10 Most Disturbing Psychological Film Thrillers
9. Klute
The 1970s provided some of the greatest films about paranoia, and several of these were directed by the great Alan J. Pakula. His 1971 smash hit Klute remains a remarkably frank and bold film flawlessly presented - a mystery unfolding over the course of the film, placing the viewer in the role of the investigator.
Donald Sutherland plays John Klute, a detective hired to track down a missing executive. His path crosses with Bree Daniels (an Oscar winning Jane Fonda), a call girl with whom the missing man seemed to be obsessed. The two forge an uneasy alliance as they delve into the case.
Like all great noir, Klute starts with what seems like a relatively simple case - man goes missing, woman might know his whereabouts - and expands the matter exponentially, with the lead characters starting as outside observers but becoming ever more embroiled in the mess.
The tension is heavy from the off, and Sutherland and Fonda’s performances are so likeable as to increase the stakes significantly. This is a brilliantly made thriller whose taught script and pacing means the weight is never lifted.