Top 10 Movies Like One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest Update 04/2024

Movies Like One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

If you enjoyed One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, here are 10 films you should see.

It’s a good idea to see these other films if One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest appealed to you.

Despite its age, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest is a timeless classic that never gets old. As a merry inmate who pleads for insanity, Jack Nicholson finds himself in a psychiatric ward thanks to Milos Forman’s adaptation of the same-name novel, which starred the legendary actor. This man starts his own revolution among the terrified inmates and opposes the oppressive Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher).

After the recent release of Netflix’s Ratched, which serves as a prequel to the film, the movie is once again trending. We can revisit the movie now that it’s back in the spotlight, and enjoy these other suggestions in the meantime.

1. Short Term 12 (2013)

Short Term 12 (2013)

Short Term 12 is a tragically heartwarming look at today’s mental health among neglected youths, starring Brie Larson in her first leading role.

Larson and John Gallagher star as two empathetic youth workers in a residential treatment facility for troubled youth. Even though her personal demons interfere with her handling of both old and new cases, they also reopen old wounds for her. Moving story about how vulnerable people can be when they just need someone to empathize with them. Lakeith Stanfield, Kaitlyn Denver, and Rami Malek all make appearances in early roles in the film.

2. Girl, Interrupted (1999)

Girl, Interrupted, based on the memoir of the same name, is a divisive film. Over the years, it has retained a loyal following thanks largely to Angelina Jolie’s supporting role as Ms. Jolie (for which she won the Academy Award).

Even though the film appears to be a sincere attempt to understand the complexities of troubled adults’ minds, it also occasionally turns to corny melodrama. Even if the dramatic elements don’t appeal to everyone, this early James Mangold film is still well worth seeing.

3. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

The Shawshank Redemption, arguably the greatest prison drama of all time, contains some deeply moving scenes. At the same time, hope and optimism are recurring themes in the show, which helps to turn it into a feel-good drama.

While serving a prison sentence at Shawshank Penitentiary, Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) meets Red (Morgan Freeman). While attempting to elude abuse from both their fellow inmates and the prison guards, the two friends observe how the prison evolves over time. Andy aspires to be free of prison once and for all, but his dreams are dashed. The film is a brilliant human drama, a decent thriller, and a wholesome viewing experience thanks to its well-written script and leisurely pace.

4. Dead Poets Society (1989)

Robin Williams’ John Keating, like Randie in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, is a man who uses his cheerful demeanor against the system to survive. At an aristocratic boys’ school in Dead Poets Society, his persona serves as an English teacher.

He exhorts his students not to get bogged down in rote memorization but rather to look beyond the ivory tower of academic jargon. With his unconventional teaching style, he introduces students to poetry, nature appreciation, and a love of learning. This show may present some utopian ideas, but it also encourages viewers to enjoy life a little more than they might have before watching it.

5. The Miseducation Of Cameron Post (2018)

The Miseducation Of Cameron Post (2018)

This realistic teen drama resembles a spiritual offshoot of Boy Erased in its approach to teen life and relationships.. Cameron Post (Chloe Grace-Mortez) is a teenager in 1993 who is sent to a conservative Christian camp to cure her of her ‘lesbianism’ after being caught kissing the prom queen. During her time here, the girl makes friends with other inmates who have been sent here to be ‘cured,’ and she plots her escape.

In a realistic and unique take on the genre, The Miseducation Of Cameron Post exposes certain sections of society’s inherent homophobia, as well as the mental abuse that manyLGBT+people endure.

6. Boy Erased (2018)

Similarly to the aforementioned movie, Boy Erased depicts the conversion therapy of a gay adolescent. While Joel Egerton is convincing as a strict pastor who attempts to ‘convert’ the protagonist, Lucas Hedges shines in the lead role, showing his prowess in handling extremely vulnerable characters.

As it respects its source material while posing some troubling but socially relevant questions, Boy Erased succeeds admirably. Egerton, who wrote and directed the film, has now earned yet another accolade. The ensemble cast includes notable gay artists such as Troye Sivan and Xavier Dolan in addition to Russell Crowe and Nicole Kidman as Hedges’ parents.

7. Bronson (2008)

Bronson (2008)

In many ways, Tom Hardy’s career took off after he starred in Bronson. It was inspired by the real-life imprisonment of Michael Peterson, a British man imprisoned for robbing a post office, and directed by Drive star Nicholas Winding Refn. During his time in prison, he develops an intimidating and violent personality, which is explored in the psychological drama.

Hardy’s committed performance shows how difficult it is to go from Peterson to ‘Bronson,’ while Refn’s vision injects some dark humor into the story.

8. The Stanford Prison Experiment (2015)

In the film, which is based on a real-life experiment of the same name, teens are randomly assigned the roles of prison guards and inmates in an attempt to simulate a prison experience. Stanford University asks the befuddled but intrigued students to spend a few weeks in a fictitious prison there.

After a few days, the experiment had to be halted because of the distress the participants were feeling. The Stanford Prison Experiment demonstrates the dangers of abusing one’s position of authority if given the opportunity. Through the efforts of a talented cast that includes Ezra Miller, Tye Sheridan, and Billy Crudup, this film captures the grim and melancholy nature of life in a mental institution.

9. Man Facing Southeast (1986)

Man Facing Southeast (1986)

Hombre Argentine sci-fi classic Man Facing Southeast, also known as Mirando al Sudeste, takes place in a mental hospital where one of the patients claims to be an extraterrestrial being from another planet or galaxy. Despite the fact that the staff initially denies his claims, a doctor believes that the patient is telling the truth. A philosophical journey is shared between the doctor and patient, and it pushes the doctor to confront his own anxieties.

One comparison often made is that Man Facing Southeast is similar to the sci-fi dramedy K-PAX in the United States, which appears to have taken several elements from the Argentine production.

10. The Longest Yard (1974)

The Adam Sandler and Chris Rock remake from 2005 may be a flop, but the Burt Reynolds original is a fun sports comedy. With an ex-football star (Burt Reynolds) joining the prison as the newest inmate, the guards face off against the inmates in a series of football matches.

The prisoners seek guidance from the brash sportsman in their quest for vengeance against the guards who tortured them. At once heartbreaking and hilarious, this film offers simple thrills that will appeal to the entire family.