A Polish romantic thriller that came to Netflix in 2020, 365 Days (or 365 Dni, its Polish title) was an unexpectedly massive international hit, ranking comfortably among the platform’s most-viewed films at the time. Now, admittedly, the story did not garner a particularly positive reception from critics; in fact, it was fairly quickly labeled as an all-time terrible movie. Yet, 365 Days was undeniably successful, to the point of inspiring a 2022 sequel called 365 Days: This Day. During that same year, the trilogy was completed with the arrival of The Next 365 Days, and all three movies are still readily available on Netflix.
Bridgerton: The 7 Best Outfits From the Netflix Series
Netflix’s Bridgerton series is known for its elegance, beauty, romance, and, above all else, its stunning outfits. These are some of the best ones.
Massimo and Laura’s European escapades balance SOAP-style drama with eroticism and taboo power dynamics. These movies are effectively the equivalent of trashy romance novellas, and while they might not be for everyone, they can scratch an itch that most other films ignore. Surprisingly, there are not all that many movies like 365 Days, but the following films should be good alternatives.
Updated October 14, 2025 by Mark Sammut: There are only so many films similar to 365 Days, so we decided to take a bit of a different angle. How about a “so bad, it’s good” watch? Click below for some recommendations.
After
A Rough Relationship
After is less preoccupied with explicit scenes and focuses more on the loving, tumultuous relationship between the young, inexperienced Tessa and bad boy Hardin. While the book this adaptation came from was originally a piece of fan fiction about One Direction, that hasn’t limited the movie’s success. After all, many of the most generic rom-coms are great ones.
Whether the movie’s writing is up to scratch is up for debate among fans and critics, but if anyone hasn’t seen it yet, After works well as a shut off your brain type movie (and the same goes for its sequels). There are plenty of steamy scenes to please 365 Days fans as well.
Amar
Intense Love
A Spanish movie about a complicated, intense relationship that lasts for one year, Amar deals with Laura and Carlos. The pair decides to love each other as if every day were their last together, and Laura dreams of becoming pregnant one day as she breaks away from her previous life.
While Amar focuses greatly on the relationship between these two people, it also has a great number of steamier sex scenes that audiences were thrilled by when it was first released in 2017. It’s also got a similarly European vibe to 365 Days, dealing with the intensity of the sudden relationship.
Through My Window
Sordid Trilogy
Another Spanish movie, Through My Window deals with a couple that fans of 365 Days will love. Raquel is a teenage girl obsessed with Ares, one of the three heirs to a huge company, who lives in a mansion next to her house.
When their lives become entangled, Raquel goes after what she wants, and they end up together, though a series of petty arguments slows the progress of their relationship. However, Through My Window doesn’t shy away from many moments of steamy glances, which evolve by the end of the second act into the kind of steamy scenes fans of 365 Days will cherish. While it may not be one of the best recent comedies out there, it is a fun and interesting movie.
Through My Window also has sequels.
Gabriel’s Inferno (& Sequels)
An Epic & Lengthy Romance
-
Gabriel’s Inferno
- Release Date
-
May 29, 2020
- Runtime
-
122 minutes
- Director
-
Tosca Musk
-
Gabriel’s Inferno: Part III
- Release Date
-
November 19, 2020
- Runtime
-
105 minutes
- Director
-
Tosca Musk
Now, here is a romance that should keep 365 Days fans busy for a while. Including Gabriel’s Rapture and Gabriel’s Redemption, this franchise has produced nine movies, all of which are based on books by Sylvain Reynard. The story is not done yet either, as Gabriel’s Promise is still waiting to be adapted, which could result in another trilogy. While not quite as cinematic as some alternatives, these films are fairly consistent; consequently, if the first entry hits the mark with a viewer, they are likely to enjoy the rest.
Despite the bad reputation that stepmoms get in fiction, there are several stepmom characters from movies that are surprisingly nice.
This time around, the taboo relationship involves a university professor and his student, with Giulio Berruti and Melanie Zanetti portraying these roles respectively. Linked together through a past that they cannot quite leave behind, these two reconnect in a collision that could bring both pleasure and pain. Their relationship develops quite a lot throughout the series, and the leads have more than enough chemistry to carry the story.
Overboard (1987)
A Very ’80s Comedy
365 Days is built around an unusual power dynamic and a readiness to reject reality in search of a purely fantastical premise. While the story and tone are wildly different, Overboard has some similar elements, with the movie also featuring a guy who manipulates a woman into a relationship. Goldie Hawn’s Joanna is defined by her privilege, and she treats people terribly, including Kurt Russell’s Dean, a widowed carpenter. Through a series of comical events, Joanna loses her memories, and Dean convinces her that they are married, using this opportunity to get some revenge.
