The term “unreliable narrator” was coined by Wayne C. Booth in his 1961 book “The Rhetoric of Fiction.” Despite its recent recognition, the narrative device has been used in literature for centuries, and in the movies for almost a century. Writer James Frey defines it as “a narrator who can’t be trusted; one whose credibility is compromised.”
While far from complete, the titles discussed are high-profile movies employing variations on the unreliable narrator. The device generally, but not always, presented in the first person. Please note: There are some plot spoilers in this article.
