Mind-Bending Movies Like Coherence That Will Twist Your Reality

Some movies do not just entertain you, they quietly pull the rug out from under your sense of reality. Films like Coherence thrive on tension, clever ideas, and the thrill of not knowing what is real anymore. They turn ordinary settings into unsettling puzzles and reward viewers who love to think while watching. If you enjoy stories that linger long after the credits roll, you are in the right place. Dive into the list below and prepare your brain.

Primer

What happens if it actually works?
Streaming on:
Genre: Science Fiction, Drama, Thriller
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 17m
Release date: 8th October 2004
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (6.8/10)

A low-budget, intellectually dense sci-fi film that explores time loops, parallel timelines, and the destabilizing effects of scientific experimentation, much like Coherence’s reality fragmentation.

A group of fledgling inventors discover a complex method to manipulate reality. At first, they successfully game the stock market with it, but the consequences of the invention start to catch up with them. Primer is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 17m runtime, released in 2004 with an average rating of 6.8 by 2,331 people. The movie made an estimated total of $545,436 in the box office.

Timecrimes

A trip back in time from the present to...
Streaming on:
Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller
Country: Spain
Language: Spanish
Runtime: 1h 32m
Release date: 1st November 2007
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (7.0/10)

A tightly constructed time-loop thriller where small choices spiral into chaos, mirroring Coherence’s cause-and-effect tension and escalating paranoia.

A man accidentally gets into a time machine and travels back in time nearly an hour. Finding himself will be the first of a series of disasters of unforeseeable consequences. Timecrimes is a movie from Spain in Spanish, with a total 1h 32m runtime, released in 2007 with an average rating of 7.0 by 1,383 people. The movie made an estimated total of $553,198 in the box office.

Triangle

Terror comes in waves
Streaming on:
Genre: Horror
Country: Australia
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 38m
Release date: 16th October 2009
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (6.9/10)

Uses repeating timelines and confined spaces to disorient both characters and viewers, closely aligning with Coherence’s themes of reality collapse and existential dread.

When Jess sets sail on a yacht with a group of friends, she cannot shake the feeling that there is something wrong. Triangle is a movie from Australia in English, with a total 1h 38m runtime, released in 2009 with an average rating of 6.9 by 2,864 people. The movie made an estimated total of $1,594,955 in the box office.

The Invitation

There is nothing to be afraid of.
Streaming on:
Genre: Thriller, Horror
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 40m
Release date: 8th April 2016
Rating: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ (6.4/10)

Centers on a dinner-party setting where social tension slowly gives way to psychological horror, echoing Coherence’s intimate scale and unsettling revelations.

Will and his new girlfriend Kira are invited to a dinner with old friends at the house of Will’s ex Eden and her new partner David. Although the evening appears to be relaxed, Will soon gets a creeping suspicion that their charming host David is up to something. The Invitation is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 40m runtime, released in 2016 with an average rating of 6.4 by 2,786 people. The movie made an estimated total of $354,835 in the box office.

The One I Love

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Genre: Romance, Comedy, Drama
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 31m
Release date: 8th August 2014
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (6.9/10)

Blends relationship drama with surreal sci-fi twists involving alternate realities, similar to Coherence’s focus on personal identity under strange cosmic rules.

Ethan and Sophie are a married couple on the brink of separation when, at the urging of their therapist, they decide to salvage their relationship by escaping to a beautiful vacation house for the weekend. The One I Love is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 31m runtime, released in 2014 with an average rating of 6.9 by 750 people. The movie made an estimated total of $513,447 in the box office.

The Endless

Time is a prison.
Streaming on:
Genre: Science Fiction, Horror, Thriller
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 52m
Release date: 5th November 2017
Rating: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ (6.3/10)

Explores parallel dimensions and cosmic cycles through character-driven storytelling, resonating strongly with Coherence’s multiverse concepts.

Two brothers return to the cult they fled from years ago to discover that the group's beliefs may be more sane than they once thought. The Endless is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 52m runtime, released in 2017 with an average rating of 6.3 by 1,236 people. The movie made an estimated total of $956,425 in the box office.

Another Earth

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Genre: Drama, Science Fiction
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 32m
Release date: 22nd July 2011
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (6.7/10)

A grounded sci-fi drama about encountering alternate versions of reality, emphasizing emotional consequences much like Coherence.

