Movies Like Rétention

If you liked Rétention (1997), a movie directed by Marina de Van, here are 20 movies with a similar feel, based on TMDB's recommendations. Each one links to its cast, trailer and where it's streaming.

1
An Unmarried Woman (1978)
★ 6.8/10
A wealthy woman from Manhattan's Upper East Side struggles to deal with her new identity and her sexuality after her husband of 16 years leaves her for a younger woman.
2
A Big Bold Beautiful Journey (2025)
★ 6.1/10
Sarah and David are single strangers who meet at a mutual friend’s wedding and soon, through a surprising twist of fate, find themselves on a funny, fantastical, sweeping adventure together where they get to re-live…
3
Step Up (2006)
★ 6.9/10
Delinquent Tyler Gage receives the opportunity of a lifetime after vandalizing a performing arts school, gaining him the chance to earn a scholarship and dance with up-and-coming dancer Nora.
4
Curve (2016)
★ 6.9/10
Clinging to a smooth, curved surface high above a sentient abyss, a woman tries to cover the few feet back to safety without losing purchase and falling to her death.
5
Big Trouble (2002)
★ 6.1/10
The story of how a mysterious suitcase brings together, and changes, the lives of a divorced dad, an unhappy housewife, two hitmen, a pair of street thugs, two love struck teens, two FBI men and a psychedelic toad…
6
Twenty Something (2021)
★ 7.2/10
Follows Gia, who has to deal with the challenges and insecurities of "adulting" during her 21st birthday.
7
I Never Promised You a Rose Garden (1977)
★ 5.9/10
A disturbed and institutionalized 16-year-old girl struggles between fantasy and reality.
8
The Truth About Emanuel (2013)
★ 6/10
A troubled young woman becomes obsessed with her mysterious new neighbor, who bears a striking resemblance to the girl's dead mother.
9
Reflection in a Dead Diamond (2025)
★ 6.1/10
When the mysterious woman in the room next door disappears, a debonair 70-year-old ex-spy living in a luxury hotel on the Côte d'Azur is confronted by the demons and darlings of a lurid past in which moviemaking…
10
Tramps (2016)
★ 6.2/10
A young man and woman find love in an unlikely place while carrying out a shady deal.
11
Special (2006)
★ 6.3/10
A lonely metermaid has a psychotic reaction to his medication and becomes convinced he's a superhero. A very select group of people in life are truly gifted. Special is a movie about everyone else.
12
I Believe in Unicorns (2015)
★ 6.6/10
Feeling awkward and isolated, an imaginative and strong-willed teenage girl runs away from home with an older punk rock drifter.
13
Tuff Turf (1985)
★ 5.9/10
The new guy in a Los Angeles high school, Morgan, does some singing and fights hotshot Nick over disco dancer Frankie.
14
Call Me Crazy: A Five Film (2013)
★ 7/10
A psychotherapist helps a law student cope with schizophrenia in one of five interconnected tales dealing with mental illness.
15
White Wedding (1989)
★ 6.6/10
A philosophy professor has an illicit affair with one of his students, a bright yet troubled girl who lives alone.
16
Retroactive (1997)
★ 6.2/10
A psychiatrist makes multiple trips through time to save a woman that was murdered by her brutal husband.
17
Maelström (2000)
★ 6.2/10
A young woman's life spirals into chaos after she is involved in a hit-and-run accident. Then she encounters a mysterious man named Evian who offers her an opportunity for redemption. Narrated by a fish.
18
Flashdance (1983)
★ 6.5/10
Alex Owens, a young woman juggling between two odd jobs, aspires to become a successful ballet dancer. Nick, who is her boss and lover, supports and encourages her to fulfil her dream.
19
A Nos Amours (1983)
★ 6.8/10
Fifteen-year-old Suzanne seeks refuge from a disintegrating family in a series of impulsive, promiscuous affairs. Her fulsome sexuality further ratchets up the suppressed passions of her narcissistic brother, insecure…
20
Daddio (2024)
★ 6.3/10
A woman taking a cab ride from JFK airport engages in a conversation with the driver about the important relationships in their lives.