For many twenty-somethings, including myself, graduation season, or spring into summertime, can be both an exciting and daunting time. Conversations or thoughts regarding graduation, careers, and the next stages are flying more than ever. If you are feeling lost, these films are for you.
I don’t know about you, but visions of cap and gowns and the wonderings of post-grad life have been plaguing me for a few weeks now. There’s no doubt this time of year brings lots of celebration and excitement. At the same time, it also opens a chasm of questions regarding what comes next and how to navigate it. Even for those not in college, it seems as if your twenties are a time that inherently breeds confusion or anxiety.
Turning to films to feel seen or comforted by characters with similar experiences can bring quite the comfort. Unfortunately, the most talked-about films that capture this coming-of-age, surround themes of people leaving their teenage experience. Anyone beyond the age of eighteen might not feel like they exactly relate to these stories anymore. Luckily, we’ve compiled a list of films for those of you in your twenties here that might accurately capture this stage of your life.
Little Women (Directed By Greta Gerwig)
This pick is certainly a beloved classic book turned film(s) for a reason. The story follows the four March sisters and their journey from childhood into adulthood in the 19th century. Each sister struggles to find a life that fulfills them. Each sister also has a distinct personality and dreams unique to who they are, independent from their role as a sister. Despite it being a period piece, the narrative and themes of the film remain timeless. This is very likely due to how relatable these characters and their experiences are. The questioning of one’s place in life is a very present theme here.
The 2019 film directed by Greta Gerwig is an excellent contribution to the slew of adaptations this story already has. The already relatable characters manage to feel even more real through Gerwig’s lens. The less linear structure of the film breathes a newer, more realistic life into the story, mirroring the unpredictability of this stage of life. There’s a character here for everyone to connect with, as all of its characters want completely different things for themselves. The film’s character exploration is extensive, and its commentary on society’s expectations for women is also wisely placed. Greta’s take on the tale is just gorgeous from the first frame to its last, and worth the watch.
IMDb: 7.8/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 95%
Where to Watch: Hulu
Good Will Hunting (Directed By Gus Van Sant)
It’s easy to understand why Matt Damon and Ben Affleck secured themselves an Oscar for best original screenplay for this. Good Will Hunting tells the story of twenty-year-old Will Hunting, a genius, misguided young man, who works as a janitor at MIT. After being discovered by a math professor at the university, Will becomes the subject of his attempt to help him embrace his potential. The same professor enlists the help of therapist Sean Maguire, who sees himself in Will, to help with the task. With actors like Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and the legendary Robin Williams, the film tells an emotionally poignant but relatable story.
It’s quite hard not to see yourself at least a little bit in Will Hunting. A young person struggling to balance romantic relationships, a difficult past, friendships, and a wide future? Check, check, and check! When I say this is a must-watch when you’re lost and in your twenties, I mean it. This film feels like it was made to hug those of us going through similar things. Therapist Sean Maguire, played by Robin Williams, is the type of figure I think every young person needs. His words to Will, and indirectly, to us, strike deeply and sharply, offering reminders we can tend to forget. An especially poignant reminder present here is that you often need to confront your past to confront your fear of the future. Tap into this one.
IMDb: 8.3/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
Where to Watch: Prime Video, Paramount+
Frances Ha (Directed By Noah Baumbach)
This is a movie that’s perfectly suited for a slot on the list. The film follows Frances Halladay, an aspiring dancer in New York. Throughout the film, Frances struggles with a lot of what creative twenty-something year olds in New York might struggle with. If she isn’t confronting her lack of stable housing, it’s her lack of secure income, or her pursuit to continue following her dreams. The film being shot in black and white allows the film to feel nostalgic and romantically familiar. There’s something to be said about how that’s often how this stage of life feels, looking back at it as well.
This film is so relatable that some have cited it as hard to watch due to its specificity to the chaos of your twenties. Nonetheless, it is so worth watching, as it’s full of a ton of different messages to unpack. It’s also quite a treat to see Greta Gerwig in front of the camera. If you’re a young, aspiring creative, this one’s for you, but it does pack quite the punch.
IMDb: 7.4/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
Where to Watch: Prime Video, Tubi
The Worst Person In The World (Directed By Joachim Trier)
Few other movies capture the late twenties anxiety quite as well as The Worst Person in the World does. The film is made up of chapters, twelve to be exact, and both a prologue and an epilogue. It follows its lead, Julie, through her late twenties into her thirties as she navigates romantic relationships and career struggles.
The title alone kind of gives away one of the most prevalent themes in the film. When you are at this stage in life, everything feels like the most important or extreme thing in the world. Any bumpy relationship or struggle in your career feels as if it is a signal of some deeper personal failure or problem. The movie perfectly captures the intense period of questioning everything in your life and what that means for you. By the film’s ending, one message is clear: more often than not, making a mistake or figuring things out doesn’t make you terrible, it just makes you human.
IMDb: 7.7/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
Before Sunrise (Directed By Richard Linklater)
One of my favorites on this list, Before Sunrise, is, in my opinion, the pinnacle of the walk-and-talk genre. The film essentially takes place in a single day, and is set in the gorgeous Vienna, Austria. The romantic film is centered on Jesse and Celine, two twenty-three-year-olds, who meet on a train. After a train ride full of continuous conversation that morning, the two decide to spend the day together in Vienna. With Jesse’s flight to the U.S. the next morning, the two of them spend the entire day and night engrossed in chemistry-filled conversation.
What makes this film so special is the phenomenally written dialogue and the palpable chemistry between Jesse and Celine. Seeing these two young people broach subjects ranging from their parents’ relationship to fears of death feels almost magical. Ironically, what makes it feel so special is that there is no magic, at least in the traditional sense of the word. Seeing these two characters coming from such different places and experiences find each other, and truly see one another, is special all on its own. The magic in this film is fueled by the depth of human connection made by these two characters. If there was a single, beautiful, picture of what lost in your twenties looked like, it would probably just be a frame from this movie.
IMDb: 8.1/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 100%
Where to Watch: Apple TV, Prime Video
To those in their twenties,
I sincerely hope that there’s a film or two here that brought you some comfort. The credits may be closing on one stage of your life, but that doesn’t mean the best is behind you. Things are just opening up for you! If you still need some encouragement from those in your boat, click here.