Tragedy connects a young woman and a shattered music professor as an exact replica of Earth is discovered. Another Earth is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 32m runtime, released in 2011 with an average rating of 6.7 by 1,755 people. The movie made an estimated total of $1,938,783 in the box office.

Time Lapse

Once you see the future, you can't look away.
Streaming on:
Genre: Thriller, Science Fiction, Mystery, Horror
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 44m
Release date: 24th May 2014
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (6.5/10)

Focuses on voyeurism and altered futures within a confined setting, sharing Coherence’s slow-burn tension and speculative premise.

Three friends discover a mysterious machine that takes pictures 24 hours into the future and conspire to use it for personal gain, until disturbing and dangerous images begin to develop. Time Lapse is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 44m runtime, released in 2014 with an average rating of 6.5 by 1,335 people. The movie made an estimated total of $19,572 in the box office.

ARQ

Streaming on:
Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 28m
Release date: 16th September 2016
Rating: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ (6.1/10)

A time-loop survival story driven by logical constraints and repetition, appealing to fans of Coherence’s puzzle-like narrative.

Two old friends living in a dystopic future become trapped in a mysterious time loop — one that may have something to do with an ongoing battle between an omnipotent corporation and a ragtag band of rebels. ARQ is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 28m runtime, released in 2016 with an average rating of 6.1 by 1,254 people.

Predestination

To save the future he must reshape the past.
Streaming on:
Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller
Country: Australia
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 38m
Release date: 28th August 2014
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (7.4/10)

Complex temporal mechanics and identity paradoxes place this film firmly in the same cerebral sci-fi space as Coherence.

Predestination chronicles the life of a Temporal Agent sent on an intricate series of time-travel journeys designed to prevent future killers from committing their crimes. Now, on his final assignment, the Agent must stop the one criminal that has eluded him throughout time and prevent a devastating attack in which thousands of lives will be lost. Predestination is a movie from Australia in English, with a total 1h 38m runtime, released in 2014 with an average rating of 7.4 by 6,881 people. The movie made an estimated total of $4,942,449 in the box office.

Source Code

Make every second count.
Streaming on:
Genre: Thriller, Science Fiction, Mystery
Country: Canada
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 33m
Release date: 30th March 2011
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (7.3/10)

Uses a single speculative device to unravel reality and personal choice, similar to how Coherence uses a cosmic event as its catalyst.

When decorated soldier Captain Colter Stevens wakes up in the body of an unknown man, he discovers he's part of a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train. Source Code is a movie from Canada in English, with a total 1h 33m runtime, released in 2011 with an average rating of 7.3 by 8,857 people. The movie made an estimated total of $147,332,697 in the box office.

Enemy

You can't escape yourself.
Streaming on:
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Country: Canada
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 31m
Release date: 14th March 2014
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (6.9/10)

A psychologically unsettling film that blurs identity and reality, aligning with Coherence’s themes of doubles and existential confusion.

A mild-mannered college professor discovers a look-alike actor and delves into the other man's private affairs. Enemy is a movie from Canada in English, with a total 1h 31m runtime, released in 2014 with an average rating of 6.9 by 6,258 people. The movie made an estimated total of $3,396,726 in the box office.

Donnie Darko

28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes, 12 seconds... that is when the world will end.
Streaming on:
Genre: Fantasy, Drama, Mystery
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 54m
Release date: 19th January 2001
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (7.8/10)

Combines time travel, alternate timelines, and emotional instability, making it a classic companion to Coherence’s mind-bending approach.

After narrowly escaping a bizarre accident, a troubled teenager is plagued by visions of a large bunny rabbit that manipulates him to commit a series of crimes. Donnie Darko is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 54m runtime, released in 2001 with an average rating of 7.8 by 13,114 people. The movie made an estimated total of $7,500,000 in the box office.

Moon

250,000 miles from home, the hardest thing to face...is yourself.
Streaming on:
Genre: Science Fiction, Drama
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 37m
Release date: 12th June 2009
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (7.6/10)

A minimalist sci-fi story about isolation and self-discovery that echoes Coherence’s intimate, idea-driven storytelling.

