Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a world without color, without pain, without choices? A world where everything is the same, every day? The movie The Giver showed us exactly that, and it made us think! If you loved The Giver and are looking for more thought-provoking films about dystopian societies, challenging the status quo, and the importance of individuality, you’re in the right place. Get ready to explore our list of movies like The Giver that will take you on similar journeys of discovery and questioning!
20 Best Movies Like The Giver You Need To Watch Now
This list isn’t just about finding similar storylines; it’s about finding movies that explore similar themes, make you think about the world around you, and leave you pondering long after the credits roll. These movies like The Giver all delve into topics of conformity, freedom, and the price of utopia.
Official Movie: The Giver (2014)
Before we dive into similar films, let’s recap what made The Giver so captivating. In a seemingly perfect world, young Jonas is chosen to be the Receiver of Memory, holding all the memories of the past. As he learns about joy, pain, love, and war, he begins to question the foundations of his society and understands the importance of individual emotions and experiences, something lacking in his community. He now wants to help the community understand these emotions.
1. Divergent (2014)
In a future Chicago, society is divided into five factions based on personality traits: Abnegation (selflessness), Amity (peacefulness), Candor (honesty), Dauntless (bravery), and Erudite (intelligence). Beatrice Prior discovers she is Divergent, meaning she doesn’t fit into any single faction. This makes her a threat to the established order, and she must hide her true identity to survive.
Divergent and The Giver both explore societies that try to control individuals by categorizing and limiting them. Just as Jonas learns the value of emotions and individuality, Tris in Divergent discovers the strength in being different and challenges the system designed to suppress individuality. They both show how important it is to break free from societies that aren’t made for everyone.
| Platform | Availability |
|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Video | Rent or Buy |
| Apple TV | Rent or Buy |
| Google Play Movies | Rent or Buy |
| Vudu | Rent or Buy |
2. The Hunger Games (2012)
In the dystopian nation of Panem, divided into twelve districts ruled by the Capitol, each district must offer two tributes (a boy and a girl) to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a televised fight to the death. Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her younger sister’s place, becoming a symbol of rebellion against the oppressive Capitol.
Like Jonas in The Giver, Katniss is thrust into a situation where she witnesses the harsh realities of her world, realities that most people are shielded from. Both stories highlight the cruelty and injustice hidden beneath the surface of seemingly well-ordered societies. They both show that the society they live in isn’t fair and that they need to fight for what’s right. The Hunger Games and The Giver stand as powerful testaments to the human spirit’s resilience and the courage to challenge authority.
| Platform | Availability |
|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Video | Rent or Buy |
| Apple TV | Rent or Buy |
| Google Play Movies | Rent or Buy |
| Hulu | Subscription |
3. Equilibrium (2002)
In a future city-state called Libria, emotions are suppressed through the daily use of Prozium, a drug that eliminates all feelings. John Preston is a Grammaton Cleric, an elite enforcer tasked with destroying art and anything that might incite emotion. When he accidentally misses a dose of Prozium, he begins to experience feelings, leading him to question the very foundation of his society.
The connection to The Giver is obvious: both films depict societies where emotions are seen as dangerous and are actively suppressed. Like Jonas, Preston experiences a awakening that challenges his understanding of the world. Both men realize the importance of feeling, even if those feelings are painful. This is an important message in movies like The Giver.
| Platform | Availability |
|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Video | Rent or Buy |
| Apple TV | Rent or Buy |
| Google Play Movies | Rent or Buy |
| Tubi | Free with ads |
4. Gattaca (1997)
In a future where genetic engineering determines social status, Vincent Freeman, who was conceived naturally and is therefore considered “invalid,” dreams of space travel. He assumes the identity of a genetically superior man to pursue his dream, facing constant fear of being exposed.
