Not every film follows a simple story; some are brain teasers that demand your full attention as they move with complex plots and unclear endings. These movies often challenge the audience’s understanding and make them question what they are watching, giving out puzzles to solve. So, we gathered seven of those hard-to-follow films for you to pick from.
7. I’m Thinking Of Ending Things – IMDb: 6.6
This 2020 film, starring Jessie Buckley and Jesse Plemons, destroys expectations at every turn. The plot revolves around a seemingly simple visit to a boyfriend’s parents, but the film quickly shifts into a kaleidoscope of changing names, careers, and even actors. The story unfolds in the mind of a janitor, thinking of life choices and realities, making the viewers question reality and fiction.
6. Primer – IMDb: 6.7
Next on the list is a film that takes the concept of time travel and turns it on its head. Directed by Shane Carruth, this low-budget movie focuses on two engineers’ accidental discovery of time travel. What follows is a journey through time, loaded with technical jargon and plot twists. The film’s complexity is such that some say it demands multiple viewings to grasp its timeline.
5. Enemy – IMDb: 6.9
Jake Gyllenhaal plays dual roles in a story that explores identity and the subconscious. The film’s plot, based on José Saramago’s novel ‘The Double,’ follows a college professor who comes across his look-alike and gets caught in a web of reality and illusion. The ending is especially baffling, leaving viewers to ponder the line between the real and the imagined.
4. Tenet – IMDb: 7.3
Christopher Nolan’s ‘Tenet’ is another project that plays with the concept of time. Following a former CIA agent tasked with manipulating time, the film is full of action and complex temporal mechanics. The storyline zigzags through time, challenging viewers to keep pace with its rapid twists and turns. The portrayal of time travel, where characters move in reverse, adds another layer of complexity.
3. Looper – IMDb: 7.4
Rian Johnson’s 2012 movie offers a fresh take on time travel. Set in a world where crime gangs use time travel for evil purposes, the film follows Joe, a ‘looper’ who kills people sent back from the future. The plot thickens when Joe’s older self is sent back for him to kill, leading to a series of actions and consequences.
2. Mulholland Drive – IMDb: 7.9
As a journey through the dark side of Hollywood, this film’s narrative is a maze of dreams and reality, following an aspiring actress and an amnesiac woman. David Lynch crafts a story that blurs the lines between fiction and reality, leaving viewers to solve the puzzle.
1. The Handmaiden – IMDb: 8.1
Set in Japanese-occupied Korea, ‘The Handmaiden’ is split into three parts, each offering a different perspective on the unfolding events. The story focuses on a con man’s plot to marry and cheat a wealthy heiress, but an unexpected romance complicates the plan. Each act in the film overturns the assumptions set by the previous one.
