5 great Netflix thrillers to watch on Thanksgiving

There’s a good reason that Netflix is synonymous with streaming for some people. The service has a great lineup of movies and is constantly uploading new content to keep its subscribers hooked. All of that stuff can make it hard to actually find something worth watching.

If you find yourself looking for something great to watch after Thanksgiving dinner, we’ve pulled together this list of thrillers that are some of the best on Netflix.

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The Nest (2020)

A thriller about the end of a marriage, The Nest tells the story of a family living in the 1980s who move to the United Kingdom because the family’s patriarch is scheming to make money.

When his deal falls apart, though, he becomes increasingly desperate to prove that he can afford the lavish lifestyle he’s set up for his family, even as his wife and children deal with the fallout from his lies and go through crises of their own. Featuring brilliant performances from Carrie Coon and Jude Law, The Nest is brilliant.

You can watch The Nest on Netflix.

Woman of the Hour (2024)

Based on a true story, Woman of the Hour chronicles the time a serial killer appeared on a dating game show and actually won. In cutting between the killer’s various victims and a central woman dealing with misogyny on The Dating Game, Woman of the Hour trains its focus on the victims, and has almost no interest in the killer or his motivations.

Director and star Anna Kendrick knows that Woman of the Hour is really about the ways in which a culture of patriarchy allowed a killer to brag about his victims for years without any real consequences.

You can watch Woman of the Hour on Netflix.

Fair Play (2023)

Image via Netflix

Fair Play doesn’t have much in the way of explicit violence, but the movie will nonetheless keep you on the edge of your seat. It follows a a couple who both work at the same financial firm, and are hiding their relationship from the firm.

When one of them unexpectedly gets a promotion, their relationship is pushed to and then past its breaking point as they become more and more competitive with one another. Fair Play is a dark movie about the way capitalism can infect everything it touches, featuring two incredible central performances from Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich.

You can watch Fair Play on Netflix.

Rebel Ridge (2024)

One of the more riveting movies on all of Netflix, Rebel Ridge tells the story of one man who decides to go to war with a local police department after the money in his bail fund is confiscated for no good reason.

As the man reveals his skills as a martial artist, and uncovers just how deep the corruption in the department goes, he becomes determined to hold the men abusing their power accountable. Rebel Ridge is expertly directed by Jeremy Saulnier, and Aaron Pierre’s lead performance proves that he deserves to be a star.

You can watch Rebel Ridge on Netflix.

Leave the World Behind (2023)

Netflix

Set at what could be the end of the world, Leave the World Behind tells the story of a family who go on a spontaneous vacation only to discover that their digital lives have been utterly disrupted by a blackout.

When the owners of the house they rented unexpectedly return home, they have to reckon with the possibility that the world is collapsing around them, and try to figure out whether they can trust the people they’re now trying to live with. Featuring an all-star cast and some stunning direction, Leave the World Behind asks us all to imagine how we might handle the end of the world.

You can watch Leave the World Behind on Netflix.

We also have guides to the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.