Movies About Narcissist Abuse 

Join us as we count down the best movies about narcissist abuse in today’s article.

Human behavior is an intriguing subject that has been the subject of numerous films. One of these behaviors is narcissism. Simply put, it is a superiority complex. Exploring human behavior via art is incredibly intriguing, hence there are numerous movies on narcissist abuse.

Narcissism may be found almost anywhere these days. It’s all over the news, especially concerning political figures, and it appears to be everywhere. Narcissism is all around us, and it appears to be on the rise in our materialistic, self-centered world. In reality, you may come across works of literature that represent narcissist abuse in some fashion. Several films have demonstrated the extent to which a narcissist can harm.

The movies about narcissists on Netflix showcase a character or group of characters who exhibit narcissistic behavior. Watching these narcissistic movie characters on film can be both entertaining and scary.

In their films on narcissist abuse, several directors have tackled the issue in various ways. Some people produce movies about narcissistic husbands, movies about narcissistic mothers, or movies about divorcing a narcissist. However, each technique is intriguing to see. Most of the plots in such films are fairly relevant, as such narcissistic personalities may be found in real life as well.

What Is Narcissistic Abuse?

A narcissistic personality disorder is a psychiatric diagnostic characterized by self-centeredness, inflated self-esteem, and a lack of empathy and regard for others.

In psychology, narcissism does not imply self-love. People with illness are exceedingly reluctant to alter their behavior; they are also extremely sensitive and respond negatively to even little comments.

A 2020 research found that narcissistic abuse may manifest itself in a variety of ways, including verbal, physical, passive-aggressive, or manipulative acts. Because of a perceived threat to their dominance or fear of desertion, the abuser may act in this manner.

Narcissistic abuse can be extremely harmful and result in long-term emotional and psychological damage.

List of Movies About Narcissist Abuse

There is a plethora of movies about narcissistic abuse. In reality, any adversary in a film might be regarded as a narcissist. However, we are focused on films that examine the depths of narcissism while still providing a compelling plot.

Please let us know if we overlooked an important film regarding narcissistic personality disorder. We would be delighted to incorporate it.

So let’s start.

The Dictator (2012)

Movies About Narcissist Abuse

We’ll begin our list of movies about narcissist abuse in a lighter tone. The film The Dictator is a comedy. It centers on a narcissist who travels to New York to meet with the UN Security Council. However, his ambitions are thwarted when he is kidnapped by a hitman hired by his uncle Tamir. Despite its crass and slapstick comedy, this film is also a social satire on world leaders’ selfish conduct.

This film is both humorous and entertaining. Sacha Baron Cohen’s portrayal of Aladeen is just superb. You can watch this movie several times and find something fresh to chuckle at each time. In a nutshell, The Dictator is one of the finest modern masterpieces.

Rachel Getting Married (2008)

Movies About Narcissist Abuse

Anne Hathaway’s award-winning portrayal as Kym, a former drug addict and alcoholic who leaves treatment to attend her sister Rachel’s wedding, is a touching and extremely real look at a narcissist attempting, sometimes failing, and struggling to heal from terrible emotional pain.

Kym’s antics during her sister’s wedding, which are both attention-seeking and fearful of being vulnerable, sow havoc that greatly upsets her family, particularly Rachel. While it would be simple to portray Kym as the antagonist in this story, the film is more concerned with the repercussions of trauma on families and the narcissistic characteristics people employ to cope.

Sleeping With The Enemy (1991)

Movies About Narcissist Abuse

The film Sleeping With The Enemy is a drama thriller. A young girl fakes her death in an attempt to escape her abusive marriage, only to discover that fleeing her controlling husband is impossible. Patrick Bergin plays an extremely narcissistic antagonist in this film. On-screen, he is a terrifying figure who will stop at nothing to murder his wife.

Sleeping With The Enemy is an excellent thriller. It’ll keep you wondering till the very end. Furthermore, Julia Roberts and Patrick Bergin deliver outstanding performances. Furthermore, the twists and turns will keep you hooked to your seat.

Matilda (1996)

Movies About Narcissist Abuse

The Roald Dahl version, which tells the story of a brilliant young kid who acquires psychokinetic skills, became a classic in its own right. Matilda used her supernatural abilities to deal with her neglected, narcissistic parents, as well as her nasty and violent school principal.

Matilda’s power as a film on narcissists resides in Matilda’s parents, who refuse to take her to school, leave her alone in the house as a kid, and consistently denigrate her achievements.

Gone Girl (2014)

Movies About Narcissist Abuse

Gone Girl is the next film on our list of movies about narcissistic abuse. It centers around Nick Dunne, whose wife, Amy Dunne, goes missing on their fifth wedding anniversary. He quickly understands that the whole media attention has shifted to him.

