wheelchair, abusive relationship, sister sister relationship, dysfunctional family, jealousy ...

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#18. The 400 Blows (1959)

Storyline: Seemingly in constant trouble at school, 14-year-old Antoine Doinel returns at the end of every day to a drab, unhappy home life. His parents have little money and he sleeps on a couch that's been pushed into the kitchen. His parents bicker constantly and he knows his mother is having an affair. He decides to skip school and begins a downward spiral of lies and theft. His parents are at their wits' end, and after he's stopped by the police, they decide the best thing would be to let Antoine face the consequences. He's sent to a juvenile detention facility where he doesn't do much better. He does manage to escape however.

Plot Keywords: dysfunctional family, paris france, teenage boy, teenager, coming of age, school, juvenile delinquent ...

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#19. Fargo (1996)

Storyline: Jerry works in his father-in-law's car dealership and has gotten himself in financial problems. He tries various schemes to come up with money needed for a reason that is never really explained. It has to be assumed that his huge embezzlement of money from the dealership is about to be discovered by father-in-law. When all else falls through, plans he set in motion earlier for two men to kidnap his wife for ransom to be paid by her wealthy father (who doesn't seem to have the time of day for son-in-law). From the moment of the kidnapping, things go wrong and what was supposed to be a non-violent affair turns bloody with more blood added by the minute. Jerry is upset at the bloodshed, which turns loose a pregnant sheriff from Brainerd, MN who is tenacious in attempting to solve the three murders in her jurisdiction.

Plot Keywords: black comedy, neo noir, female nudity, dysfunctional family, original story, americana, double cross ...

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#20. The Heiress (1949)

Storyline: In the mid-1800's, the wealthy Sloper family - widowed surgeon Dr. Austin Sloper, his adult daughter Catherine Sloper (Dr. Sloper's only surviving child), and Dr. Sloper's recently widowed sister Lavinia Penniman - live in an opulent house at 16 Washington Square, New York City. They have accrued their wealth largely through Dr. Sloper's hard work. Despite the lessons that Dr. Sloper has paid for in all the social graces for her, Catherine is a plain, simple, awkward and extremely shy woman who spends all her free time alone doing embroidery when she is not doting on her father. Catherine's lack of social charm and beauty - unlike her deceased mother - is obvious to Dr. Sloper, who hopes that Lavinia will act as her guardian in becoming more of a social person, and ultimately as chaperon if Catherine were ever to meet the right man. The first man ever to show Catherine any attention is the handsome Morris Townsend, who she met at a family party. Catherine is initially uncertain as to Morris' intentions, never having been called on before by a gentleman, but she quickly falls in love with him, as he does with her. They plan to be married. Being a romantic, Lavinia does whatever she can to advance their relationship. However, Dr. Sloper does not trust Morris, believing him to be a fortune hunter who is only interested in Catherine for her sizable inheritance. His beliefs are strengthened after a candid discussion with Morris' sister, Mrs. Montgomery. Dr. Sloper does whatever he can to prevent the two from getting married - the entire reason for his disapproval which he does not fully disclose to either Catherine or Morris - including taking Catherine away for an extended European vacation. Ultimately, incidents with both her father and Morris permanently change Catherine's view of life.—Huggo

Plot Keywords: title spoken by character, stethoscope, manhattan new york city, domineering father, male female relationship, famous score, 1840s ...

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#21. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)

Storyline: The family of "Big Daddy" Pollitt convenes at his and Big Momma's. Among the attendees is alcoholic son, Brick; an ex-football player, who spends his time drinking and avoiding the ministries of his libidinous wife, Maggie - 'the cat'. As this gathering isn't so much as a gathering but a farewell (Big Daddy is terminally ill) a lot of memories and revelations which had been hidden come to the surface of both father and son.

Plot Keywords: southern gothic, husband wife relationship, homosexuality, based on play, marriage problems, father in law daughter in law relationship, brother brother relationship ...

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#22. Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003)

Storyline: The film's female lead, Naina (Preity Zinta) narrates the story. Her father had committed suicide years ago which left a deep impact on her heart. Her family is dysfunctional since her mother and grandmother just cannot stop arguing. But when Aman (Shahrukh Khan) arrives next door, the whole gloomy conditions change. Aman infuses life in skeptical and overtly serious Naina, and she falls in love with him. But Aman knows that he cannot marry Naina because of a secret which he cannot divulge to her. So he intends upon setting her up with her best pal Rohit (Saif Ali Khan).

Plot Keywords: gay joke, tragic ending, gay slur, brother sister relationship, courtship, diary, dinner table ...