Gattaca echoes The Giver‘s theme of individuality versus conformity. Vincent’s struggle to overcome his predetermined fate reflects Jonas’s fight to embrace emotions and memories that his society rejects. Both stories explore the dangers of a society that prioritizes control and uniformity over individual potential. It’s a very though provoking theme in movies like The Giver.
| Platform | Availability |
|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Video | Rent or Buy |
| Apple TV | Rent or Buy |
| Google Play Movies | Rent or Buy |
| Hulu | Subscription |
5. The Truman Show (1998)
Truman Burbank lives an idyllic life, unaware that he is the star of a reality TV show, and his entire world is a giant set. As he begins to notice inconsistencies in his life, he starts to suspect that something is not right and sets out to discover the truth.
While not a traditional dystopian society, The Truman Show shares the theme of a fabricated reality and the importance of seeking truth. Like Jonas, Truman questions the world he knows and embarks on a journey to discover what lies beyond the carefully constructed facade. He finds out his whole life is a lie, which is similar to Jonas’s awakening.
| Platform | Availability |
|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Video | Subscription |
| Apple TV | Rent or Buy |
| Google Play Movies | Rent or Buy |
| Paramount+ | Subscription |
6. V for Vendetta (2005)
In a totalitarian England, a masked vigilante known only as “V” uses terrorist tactics to fight against the oppressive regime. He rescues Evey Hammond from the secret police and enlists her help in his plan to overthrow the government.
V for Vendetta directly addresses the dangers of a controlling government and the importance of fighting for freedom of thought and expression. Like Jonas, V seeks to awaken people to the truth about their society and inspire them to fight for change. He wants to give them back their power and freedom. Both movies show the need to fight for freedom.
| Platform | Availability |
|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Video | Rent or Buy |
| Apple TV | Rent or Buy |
| Google Play Movies | Rent or Buy |
| Hulu | Subscription |
7. Pleasantville (1998)
Two 1990s teenagers are magically transported into the black-and-white world of a 1950s sitcom called “Pleasantville.” As they introduce change and emotion to the town, the world begins to transform into color, challenging the town’s idyllic but repressed existence.
Pleasantville uses a different approach, but it explores similar themes of conformity, repression, and the power of individuality. The introduction of color and emotion into Pleasantville mirrors Jonas’s experience of receiving memories and realizing the value of human experience. It’s an interesting take on movies like The Giver.
| Platform | Availability |
|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Video | Rent or Buy |
| Apple TV | Rent or Buy |
| Google Play Movies | Rent or Buy |
| Max | Subscription |
8. A Brave New World (1998)
Based on Aldous Huxley’s novel, this film depicts a futuristic society where people are genetically engineered and conditioned to fit into predetermined social classes. Emotions are suppressed through the use of Soma, a happiness-inducing drug. Bernard Marx, an Alpha Plus intellectual, feels alienated from this society and travels to a Savage Reservation, where he encounters John, a “savage” raised outside the controlled environment.
A Brave New World directly parallels The Giver in its exploration of a society that sacrifices individuality and freedom for stability and happiness. John, like Jonas, represents the power of human emotion and the importance of experiencing the full spectrum of life, even the painful parts. They show that suppressing emotion isn’t the answer.
| Platform | Availability |
|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Video | Rent or Buy |
| Apple TV | Rent or Buy |
| Google Play Movies | Rent or Buy |
| Peacock | Subscription |
9. Never Let Me Go (2010)
Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy are students at Hailsham, a seemingly idyllic boarding school. As they grow older, they learn the disturbing truth about their purpose: they are clones destined to donate their organs.
Never Let Me Go presents a different kind of dystopian society, one where human beings are created for a specific purpose, denying them their individuality and right to a full life. While more subtle than some other movies like The Giver, it explores the themes of humanity, sacrifice, and the importance of valuing every individual. It questions the ethics of creating humans for specific purposes.
| Platform | Availability |
|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Video | Rent or Buy |
| Apple TV | Rent or Buy |
| Google Play Movies | Rent or Buy |
| Hulu | Subscription |
10. Children of Men (2006)
In a near-future world where women have become infertile, society is on the brink of collapse. Theo Faron, a disillusioned civil servant, is tasked with protecting Kee, a young woman who is miraculously pregnant.