With only three weeks left in his three-year contract, Sam Bell is eager to return to Earth. Stationed alone at a Moon-based facility with his computer assistant GERTY, an unexpected accident sets off a series of unsettling events that shake his isolation. Moon is a movie from United Kingdom in English, with a total 1h 37m runtime, released in 2009 with an average rating of 7.6 by 6,080 people. The movie made an estimated total of $9,760,104 in the box office.

Resolution

Streaming on:
Genre: Horror, Thriller, Mystery
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 33m
Release date: 25th January 2013
Rating: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ (6.3/10)

A reality-bending indie thriller that questions perception and causality, closely related to Coherence’s narrative style and themes.

A man imprisons his estranged junkie friend in an isolated cabin in the boonies of San Diego to force him through a week of sobriety, but the events of that week are being mysteriously manipulated. Resolution is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 33m runtime, released in 2013 with an average rating of 6.3 by 436 people.

The Man from Earth

From one of the acclaimed writers of Star Trek and The Twilight Zone comes a story that transcends both time and space...
Streaming on:
Genre: Science Fiction, Drama
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 27m
Release date: 10th June 2007
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (7.6/10)

Relies almost entirely on dialogue and speculative ideas to challenge belief systems, similar to Coherence’s low-budget, high-concept execution.

A departing professor gathers his closest colleagues for an intimate farewell, but the night takes an unexpected turn when he shares a stunning secret about his past. As the conversation unfolds, skepticism and curiosity collide, challenging everything they thought they knew about history, science, and belief. The Man from Earth is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 27m runtime, released in 2007 with an average rating of 7.6 by 2,781 people.

Vivarium

You're home. Forever.
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Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Horror
Country: Denmark
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 39m
Release date: 7th September 2019
Rating: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ (6.0/10)

A surreal examination of entrapment and artificial reality that mirrors Coherence’s creeping sense of existential unease.

A young woman and her fiancé are in search of the perfect starter home. After following a mysterious real estate agent to a new housing development, the couple finds themselves trapped in a maze of identical houses and forced to raise an otherworldly child. Vivarium is a movie from Denmark in English, with a total 1h 39m runtime, released in 2019 with an average rating of 6.0 by 2,405 people. The movie made an estimated total of $488,000 in the box office.

The Butterfly Effect

Change one thing. Change everything.
Streaming on:
Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 53m
Release date: 17th January 2004
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (7.6/10)

Explores how small changes create divergent timelines, a core concept that underpins Coherence’s multiverse tension.

A young man struggles to access sublimated childhood memories. He finds a technique that allows him to travel back into the past, to occupy his childhood body and change history. However, he soon finds that every change he makes has unexpected consequences. The Butterfly Effect is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 53m runtime, released in 2004 with an average rating of 7.6 by 7,994 people. The movie made an estimated total of $96,800,000 in the box office.

The Thirteenth Floor

Question reality.
Streaming on:
Genre: Thriller, Science Fiction, Mystery
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 40m
Release date: 16th April 1999
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (7.1/10)

A virtual-reality mystery dealing with simulated worlds and fractured existence, thematically aligned with Coherence’s reality questions.

In Los Angeles, a wealthy man, known as Mr. Fuller, discovers a shocking secret about the world he lives in. Fearing for his life, he leaves a desperate message for a friend of his in the most unexpected place. The Thirteenth Floor is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 40m runtime, released in 1999 with an average rating of 7.1 by 1,451 people. The movie made an estimated total of $18,564,088 in the box office.

The Double

Streaming on:
Genre: Thriller, Drama
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 33m
Release date: 3rd April 2014
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (6.5/10)

A doppelgänger narrative focused on identity fragmentation and psychological displacement, closely matching Coherence’s exploration of alternate selves.

An awkward office drone becomes increasingly unhinged after a charismatic and confident look-alike takes a job at his workplace and seduces the woman he desires. The Double is a movie from United Kingdom in English, with a total 1h 33m runtime, released in 2014 with an average rating of 6.5 by 1,062 people. The movie made an estimated total of $200,000 in the box office.

Movies like Coherence prove that big ideas do not need big budgets to leave a lasting impact. They challenge perception, spark conversations, and invite repeat viewings. If you love smart, unsettling storytelling, these films will keep you guessing and happily questioning reality long after they end.

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