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#23. Now, Voyager (1942)

Storyline: Boston spinster Charlotte has had her life controlled entirely by her mother; a wealthy mother, Mrs. Henry Vale. Feeling despondent, she's convinced to spend some time in a sanitarium. Soon, Charlotte's transformed into a sophisticated, confident woman. On a cruise to South America, Charlotte meets, and begins a torrid affair with Jerry Durrance, a married architect. 6 months later, she returns home, and confronts her mother with her independence. One day, after a brief argument, her mother has a heart attack and dies. Charlotte inherits the Vale fortune but feels guilty for her mother's death. She returns to the sanitarium, where she befriends a depressed, young adolescent, named Tina. The young girls' depression brought on by having been rejected by her mother; Charlotte's former lover, Jerry's wife. Charlotte takes Tina home to Boston with her

Plot Keywords: domineering mother, emotional blackmail, mother daughter relationship, mental illness, dysfunctional family, self esteem, nervous breakdown ...

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#24. The Graduate (1967)

Storyline: Ben has recently graduated from college, with his parents now expecting great things from him. At his "Homecoming" party, Mrs. Robinson, the wife of his father's business partner, has Ben drive her home, which leads to an affair between the two. The affair eventually ends, but comes back to haunt him when he finds himself falling for Elaine, Mrs. Robinson's daughter.

Plot Keywords: older woman younger man relationship, college graduate, two word title, boyfriend girlfriend relationship, adultery, birthday party, car driving ...

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#25. The Incredibles (2004)

Storyline: Bob Parr (A.K.A. Mr. Incredible), and his wife Helen (A.K.A. Elastigirl), are the world's greatest famous crime-fighting superheroes in Metroville. Always saving lives and battling evil on a daily basis. But fifteen years later, they have been forced to adopt civilian identities and retreat to the suburbs where they have no choice but to retire as superheroes to live a "normal life" with their three children Violet, Dash and Jack-Jack (who were secretly born with superpowers). Itching to get back into action, Bob gets his chance when a mysterious communication summons him to a remote island for a top secret assignment. He soon discovers that it will take a super family effort to rescue the world from total destruction.

Plot Keywords: superhero, non comic book superhero, secret identity, cgi animation, satire, sidekick, superhero team ...

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#26. The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Storyline: In this charming film based on the popular L. Frank Baum stories, Dorothy and her dog Toto are caught in a tornado's path and somehow end up in the land of Oz. Here she meets some memorable friends and foes in her journey to meet the Wizard of Oz who everyone says can help her return home and possibly grant her new friends their goals of a brain, heart and courage.

Plot Keywords: witch, evil witch, wizard, tornado, quest, scarecrow, lion ...

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#27. Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)

Storyline: Mortimer Brewster is a newspaperman and author known for his diatribes against marriage. We watch him being married at city hall in the opening scene. Now all that is required is a quick trip home to tell Mortimer's two maiden aunts. While trying to break the news, he finds out his aunts' hobby; killing lonely old men and burying them in the cellar. It gets worse.

Plot Keywords: switchblade, police officer, grave, harpsichord, trumpeter, toy, costume ...

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#28. Mildred Pierce (1945)

Storyline: When Mildred Pierce's out-of-work husband leaves her for another woman, Mildred decides to raise her two daughters on her own. Despite Mildred's financial successes in the restaurant business, her oldest daughter, Veda, resents her mother for degrading their social status. In the midst of a police investigation after the death of her second husband, Mildred must evaluate her own freedom and her complicated relationship with her daughter.

Plot Keywords: restaurant, in medias res, based on novel, mother daughter relationship, ex husband ex wife relationship, dysfunctional marriage, husband wife relationship ...

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#29. A Raisin in the Sun (1961)

Storyline: Walter Lee Younger is a young man struggling with his station in life. Sharing a tiny apartment with his wife, son, sister and mother, he seems like an imprisoned man. Until, that is, the family gets an unexpected financial windfall...—Greg Bruno <burlynerd@usa.net>

Plot Keywords: african american, poverty, chicago illinois, based on play, dysfunctional family, segregation, gay slur ...

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#30. The Night of the Hunter (1955)

Storyline: It's the Great Depression. In the process of robbing a bank of $10,000, Ben Harper kills two people. Before he is captured, he is able to convince his adolescent son John and his daughter Pearl not to tell anyone, including their mother Willa, where he hid the money, namely in Pearl's favorite toy, a doll that she carries everywhere with her. Ben, who is captured, tried and convicted, is sentenced to death. But before he is executed, Ben is in the state penitentiary with a cell mate, a man by the name of Harry Powell, a self-professed man of the cloth, who is really a con man and murderer, swindling lonely women, primarily rich widows, of their money before he kills them. Harry does whatever he can, unsuccessfully, to find out the location of the $10,000 from Ben. After Ben's execution, Harry decides that Willa will be his next mark, figuring that someone in the family knows where the money is hidden. Despite vowing not to remarry, Willa ends up being easy prey for Harry's outward ...

Plot Keywords: widow, preacher, spanking, car theft, girl, southern gothic, loss of father ...

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