Children of Men presents a stark vision of a society without hope. While not directly comparable to the controlled environment of The Giver, it shares the theme of societal breakdown and the desperate need for hope and change. Kee’s pregnancy represents a chance for a new beginning, just as Jonas’s quest to share memories offers the potential for a more fulfilling society.
| Platform | Availability |
|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Video | Rent or Buy |
| Apple TV | Rent or Buy |
| Google Play Movies | Rent or Buy |
| Peacock | Subscription |
11. Dark City (1998)
John Murdoch awakens in a hotel room with no memory of his past. He soon discovers that he is living in a city where the sky is always dark, and the city’s inhabitants are being manipulated by mysterious beings known as the Strangers, who can alter reality.
Like Jonas, John is thrust into a world where reality is not what it seems. He must uncover the truth about his identity and the nature of his city, challenging the control exerted by the Strangers. It asks questions about who are in charge, just like in movies like The Giver.
| Platform | Availability |
|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Video | Rent or Buy |
| Apple TV | Rent or Buy |
| Google Play Movies | Rent or Buy |
| Max | Subscription |
12. Minority Report (2002)
In the future, a special police unit called “PreCrime” uses three psychics (“PreCogs”) to predict crimes before they happen. John Anderton, a PreCrime officer, is accused of a future murder and must go on the run to prove his innocence and expose the flaws in the system.
Minority Report raises questions about free will, determinism, and the potential dangers of predictive technology. While the focus is on crime prevention, the film also explores the themes of control and the suppression of individual freedom. It makes you think about what freedom means, which is a theme in movies like The Giver.
| Platform | Availability |
|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Video | Rent or Buy |
| Apple TV | Rent or Buy |
| Google Play Movies | Rent or Buy |
| Paramount+ | Subscription |
13. The Island (2005)
Lincoln Six-Echo and Jordan Two-Delta live in a seemingly utopian compound, dreaming of being chosen to go to “The Island,” the last uncontaminated place on Earth. They soon discover that they are clones being kept alive for organ harvesting.
Like Never Let Me Go, The Island explores the ethical implications of cloning and the exploitation of human beings. Lincoln and Jordan’s desire for freedom and a real life mirrors Jonas’s quest for a society that values individual experience.
| Platform | Availability |
|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Video | Rent or Buy |
| Apple TV | Rent or Buy |
| Google Play Movies | Rent or Buy |
| Hulu | Subscription |
14. Logan’s Run (1976)
In a seemingly utopian city of the future, life is carefree, but everyone must die at the age of 30 in a ritual called “Carousel.” Logan 5, a Sandman (enforcer), is tasked with tracking down Runners, people who try to escape Carousel.
Logan’s Run presents a society that prioritizes youth and conformity above all else. Logan’s journey to uncover the truth about his world and the possibility of escaping the age limit mirrors Jonas’s quest for a more complete understanding of life and death. It’s another interesting choice for movies like The Giver.
| Platform | Availability |
|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Video | Rent or Buy |
| Apple TV | Rent or Buy |
| Google Play Movies | Rent or Buy |
| Tubi | Free with ads |
15. Brazil (1985)
In a dystopian bureaucracy, Sam Lowry, a daydreaming bureaucrat, tries to correct a clerical error and becomes an enemy of the state. He escapes into a world of fantasy and dreams to cope with the absurdity of his reality.
Brazil is a satirical take on a totalitarian society. While more comedic than The Giver, it shares the theme of a repressive system that crushes individuality and the importance of holding onto one’s dreams and imagination.
| Platform | Availability |
|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Video | Rent or Buy |
| Apple TV | Rent or Buy |
| Google Play Movies | Rent or Buy |
| Criterion Channel | Subscription |
16. THX 1138 (1971)
In a future where emotions are suppressed through mandatory drug use, THX 1138 and LUH 3417, two workers in an underground city, fall in love and stop taking their drugs. They are soon hunted down by the authorities.
