‘Girl in the Basement’ follows Sara (Stefanie Scott), a young girl who is imprisoned in their basement by her father (Judd Nelson) on her 18th birthday. Don, her father, keeps her imprisoned for the next 20 years, rapping and abusing her on a regular basis and eventually fathering many children with her.
The film is based on the true story of Elisabeth Fritzl, who was held in captivity by her father from 1984 until 2008. Apart from offering rich material for crime and thriller films, films like ‘Girl in the Basement,’ according to first-time director Elisabeth Rohm, raise awareness about the dark components of our society that are hidden in plain sight.If you’re interested in seeing more films like this, we’ve got you covered. Here are five films that explore the dark side of human connections. The majority of these films related to ‘Girl in the Basement’ are available on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime.
Black Snake Moan (2006)
The 2006 black comedy drama ‘Black Snake Moan’ provides some much-needed humorous relief to this list. This film, starring Christina Ricci and Samuel L. Jackson in one of his greatest performances, examines the impact of childhood abuse on Rae (Ricci) while Lazarus (Jackson) tries to reform her by chaining her to the radiator, among other things. Despite its profoundly psychological subject matter, the film’s light-hearted tone is maintained by the catchy southern blues music and Jackson’s particular acting style, making it a worthwhile watch for a variety of reasons.
Changeling (2008)
‘Changeling,’ a 2008 film based on the story of Christine Collins, stars Angelina Jolie as the real-life Christine Collins. This film, directed and scored by Clint Eastwood, portrays the heartbreaking story of a mother (Jolie) who is forced to accept another child who the authorities claim is her son after her son goes missing. Screenwriter Joseph Michael Straczynski spent years researching and composing the script, and the result is a film in which nearly every scene is based on true events he discovered in newspapers and legal documents from the time period. The majority of the characters are based on real individuals, and the film gained tremendous acclaim, giving Jolie her first Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.