Entertainment
9 Movies Like 'Brain On Fire' You Can Watch Now
A new movie on Netflix tells the terrifying true story of a young woman who suffers from a mysterious illness affecting her brain. Brain on Fire, starring Chloe Grace Moretz as Susannah Cahalan, is based on Calahan's own book chronicling the events of her mysterious illness. Since the Netflix movie will completely captivate you, you'll want to check out these nine movies like Brain on Fire that are streaming now.
Part of what makes Brain on Fire such a gripping story is that Susannah gets ill at the most inopportune time. She has just started a new dream job as a reporter for the New York Post, as well as an exciting new relationship with a great guy. Yet like so often is the case in real life, when things seem that perfect, something is bound to go wrong. Susannah suffers greatly from her sudden, debilitating illness, and the story of her journey to find out what's wrong with her is truly terrifying to witness, even though it's clear she ends up OK.
If Brain on Fire leaves you interested in exploring more movies about people getting through tough medical mysteries and conditions, these nine flicks — all streaming now — are worth a watch.
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1'The Big Sick'
Like Susannah, the main character in this movie has a strange health issue that takes awhile to diagnose. It's not all sad, though, because at its core the film is an uplifting rom-com. Find it on Amazon Prime.
2'Me Before You'
Speaking of inopportune times to fall in love, this movie stars Emilia Clarke as a woman who falls in love with the recently paralyzed man she's working for as a caretaker. You can find the dramatic romance on Amazon Prime or Hulu.
3'To The Bone'
In this movie, which you can find on Netflix, Lily Collins plays a young woman who struggles with anorexia. Like Brain on Fire, this movie will make you feel grateful for the powers of medical professionals in saving people's lives.
4'Everything, Everything'
Amandla Stenberg stars in this romantic drama about a young girl who struggles with a chronic illness that affects her daily life. Once she meets a guy (Nick Robinson), she starts to wonder if she can approach her condition in a different way. Find it on HBO Go.
5'Irreplaceable You'
Everything is going perfectly for the young couple in this Netflix movie, until the woman (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) decides to help her fiance (Michiel Huisman) find a new girlfriend for after she dies. Like Brain on Fire, it's a tear-jerker.
6'Garden State'
Natalie Portman's character suffers from an uncommon condition, but she doesn't let that hold her back from leading an exciting life. Find this classic on HBO.
7'Breathe'
Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy play a happy couple in this period film, but things take a turn when Garfield's character contracts polio. It's available to watch on Amazon Prime.
8'The Theory Of Everything'
Stephen Hawking is one of the most fascinating people in history, and this movie provides a moving glimpse into his romance with his wife, Jane (Felicity Jones). His mysterious illness plays a big part in the film, but there's a lot more to it too. You can watch it on HBO Go.
9'The Devil Wears Prada'
Unlike all of the other movies on the list, this one doesn't have anything to do illness. It does, however, encapsulate the same sense of excitement that a hopeful young journalist feels after getting their first big job. As with Brain on Fire, though, real life doesn't always play out the way you'd imagine it to in your dreams. You can watch it on HBO Go.
You'll probably want a box of tissues handy for all of these movies, and maybe a friend to hug after watching them, too.
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