10 Movies and Shows Similar to Following (1999)

Description: The Game, like Following, is a psychological thriller that plays with reality and perception. Both films feature protagonists drawn into elaborate conspiracies where nothing is as it seems. The themes of manipulation and the blurring of fiction and reality are central to both stories.

Fact: Michael Douglas performed many of his own stunts in the film. The film's ending was kept secret from most of the cast and crew. Director David Fincher shot multiple endings to prevent leaks.

Description: Fight Club shares Following's themes of identity crisis and psychological unraveling. Both films feature unreliable narrators and twist endings that redefine the entire story. The gritty, underground aesthetic and exploration of societal alienation are common threads.

Fact: Brad Pitt and Edward Norton actually learned how to make soap for their roles. The film was initially a box office disappointment but gained a massive cult following. The 'single frame' inserts of Tyler Durden were inspired by subliminal advertising techniques.

Description: Similar to Following (1999), Memento is a psychological thriller that plays with narrative structure and memory. Both films feature non-linear storytelling and unreliable narrators, keeping the audience guessing. Directed by Christopher Nolan, Memento shares the same minimalist, gritty aesthetic and themes of obsession and identity.

Fact: Memento was inspired by a short story written by Christopher Nolan's brother, Jonathan Nolan. The film's unique structure was achieved by editing the scenes in reverse order. Guy Pearce reportedly lost 30 pounds for his role to portray the disheveled look of the protagonist.

Description: Donnie Darko shares Following's psychological complexity and unreliable reality. Both films feature protagonists who may be experiencing mental breakdowns or actual supernatural phenomena. The dark, moody atmosphere and themes of fate versus free will connect the two films.

Fact: The film was shot in just 28 days. Jake Gyllenhaal was only 19 during filming. The director's cut includes more explicit explanations of the time travel elements.

Description: The Machinist shares Following's dark, psychological tone and themes of paranoia and identity. Both films feature protagonists who are unreliable narrators, leading the audience through a twisted reality. The Machinist's bleak visual style and focus on a solitary, troubled protagonist mirror the aesthetic of Following.

Fact: Christian Bale lost an extreme amount of weight (around 60 pounds) for the role, which became a major talking point. The film was shot in Barcelona, Spain, but is set in an unnamed American city. Director Brad Anderson used a desaturated color palette to enhance the film's unsettling atmosphere.

Description: Primer shares Following's low-budget, cerebral approach to storytelling. Both films require multiple viewings to fully grasp their complex narratives. The themes of obsession and the consequences of meddling with time/fate are present in both, presented through minimalist storytelling.

Fact: The film was made for just $7,

Description: The Prestige, like Following, is about obsession and deception. Both films feature nonlinear storytelling and twist endings that force the audience to reconsider everything they've seen. The themes of duality and sacrifice are prominent in both, with both films keeping the audience guessing until the final reveal.

Fact: Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman learned real magic tricks for their roles. David Bowie was cast as Nikola Tesla after Nolan saw him in a play. The film was shot in just 40 days, an unusually short schedule for a period piece.

Description: Like Following, Shutter Island is a psychological thriller that plays with perception and reality. Both films feature protagonists whose grasp on the truth is questionable, leading to shocking revelations. The noir-inspired visuals and themes of deception and mental instability are shared between the two films.

Fact: Shutter Island was originally scheduled for release in 2009 but was delayed to 2010 for financial reasons. The film marks the fourth collaboration between Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio. The lighthouse in the film is a real location on Peddocks Island in Massachusetts.

Description: Inception shares Following's complex narrative structure and themes of perception versus reality. Both Christopher Nolan films explore the idea of constructed realities and feature protagonists with questionable motives. The visual style, while more polished in Inception, maintains a similar cerebral quality.

Fact: The spinning top at the end was not CGI - it was a practical effect. The hallway fight scene took three weeks to shoot. Nolan wrote the first draft of the script in 2001 but waited nearly a decade to make it.

Description: Coherence, like Following, is a psychological thriller that plays with reality and perception. Both films feature ordinary situations that descend into paranoia and uncertainty. The low-budget, improvisational style and focus on character dynamics under stress are similar between the two films.

Fact: Much of the dialogue was improvised by the actors. The film was shot in just 5 nights. Director James Ward Byrkit gave actors different secret instructions each day to create genuine confusion.