What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedAnxious People
Fredrik Backman · Book · 2021
If you loved Anxious People, start with A Man Called Otto (Marc Forster, 2022) — a film on the same thread. Below: 4 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Anxious People across media.
You loved Anxious People because it finds profound, redemptive connection within the messy, vulnerable lives of strangers caught in unexpected circumstances.
Films on the same thread
Ordinary People
Robert Redford · Film · 1980
Explores: Grief, Guilt, Suicide Attempt.
Like Anxious People, this story peels back the layers of domestic dysfunction, focusing on how individuals navigate the heavy, hidden burdens of grief and guilt within a family.
Remarkably Bright Creatures
Olivia Newman · Film · 2026
Explores: Grief and healing, Intergenerational friendship, Hidden secrets.
If you enjoyed the way Anxious People highlights intergenerational bonds, you will appreciate this story about an elderly widow finding unexpected companionship and healing through a life-changing secret.
A Man Called Otto
Marc Forster · Film · 2022
Shares a thread with Anxious People: Community.
This film mirrors the character-driven heart of Anxious People by pairing a grumpy, isolated individual with a community that forces them to find purpose and connection again.
A Man Called Ove
Hannes Holm · Film · 2015
Shares a thread with Anxious People: Redemption.
Much like Anxious People, this narrative explores the redemptive power of community, showing how a difficult, solitary man is softened by the persistent presence of his neighbors.
Series on the same thread
Your Friends & Neighbors
Jonathan Tropper · Series · 2025
Explores: wealth inequality, midlife crisis, moral decay.
This story echoes the premise of Anxious People by placing a desperate individual in a criminal situation that exposes the vulnerabilities and moral complexities of his suburban social circle.
Only Murders in the Building
Steve Martin · Series · 2021
Explores: True Crime Obsession, New York City, Intergenerational Friendship.
Just as in Anxious People, the mystery acts as a catalyst for unlikely strangers to form deep, meaningful bonds while navigating a chaotic situation that brings them together.
Normal People
Series · 2020
Explores: First Love, Social Class Differences, Miscommunication.
This drama captures the same emotional intimacy found in Anxious People, focusing on the way miscommunication and personal struggles shape the complex, evolving relationships between imperfect, relatable people.
Maniac
Patrick Somerville · Series · 2018
Explores: Mental Health, Escapism, Pharmaceutical Experimentation.
This series shares the focus on mental health found in Anxious People, following strangers who bond while searching for a way to fix their lives through an unconventional experience.
Podcasts on the same thread
Sh**ged Married Annoyed
Chris & Rosie Ramsey · Podcast · 2026
Explores: domestic life, modern marriage, parenthood struggles.
Fans of the honest look at marriage in Anxious People will appreciate this candid exploration of the annoyances, struggles, and humor inherent in navigating modern relationships and domestic life.
Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel
Podcast
Explores: relationships, marriage, family dynamics.
If the raw, human stories in Anxious People resonated with you, this podcast offers a similar deep dive into the intimate conflicts and resolutions that define our personal relationships.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Anxious People a story about a bank robbery?
Anxious People centers on a failed bank robber who takes eight strangers hostage during an open house. While the robbery serves as the initial premise, the narrative focuses on the unexpected commonalities discovered among the hostages as they navigate their own personal anxieties.
What kind of characters are featured in Anxious People?
Anxious People follows eight strangers with distinct backgrounds, including a bank director seeking redemption, two couples attempting to repair their marriages, and an octogenarian. These diverse individuals are brought together by the hostage situation and eventually find common ground through their shared human experiences.
Does Anxious People focus on the experiences of the hostages?
Yes, Anxious People explores the lives of the eight hostages who are trapped during an open house. The story examines how these individuals, who are all prone to anxiety, interact with each other and reveal their personal struggles while held by the failed bank robber.
Is Anxious People about a group of strangers?
Anxious People is about eight strangers who are forced together during a hostage situation at an open house. The narrative tracks how these individuals, ranging from struggling couples to an older woman, find unexpected connections and common traits despite their initial differences.