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Everything is not what it seems in Netflix's new offering Delicious which is one of the many reasons it has captured the attention of subscribers. Marking Nele Mueller-Stöfen's directorial debut, the movie stars Valerie Pachner, Fahri Yardım and Carla Díaz in lead roles. The narrative focuses on a wealthy German family who are vacationing in Provence right in the midst of an economic upheaval.
When they accidentally injure a young woman, Díaz's Teodora, with their car, they take her home and tend to her injuries. When she is unable to go back to work, they decide to hire her as a domestic helper but things start to spiral soon after. Delicious thrives on striking cinematography and shares poignant messages about capitalism.
Like Delicious, there are other psychological thrillers, mentioned on this list, that also boast unconventional narratives with shocking twists.
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Disclaimer: This list contains information from various sources.
The Invitation, and four other psychological thrillers like Delicious that are complex and thought-provoking
1) The Invitation (2015)
In Delicious, a seemingly innocent offer turns the lives of the whole family around. A similar situation is witnessed by the central character in The Invitation directed by Karyn Kusama.
Logan Marshall-Green stars as Will who is in a relationship with Emayatzy Corinealdi's Kira. When they are invited by his ex-wife and her new husband for dinner, they decide to accept. But as the evening progresses, Will becomes increasingly uncomfortable because he suspects that the hosts have ulterior motives for inviting him home.
Like Delicious, this is the kind of movie that slowly but surely builds the suspense with cleverly placed symbolic hints and unusual plot progressions. Marshall-Green is clearly the star of the show as he perfectly captures his character's wide range of emotions over one evening including sadness, frustration and paranoia.
Where to watch: The Invitation is available on Apple TV+ and Prime Video.
2) The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)
Delicious is enjoyable to watch because of the complex characters who are hard to read. Similarly, The Killing of a Sacred Deer by Yorgos Lanthimos also features dynamic characters who aren't what they seem on the surface.
Colin Farrell plays a cardiothoracic surgeon named Steven Murphy. He is married to Nicole Kidman's Anna. When he meets Martin Lang, portrayed by Barry Keoghan, Steven is saddened to learn that the young man recently lost his father. So, he invites him home for dinner. But Martin soon becomes dangerously obsessed with the Murphy family.
The Killing of a Sacred Deer, like Delicious, has a complex and imaginative storyline with plenty of shocking moments that will make viewers squirm in their seats. It certainly isn't meant for casual viewing as people will need to pay attention to understand the intelligent symbolism scattered throughout the runtime.
Where to watch: The Killing of a Sacred Deer can be streamed on Max, Netflix, Apple TV+ and Prime Video.
3) Leave The World Behind (2023)
Like the family in Delicious, the central characters in Leave The World Behind are also traveling with their children but the happy trip soon turns into a nightmare. This psychological thriller by Sam Esmail, based on Rumaan Alam's novel, received plenty of praise from critics and movie lovers for its intense performances and suspenseful narrative.
In the lead are Julia Roberts and Ethan Hawke who play Amanda and Clay. They take an impromptu trip with their kids to get away from it all. However, the fun and games hit a roadblock when the owner of their vacation rental and his daughter arrive at night, seeking shelter from a blackout.
Similar to Delicious, Leave The World Behind hooks the viewer in right from the start by introducing several perplexing elements that prompts them to think. At its core, the narrative seeks to portray how people react to unprecedented crisis situations, and how it could bring out the best in some and the worst in others.
Where to watch: Leave The World Behind is available for streaming on Netflix.
4) Speak No Evil (2024)
Speak No Evil, like Delicious, keeps the audience guessing as they are unable to predict what the characters are going to do next. A remake of a Danish-Dutch film released in 2022, this movie by James Watkins stars James McAvoy, Aisling Franciosi, Mackenzie Davis, Scoot McNairy, and others.
Davis and McNairy play an American couple, Louise and Ben, who meet Paddy (McAvoy) and Ciara (Franciosi) in Italy during a vacation. Louise and Ben are struggling with relationship problems so when Paddy and Ciara invite them to their farmhouse in Devon, they agree thinking that it could help refresh their minds and repair their bond. But the passive-aggressive behavior of their hosts puts them off.
Like Delicious, Speak No Evil has an unsettling vibe that helps to maintain the tension and intensity of the narrative. There is no question that McAvoy steals the show as he can be charismatic one moment and intimidating the next. It also makes excellent points about blind adherence to social norms and the consequences of excessive tolerance.
Where to watch: Speak No Evil can be viewed on Prime Video and Apple TV+.
5) Blink Twice (2024)
The narrative of Delicious makes it obvious that not everyone can be trusted based on appearances alone. The characters look like they have no hidden agenda but when the audience looks deeper, the skeletons tend to come out. The same aspect is also present in Blink Twice which marks Zoë Kravitz's directorial debut.
Channing Tatum plays Slater King, a billionaire tech mogul who meets cocktail waitress Frida, portrayed by Naomi Ackie, at an exclusive event. When he invites Frida and her friend to his private island on a whim, they can hardly believe their luck. However, once there, Frida realizes that there is something sinister going on that could put her life at stake.
Like Delicious, Blink Twice also benefits from striking visuals that add to the imaginative narrative. The way the movie balances the light-hearted moments with the intense scenes is particularly commendable. Blink Twice also carries a lot of thought-provoking messages about priviledge, feminism, toxic masculinity and more.
Where to watch: Blink Twice is available for streaming on Netflix.
These cinematic movies, like Delicious, thrive on creative storylines with a good mix of intriguing characters, shocking revelations and important messages.