THX 1138 shares the theme of emotional suppression with The Giver. The characters’ decision to reject the drugs and embrace their feelings mirrors Jonas’s journey to understand and value human emotions.
| Platform | Availability |
|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Video | Rent or Buy |
| Apple TV | Rent or Buy |
| Google Play Movies | Rent or Buy |
| Max | Subscription |
17. * Fahrenheit 451* (1966)
In a dystopian future, Guy Montag works as a fireman, but instead of putting out fires, he burns books, which are outlawed. As he encounters a young woman who loves books, he begins to question the society he lives in and starts to read himself.
Fahrenheit 451 highlights the importance of knowledge, freedom of thought, and the dangers of censorship. Guy’s awakening to the power of books mirrors Jonas’s experience of receiving memories and understanding the value of the past. These are the most interesting elements of movies like The Giver.
| Platform | Availability |
|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Video | Rent or Buy |
| Apple TV | Rent or Buy |
| Google Play Movies | Rent or Buy |
| Criterion Channel | Subscription |
18. Arrival (2016)
When alien spacecraft land on Earth, linguist Louise Banks is recruited to communicate with them. As she learns their language, she begins to perceive time differently, which profoundly affects her life and choices.
While not a traditional dystopian film, Arrival explores themes of communication, understanding, and challenging our perceptions of reality. Louise’s journey of learning a new language and understanding a different way of thinking mirrors Jonas’s experience of receiving memories and questioning the limitations of his society.
| Platform | Availability |
|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Video | Rent or Buy |
| Apple TV | Rent or Buy |
| Google Play Movies | Rent or Buy |
| Paramount+ | Subscription |
19. Code 46 (2003)
In a future where genetic relationships are tightly controlled, William Geld, an investigator, falls in love with Maria Gonzalez, a woman he is investigating. Their relationship is forbidden because they share a genetic link, a “code 46” violation.
Code 46 explores the themes of genetic control, forbidden love, and the limitations placed on individuals by a restrictive society. William and Maria’s struggle to be together mirrors Jonas’s fight for a more open and accepting society.
| Platform | Availability |
|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Video | Rent or Buy |
| Apple TV | Rent or Buy |
| Google Play Movies | Rent or Buy |
| Not Currently Available for Subscription |
20. They Live (1988)
A drifter discovers special sunglasses that reveal the hidden truth: the elite are aliens controlling humanity through subliminal messages in advertising and media. He joins a resistance movement to fight back.
They Live is a satirical take on consumerism and social control. The sunglasses represent a way of seeing the truth behind the facade, similar to Jonas’s experience of receiving memories and understanding the reality of his society.
| Platform | Availability |
|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Video | Rent or Buy |
| Apple TV | Rent or Buy |
| Google Play Movies | Rent or Buy |
| Peacock | Subscription |
Conclusion: Delving Deeper into Worlds Like The Giver
These movies like The Giver offer a diverse range of stories, but they all share a common thread: they challenge us to think critically about the world around us and the values we hold dear. They remind us of the importance of individuality, freedom, and the courage to question the status quo. So grab some popcorn, settle in, and prepare to be transported to worlds that will leave you pondering long after the credits roll. Enjoy!
FAQ About Movies Like The Giver
Q: What makes a movie similar to The Giver?
A: Movies similar to The Giver often explore themes of dystopian societies, control versus freedom, the importance of individuality, the suppression of emotions, and the search for truth. They usually make you question the established order and think about the kind of world we want to live in.
Q: Are all of these movies appropriate for children?
A: Not all of these movies are suitable for children. Some contain mature themes, violence, or disturbing content. It’s always a good idea to check the movie’s rating and read reviews before watching with children.
Q: Where can I find these movies to watch?
A: The table under each movie description lists the streaming platforms where the movie is available, as well as whether it’s available for rent, purchase, or subscription. Availability may vary depending on your region.
Q: Are there any other books like The Giver that I should read?
A: Yes! Some popular books similar to The Giver include Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, 1984 by George Orwell, and The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood.
Q: What is the main message of movies like The Giver?
A: While the specific message varies from movie to movie, the overarching theme is often the importance of critical thinking, valuing individuality, and fighting for freedom and a better world. They encourage us to question authority and embrace the full spectrum of human experience.