This movie is an incredible and realistic portrayal of a narcissist’s manipulation. It demonstrates how anybody can be easily misled with a few mind tricks.

Hush (1998)

Movies About Narcissist Abuse

Jessica Lange plays a narcissistic, child-obsessed mother who goes to great measures to take care of her grandson. When Helen and Jackson, played by Gwyneth Paltrow and Johnathon Schaech, move in with Jackson’s mother, Martha, the narcissistic mother attempts to influence the pair right away.

She goes to further efforts to gain custody of the child’s baby. She even tries to murder her own son’s wife. It turns out that this isn’t the first time she’s gone that far. This is an excellent representation of how self-absorbed a narcissist can be. They will passionately pursue their object of want, oblivious to the repercussions of their actions.

American Psycho (2000)

Movies About Narcissist Abuse

The film American Psycho is a crime drama. It centers on a wealthy investment banker with sociopathic and narcissistic personality disorder who moonlights as a serial murderer at night. This film displays a particularly narcissistic form of conduct. Patrick Bateman, the egotistical serial murderer, is played by Christian Bale. As this psychotic persona, he delivers a spine-chilling performance.

American Psycho is also highly graphic and brutal. None of the violence, though, feels forced. It’s all part of the plot of the film. Every character in this film is grey, which adds to their appeal.

The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

Movies About Narcissist Abuse

Few “bad bosses” are more legendary than Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly, a fictitious fashion magazine editor alleged to be based on real-life Vogue editor Anna Wintour. Priestly’s expectations and harsh comments are equal parts arrogant and ruthless, leaving little opportunity for dissent or failure.

The film has become a modern cinema mainstay, catapulting several of the performers to stardom—Meryl Streep herself was nominated for Best Actress the year the picture was released. The film’s impact is largely owing to its universality—many individuals have had a narcissistic boss at some time in their lives.

Tangled (2010)

Movies About Narcissist Abuse

It might come as a surprise to find a Disney film on the list of movies that represent narcissists, but it would not be the first time. We’ve already encountered narcissistic moms in Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, so this isn’t all that surprising. In this 2010 animated film, the villain is portrayed as a narcissistic mother.

Mother Gothel is a narcissistic lady who takes a kid and convinces her that she is her natural mother to replenish her narcissistic supply. She keeps Rapunzel alive, but in classic narcissistic fashion, she isolates and gaslights her to damage Rapunzel’s self-assurance and intuition. Disney is the undisputed king of illustrating the negative impacts of narcissistic moms.

There Will Be Blood (2007)

Movies About Narcissist Abuse

There Will Be Blood is a period drama movie. It is centered on Daniel Plainview, an egotistical oil prospector. He’s on a quest to become the most powerful oil magnate in the world. For this aim, he even manipulates and exploits his adoptive kid. Daniel Day-Lewis plays the narcissistic character in this film. His picture of a man blinded by power and greed is quite effective. He is cruel and brutal. Furthermore, he will not accept any impediments on his path.

At the same time, this film is both lovely and unsettling. It has a distinct cinematography style that is incredibly lovely. Furthermore, the plot is interesting, and the persona of Daniel Plainview is unexpected, which keeps the audience interested.

Signs Of Narcissistic Abuse

Love-bombing

People with NPD are prone to lavish you with flattery and adoration. While this attention may appear to be beneficial at first, it is a sort of emotional manipulation. A love bomber may lavish you with expensive presents or tell you exactly what you want to hear. This is how they gain your trust and finally get control of you.

Ignoring boundaries

A narcissist is likely to push your boundaries or completely disregard them. Someone with NPD may read your text messages, stalk you, or do things you’ve requested them not to do. Attempts to enforce limits may be met with squabbles, rage, or accusations. If this is happening to you, discover how to set boundaries with a narcissist.

Gaslighting

It’s not uncommon for a narcissistic abuser to deny unpleasant activities, claim they don’t recall the events being described, or accuse you of lying or not knowing how things “truly” happened when confronted. This deception technique, known as narcissistic gaslighting, is intended to cause you to doubt yourself. It might make you more prone to narcissistic behavior and abuse in the future.

Projecting

Instead of accepting responsibility for mistakes, a person with NPD may project negative actions onto you. DARVO, which stands for Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim, and Offender, is a frequent manipulation method. Narcissistic abusers might deny responsibility and undermine credibility by transferring blame onto their victims.

Nitpicking

In a relationship, some criticism is appropriate, but a narcissistic abuser may make you feel like everything you do is wrong. Someone suffering from NPD may be critical of your looks, conduct, or even the sound of your voice.