OK, so Overboard‘s premise is what it is, and it definitely requires a suspension of disbelief to go along with the ride. That said, Russell and Hawn have RIDICULOUS chemistry, making for a fun dynamic that is still a blast today. Unlike 365 Days, Overboard is an intentional comedy that embraces its situation’s absurdity, never taking itself seriously in the process.
If you want a gender-swapped version of this story, 2018’s Overboard does just that. The original is better, though.
Lost Girls & Love Hotels
A Yakuza Romance In Tokyo
Lost Girls & Love Hotels is a fascinating movie about an American expat who works in Tokyo as a teacher for flight attendants, educating them on the basics of English safety protocols. Margaret leads a listless and directionless life, one that she seems to have little control over. The movie, in general, has this almost dream-like element to it, especially in the fragmented nature of its storytelling.
The main hook that might appeal to 365 Days fans is that Margaret becomes enamored with a Yakuza member named Kazu, and they start dating. This relationship serves to drive the protagonist’s development, but the story always remains about her journey rather than the romance. Kazu is fairly interesting and has great chemistry with the lead, but he is mostly only seen through Margaret’s eyes.
Eyes Wide Shut
A Twisted Tale Of Secrecy & Sex
Stanley Kubrick is a master of his craft, and it’s a shame that he didn’t manage to complete his editing process on Eyes Wide Shut before meeting an untimely demise that rocked the entire filmmaking world to its core. To this day, the director is touted by many as one of the most influential filmmakers of all time, and people are still influenced by his work and hold it to an extremely high standard that very few people have managed to reach.
Eyes Wide Shut is an erotic psychological thriller that focuses on the exploits of a couple who deal with marital issues of their own while toying around with the concept of infidelity in many unique ways. The movie almost feels surreal in certain instances, making for an intense watch, and shows just how much of a master Kubrick was of his craft, relentlessly editing the movie days before his death.
The Boy Next Door
A Campy Thriller With A Fun Performance By Jennifer Lopez
365 Days is built on a lopsided power dynamic, and The Boy Next Door goes down a somewhat similar route, albeit slightly more taboo. While going through personal trauma, Jennifer Lopez’s Claire, a teacher, finds herself in the arms of Noah, who she eventually learns is still a high school student. This moment spirals into pure chaos, with Claire quickly realizing that Noah is a very dangerous person.
OK, The Boy Next Door‘s teacher-student dynamic is not as taboo as it sounds since Noah is painted as being around 20, which does reduce the yuck factor to an extent. The movie is also fairly campy without being straight-up silly, and it is bolstered by a pretty great performance by Jennifer Lopez.
Indecent Proposal
Award-Winning Controversy
I wasn’t quite sure whether to include Indecent Proposal, as it is really nothing like 365 Days; however, they both deal with sex, power dynamics, and controversy. Honestly, the former was way more controversial than the latter, as Indecent Proposal features A-list celebrities like Robert Redford, Demi Moore, and Woody Harrelson. The 1993 flick got nominated for quite a few awards, although half of them were of the Razzie and Stinkers variety. So, the film was not to everyone’s liking, but it does make for a rather fascinating watch.
So, what is the story about? Well, you can probably guess from the title, but let’s just say that a young and down-on-their-luck couple receives a proposal from a wealthy guy. The latter offers them a way out of their current misery, but he knows that their decision is fueled by desperation. Indecent Proposal has pretty good acting (ignore the Razzies), who make the most out of a messy story that brings up some big topics but does not quite know how to do justice to them. Indecent Proposal is not “turn off your brain” entertaining like 365 Days, but it is captivating.
Girls To Buy
A Journey Into A Dark Industry
Girls To Buy
- Release Date
-
November 26, 2021
- Runtime
-
146 Minutes
- Director
-
Maria Sadowska
A Polish movie, Girls to Buy follows Emi, a young woman who goes on a wild trip and ends up attracted by the allure of the sex worker industry, seeing it as a road to riches and power. She is drawn to this world by Sam, a guy who knows exactly what to say to convince impressionable women like Emi to do what he wants.
Now, Girls to Buy is quite a different experience from 365 Days, and it is arguably not that much of an erotic thriller. While certainly packed with scenes devoted to showing the “appeal” of this lifestyle, the movie also shines a light on the dark underbelly hidden by expensive apartments and fancy clothes.
About The Author
