Dynamic Watchlist Hub: Jan 19, 2026

10 Best Movies Like The Defector

If you loved The Defector, we've curated the perfect watchlist for you based on shared genres, themes, and directorial style.

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Expert Review & Ratings

See our full critical analysis and audience score for The Defector.

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#1
Harper

Harper

1966★ 6.6

Why watch this? A perfect follow-up to The Defector for fans of Thriller. It captures a similar compelling atmosphere.

Harper is a cynical private eye in the best tradition of Bogart. He even has Bogie's Baby hiring him to find her missing husband, getting involved along the way with an assortment ...

#2
Cries and Whispers

Cries and Whispers

1972★ 7.9

Why watch this? A perfect follow-up to The Defector for fans of Drama. It captures a similar emotionally gripping atmosphere.

As Agnes slowly dies of cancer, her sisters are so immersed in their own psychic pains that they are unable to offer her the support she needs....

#3
Shutter Island

Shutter Island

2010★ 8.2

Why watch this? A perfect follow-up to The Defector for fans of Drama & Thriller. It captures a similar emotionally gripping atmosphere.

World War II soldier-turned-U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels investigates the disappearance of a patient from a hospital for the criminally insane, but his efforts are compromised by tro...

#4
American Beauty

American Beauty

1999★ 8.0

Why watch this? A perfect follow-up to The Defector for fans of Drama. It captures a similar emotionally gripping atmosphere.

Lester Burnham, a depressed suburban father in a mid-life crisis, decides to turn his hectic life around after developing an infatuation with his daughter's attractive friend....

#5
Black Narcissus

Black Narcissus

1947★ 7.5

Why watch this? A perfect follow-up to The Defector for fans of Drama. It captures a similar emotionally gripping atmosphere.

A group of Anglican nuns, led by Sister Clodagh, are sent to a mountain in the Himalayas. The climate in the region is hostile and the nuns are housed in an odd old palace. They wo...

#6
The Year of Living Dangerously

The Year of Living Dangerously

1982★ 6.7

Why watch this? A perfect follow-up to The Defector for fans of Drama. It captures a similar emotionally gripping atmosphere.

A young Australian reporter tries to navigate the political turmoil of Indonesia during the rule of President Sukarno with the help of a diminutive photographer....