How To Deal With Narcissist Abuse

Although a narcissist can seek treatment, it is uncommon. They are unlikely to notice anything wrong with their conduct and may only seek therapy if forced to. Mandated counseling in circumstances of divorce, custody fights, or legal problems may be revelatory for these individuals. Treatment, on the other hand, is considerably easier to acquire and more likely to result in significant change for individuals dealing with the impacts of a narcissist’s fury.

Recovering from toxic relationships takes time since everyone appears to be dangerous after such a relationship. Because the manipulation of such a partnership has most certainly separated victims from a social structure that may aid in rehabilitation, it is critical to examine the past to better understand where to begin.

Examples Of Narcissistic Abuse

Narcissistic abuse can manifest itself in a variety of ways. Abuse of this nature can be perpetrated by a narcissistic parent or other family members, a love partner, a friend, or even an employer or coworker.

Withholding: Narcissists may withhold money, attention, or even communication from their victims in an attempt to punish them. The silent treatment is a common type of withholding.

Emotional blackmail: Your own emotions might be used against you in an abusive relationship. When you refuse to do what an abuser wants, they may try to make you feel guilty or afraid.

Insults: Narcissistic personality disorder patients utilize verbal abuse such as name-calling, harsh criticism, and other insults to undermine a victim’s self-esteem. Abusers frequently attempt to mask their actions as

Malicious gossip: Someone with NPD may disseminate falsehoods about you or your actions on purpose. Slander, falsehoods, and reputational harm can all be used to purposely separate you from people.

Sabotage: Narcissism may lead to someone sabotaging your profession, relationships, or any other element of your life. This might be a tactic to keep you under their control and increase their influence over you.

Accusations: If you’re in a relationship with a narcissistic abuser, you can be accused of lying, stealing, adultery, or engaging in other undesirable activities. Being falsely accused might put you on the defensive, which can assist redirect attention away from the behaviors and actions of someone suffering from NPD.

How Can Narcissistic Abuse Affect A Person’s Life?

Narcissistic abuse can have the following effects on people:

Low self-esteem and self-worth

Narcissistic abuse can lead to poor self-esteem and a diminished sense of self. Narcissistic abuse can lead to feelings of worthlessness and humiliation, as well as a loss of confidence.

Self-doubt

Gaslighting is a type of narcissistic abuse that causes a person to doubt oneself, feel confused and nervous, and question reality.

Isolation

People may isolate themselves as a result of the pain, fear, or anxiety caused by narcissistic abuse. People who are subjected to narcissistic abuse may lose their independence, and the abuser may isolate them from their friends and family.

Depression or suicidal thoughts

Narcissistic abuse may be exceedingly damaging to one’s mental health, causing anxiety, sadness, and suicidal ideation.

Developmental issues

Narcissistic abuse in children can impair normal growth and development. Long-term emotional and psychological damage can result from narcissistic abuse.

Effects Of Narcissistic Abuse

No matter how lengthy or brief the engagement, narcissistic abuse has both immediate and long-term consequences. This form of manipulation and control is gradual, nuanced, and purposeful. While there is no diagnosable condition for narcissistic abuse syndrome, the symptoms of emotional suffering might leave you feeling alienated and bewildered.

Narcissistic abuse is a type of trauma, and the body internally processes and responds to stress and trauma in a variety of ways. Feeling on edge may cause bodily pains, headaches, and stomach issues. Stress affects not just the body but also the brain.

After suffering narcissistic abuse, you may face a variety of challenges, including

  • Confusion, hypervigilance, or intrusive thoughts are examples of cognitive impairments.
  • Behavioral concerns such as withdrawal increased alcohol or drug usage, or communication changes
  • Emotional issues such as fear, guilt, irritation, depression, and anxiety

The Ending Note

Narcissists can be found in many walks of life. It is, in fact, a mental condition that can be treated and healed. However, it goes unrecognized owing to a lack of knowledge.

Anyway, we hope you enjoyed our selection of movies about narcissistic abuse. There are also movies about narcissistic mothers on Netflix. You should see them all have a better grasp of their characters.

Narcissistic attitudes can harm one’s self-esteem and personal relationships. Dealing with a narcissist can be extremely difficult, but a therapist can help you set boundaries, practice self-care, and recognize warning signals.

Narcissistic abuse may be extremely destructive, and someone who is constantly subjected to it may suffer long-term consequences. Abuse is a method that uses manipulative tactics to assist the abuser to acquire control over the person being abused.

Recovery is challenging, but it is achievable. Taking the required actions toward recovery, such as getting professional counseling, acknowledging the abuse, and concentrating on yourself, may all assist you in moving past the narcissist abuse.

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