SimilarScreen
Brain on Fire

Brain on Fire

It's not supposed to happen. Be prepared when it does.

20177.01h 28m

Overview

Susannah Cahalan, an up-and-coming journalist at the New York Post becomes plagued by voices in her head and seizures, causing a rapid descent into insanity.

Directed by Gerard Barrett
Written by Gerard Barrett, Susannah Cahalan
Produced by A.J. Dix, Beth Kono, Rob Merilees
0

Top Cast

Chloë Grace Moretz

Chloë Grace Moretz

Susannah Cahalan

Thomas Mann

Thomas Mann

Stephen Grywalski

Richard Armitage

Richard Armitage

Tom Cahalan

Carrie-Anne Moss

Carrie-Anne Moss

Rhona Nack

Jenny Slate

Jenny Slate

Margo

Tyler Perry

Tyler Perry

Richard

Alex Zahara

Alex Zahara

Allen

Jenn MacLean-Angus

Jenn MacLean-Angus

Giselle

Ken Tremblett

Ken Tremblett

Senator

Navid Negahban

Navid Negahban

Dr. Najjar

Themes & Keywords

new york citystrong womanbiographybased on true storyfemale protagonisthospitaldoctorwriternewspaper reportercatatoniamedical dramaseizuremisdiagnosishuman brain

About Brain on Fire

Brain on Fire is a drama film released in 2017 exploring themes of new york city, strong woman, biography, based on true story, female protagonist, hospital. Directed by Gerard Barrett, it stars Chloë Grace Moretz, Thomas Mann, Richard Armitage. Susannah Cahalan, an up-and-coming journalist at the New York Post becomes plagued by voices in her head and seizures, causing a rapid descent into insanity.

Movies Similar to Brain on Fire

Discover titles like Brain on Fire — ranked by similarity and community votes

We found 15 movies similar to Brain on Fire

If you enjoyed Brain on Fire, you'll love these handpicked recommendations. Each title below shares similar themes, tone, and storytelling style. Our algorithm analyzes genres, keywords, director filmography, and cast connections to find the closest matches. Whether you're looking for the same emotional depth, narrative structure, or visual style, these picks are curated to deliver the best viewing experience for fans of Brain on Fire.

Girl, Interrupted
29% Match

Set in the changing world of the late 1960s, Susanna Kaysen's prescribed "short rest" from a psychiatrist she had met only once becomes a strange, unknown journey into Alice's Wonderland, where she struggles with the thin line between normal and crazy. Susanna soon realizes how hard it is to get out once she has been committed, and she ultimately has to choose between the world of people who belong inside or the difficult world of reality outside.

Frances
29% Match

Frances(1982)

Movie6.9/10

The true story of Frances Farmer's meteoric rise to fame in Hollywood and the tragic turn her life took when she was blacklisted.

Christine
26% Match

Christine(2016)

Movie6.9/10

In 1974, television reporter Christine Chubbuck struggles with depression and professional frustrations as she tries to advance her career.

Awakenings
25% Match

Awakenings(1990)

Movie7.8/10

Dr. Malcolm Sayer, a shy research physician, uses an experimental drug to "awaken" the catatonic victims of a rare disease. Leonard is the first patient to receive the controversial treatment. His awakening, filled with awe and enthusiasm, proves a rebirth for Sayer too, as the exuberant patient reveals life's simple but unutterably sweet pleasures to the introverted doctor.

Million Dollar Baby
24% Match

Despondent over a painful estrangement from his daughter, trainer Frankie Dunn isn't prepared for boxer Maggie Fitzgerald to enter his life. But Maggie's determined to go pro and to convince Dunn and his cohort to help her.

Extreme Measures
24% Match

Guy Luthan, a British doctor working at a hospital in New York, starts making unwelcome enquiries when the body of a man who died in his emergency room disappears. After the trail leads Luthan to the door of an eminent surgeon at the hospital, Luthan soon finds himself in extreme danger people who want the hospital's secret to remain undiscovered.

The Immigrant
24% Match

1921 New York. An immigrant woman is tricked into a life of burlesque and vaudeville until a dazzling magician tries to save her and reunite her with her sister who is being held in the confines of Ellis Island.

Erin Brockovich
24% Match

A twice-divorced mother of three who sees an injustice, takes on the bad guy and wins -- with a little help from her push-up bra. Erin goes to work for an attorney and comes across medical records describing illnesses clustered in one nearby town. She starts investigating and soon exposes a monumental cover-up.

Bringing Out the Dead
24% Match

Once called "Father Frank" for his efforts to rescue lives, Frank Pierce sees the ghosts of those he failed to save around every turn. He has tried everything he can to get fired, calling in sick, delaying taking calls where he might have to face one more victim he couldn't help, yet cannot quit the job on his own.

James White
23% Match

James White is a troubled twentysomething trying to stay afloat in a frenzied New York City. As he retreats further into a hedonistic lifestyle, his mother's battle with a serious illness faces a series of setbacks that force him to assume more responsibility. With the pressure on him mounting, James must find new reserves of strength or risk imploding completely.

Joy
23% Match

Joy(2015)

Movie6.5/10

A story based on the life of a struggling Long Island single mom who became one of the country's most successful entrepreneurs.

The Theory of Everything
23% Match

The Theory of Everything is the extraordinary story of one of the world’s greatest living minds, the renowned astrophysicist Stephen Hawking, who falls deeply in love with fellow Cambridge student Jane Wilde.