6 Brilliant Movies That Usually Make People Furious For Women
Sergio López | Pexels In case you haven't noticed, a lot of women are angry at the moment. We're angry that our rights are being rolled back. We're angry that every time we express concern over the 443,000 girls and women who are assaulted in America each year, some men make it about them.
Personally, I'm so mad that I'm having trouble watching rom-coms, which I used to love. The self-aware love interest, the enemies-to-lovers pipeline, the grand gestures that aren't actually love-bombing. All of it seems a little far-fetched.
A few films, however, somehow managed to stoke, validate, and relieve my rage, all at the same time. (Bonus: My boyfriend watched them with me, and they prompted some great dialogue about gender bias, consent, and why women's anger is justified.)
Cue these brilliant movies I've seen within the last year, described with minimal spoilers:
1. Promising Young Woman, 2020
Genre & rating: Black comedy thriller, 90% on Rotten Tomatoes
What it’s about: After her best friend was assaulted and filmed, Cassie (Carey Mulligan) dropped out of medical school. She now spends her nights pretending to be inebriated at bars, waiting to see how many men try to take advantage of her. Incapable of moving on, she hatches a plan to get revenge on all those involved.
Why I loved it: I had no idea which characters I could trust and which I couldn’t. This movie is a scathing takedown of the “nice guy” myth and an eye-opening commentary on how the justice system fails assault victims at every turn.
Where you can watch it: Stream it on Peacock; rent or buy it on YouTube or Prime Video
2. Send Help, 2026
Genre & rating: 92% on Rotten Tomatoes
What it’s about: Linda Liddle (Rachel McAdams) is a vital asset to her consulting firm, but her new boss — an overgrown frat boy named Bradley (Dylan O’Brien) — fails to see her value. When the two get stranded on an island together, Liddle’s knowledge as a Survivor superfan is the only thing keeping them alive, flipping the power dynamic on its head.
Why I loved it: While watching it, I had no idea if this movie was going to be a romance, a dark comedy, a psychological thriller, or a survival horror. I’m still not sure. McAdams also proves her range as an actor, playing a frumpy, unhinged antihero, as well as she played a romantic lead and a mean girl.
Where you can watch it: Stream it on Hulu; rent or buy it on YouTube or Prime Video
3. Obsession, 2025
A. C. / Unsplash+
Genre & rating: Horror, 95% on Rotten Tomatoes
What it’s about: Bear (Michael Johnston) is a shy music store employee who can’t bring himself to tell his coworker Nikki (Inde Navarrette) how he feels. At a kitchy crystal shop, he buys a “One Wish Willow” and wishes for Nikki to fall in love with him. She does — violently and obsessively.
Why I loved it: This movie brilliantly explores the topic of consent, asking the audience to question who the true victim is. Also, Inde Navarrette delivers one of the most heartbreaking and creepy performances I’ve ever seen in the horror genre.
Where you can watch it: Currently in theaters
4. Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere, 2026
Genre & rating: Documentary, 75% on Rotten Tomatoes
What it’s about: Louis Theroux, a renowned British journalist and documentarian, infiltrates the Manosphere to interview some of its biggest influencers, who make millions online by teaching young boys that real men are rich, muscular, and misogynistic, and women exist to serve them.
Why I loved it: This documentary is a must-watch if you’re unfamiliar with red-pill content — especially if you’re raising sons. Theroux manages to expose the hypocrisy of the Manosphere while saying very little; rather, he asks these guys simple questions (often in front of their girlfriends and mothers) and lets them verbally dig their own graves.
Where you can watch it: Stream it on Netflix
5. Don’t Worry Darling, 2022
Genre & rating: Psychological thriller/drama, 38% on Rotten Tomatoes
What it’s about: Alice (Florence Pugh) lives in a sun-soaked 1950s utopia in the California desert. Every morning, the husbands drive off to their top-secret jobs, while the wives stay home to cook, clean, and care for the children. After a string of bizarre events, Alice starts questioning this so-called paradise.
Why I loved it: A friend recommended this movie to me, and I’m so glad I watched it despite the negative reviews. Similar to the show Mad Men, it contrasts a stunning, nostalgic set with darker themes of trad-wife culture and Manosphere rhetoric. I found the twist fascinating.
Where you can watch it: Rent or buy it on YouTube or Prime Video
6. Ladies First, 2026
Genre & rating: Comedy, 26% on Rotten Tomatoes
What it’s about: Damien (Sacha Baron Cohen) is a successful CEO, a raging misogynist, and an all-around jerk. After a head injury, he wakes up in an alternate reality where women rule, and men serve. He is now the least important person in every room.
Why I l̶o̶v̶e̶d̶ liked it: The reviews aren’t kind to this one, and I understand why. A satirical commentary on gender dynamics, it might have been groundbreaking 15 years ago, but for 2026, the premise is a bit on the nose, and the ending is too tidy. Still, Sacha Baron Cohen is fantastic (per usual), and it has some hilariously quotable moments.
Where you can watch it: Stream it on Netflix
Maria Cassano is a writer, editor, and journalist whose work has appeared on NBC, Bustle, CNN, The Daily Beast, Food & Wine, and Allure, among others. She's in the process of publishing her memoir, which you can learn more about here.
