16 FILMS TO WATCH IN YOUR 20’S
I’m in my 20s and it’s been a really weird stage of my life. The past few years have been unpredictable for most of us, but I think that level of uncertainty is heightened and coupled with extra anxiety for those of us in transitional stages in our lives. Many things change during your 20s, while others never do, and it can easily make you feel lost and daunting as you step into adulthood and “the real world” after university. I found myself feeling that way, and as someone who loves films, it always helps me to see films or television shows that depict what I’m going through. Art resonates in a completely different way when you relate to it deeply, and every now and then I find myself needing to watch a good depiction of this weird stage of my life. So I decided to seek those types of films out, and compile my own list of movies I would recommend to anyone else during this stage of young adulthood; of course, you can watch them at any age, I just think they can have a different impact if you’re in this stage of your life - I went for films that I think had more of an emotional impact rather than your typical “inspirational biopic” for this reason. There will definitely be more films I discover that I’ll want to include in this list later on so a part two might be coming, but for now, here are the ones I recommend
1. Tick… Tick…Boom! (2021)
Tick Tick Boom is undoubtedly THE film for creative 20-somethings, honestly tackling the harsh reality faced by those who venture into the arts and the passion that keeps them going - as well as, as you might expect from the title, the fear that we are running out of time and are behind in life. It’s honest, intimate, and personal, an incredibly rare feat for a musical, especially a (semi) autobiographical one at that.
2. Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)
The Coen brothers’ Inside Llewyn Davis stars Oscar Isaac as a struggling folk singer in New York City who must cope after the death of his partner while struggling to maintain his dignity and artistic independence against the commercial needs of the music industry. Another honest depiction of the harsh realities creatives may face, Inside Llewyn Davis might seem too grim to those who can’t relate, but those who can will not only see the “grimness” of the film, but come to appreciate its depiction as well the somewhat cruel humor that comes along with reality.
3. Julie & Julia
A feeling many of the films on this list tackle is feeling as though you’re somewhat behind on life when comparing yourself to others. It’s something that rarely ever goes away (I think, at least as someone that feels the same way) - but Julie & Julia depicts a rare, almost healthy yet still realistic way of coping with that feeling. Julie & Julia tells two true stories - that of Julie, a young woman unhappy with her day job who starts a blog following chef Julia Child’s recipes, and that of Julia Child herself. Somewhat of an underrated film that I had always been charmed by - the film is “feel good” yet free from sugar-coating and fantasies - as delicious as I’m sure Julia Child’s culinary creations are.
4. Legally Blonde
While some have their life plans set in stone, others face an extreme change in their 20s and walk down a path they might have never even considered in the past. The same goes for Elle Woods, the main character of Legally Blonde, who first decides to apply to Harvard Law to spite her ex-boyfriend, but actually comes to develop a knack and passion for law. Legally Blonde is usually deemed a “chick flick” - meaning some regard it as a “film for women'' and misogynystically disregard it (the tip of the iceberg regarding this issue that we’ll save for another article), and f you have ever been someone who has wrongly dismissed the genre or the film then Elle will call you out and prove you wrong just as she did her ex. Legally Blonde is a powerhouse.
5. The Worst Person in the World
A late hit during the 2022 awards season, The Worst Person in the World is a Norwegian film that follows a young woman who battles indecisiveness and the troubled waters of her love life, youth, and career path. I adore films that feature women in their 20s not knowing what to do with their lives, because well, I’m one of them. The aspect of that that this film touches on so well is the need for both freedom and control in our lives during that stage - and having the freedom to let go of that control at times and follow your instincts. After years of feeling somewhat trapped or limited by educational and governmental circumstances, we feel the need to break free… while trapping ourselves with our own feelings and confusion. If any of that resonates with you, I’m sure the film will as well.
“Julie disappointed herself. This used to be easy. She was
still among the top students, but there were too many interruptions, updates, feeds, unsolvable global problems. She sensed a gnawing unease she had tried to suppress by cramming by drowning it in digital interference. This was wrong. This wasn't her. She'd chosen medicine because it was so hard to gain admission. Where her excellent grades actually meant something. But then she had a revelation. Her passion had always been the soul.”
- The Worst Person in the World
6. Good Will Hunting
Potential. It’s such a complex… well, complex, that it almost seems impossible to discuss vaguely as one must take into consideration many elements and circumstances - everything from the societal and political to the deeply personal - before touching upon it or commenting on the potential of others. Yet, a film that traverses the topic extremely well is Good Will Hunting. Written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck in their twenties, the film follows a young genius in mathematics working as a janitor at MIT, who takes help from a psychiatrist. A deeply emotional film featuring the late Robin Williams’ best performance, Good Will Hunting is a heavy hitter and a classic that touches on the idea of potential extremely weil - accessing, recognizing, and believing in your own potential as well as the forces that hold you back… which might even be yourself.
7. La La Land
La La Land is a musical following a jazz enthusiast and an aspiring actress in Los Angeles, as they find themselves torn between their love for each other and their dreams. The characters of La La Land, both in the early stages of adulthood, face a predicament many would have to face in their lives at that stage. We (should) open up to many new experiences in our 20s, whether it be career-wise or romantic, and sometimes those things clash and we have to find a way through that while simultaneously finding ourselves. Even with everything that happens in La La Land, it’s one of the more optimistic and positive films on this list, as you are sure to end the film loving it and feeling “jazzed” about this stage in your life…
8. Whiplash
La La Land director Damien Chazelle’s first feature, Whiplash, is also on this list! The film follows an aspiring drummer in a music conservatory who is mentored by an unconventional teacher who pushes him beyond the boundaries of reason and sensibility. Whiplash depicts the sometimes toxic and obsessive relationship one can have with their passions and “the hustle” to achieve their dreams, as well as the mental impact a stressful teacher or learning environment could have on a student. People interpret this film or take it in different ways, some see it as a positive depiction of “tough love” and stress in regards to ambition, whereas some appreciate the film and its commentary on ambition without agreeing with that perspective. I’m the latter, as I favor the likes of Matilda’s Miss Honey when it comes to teaching styles, but I included it on this list because I still like the film, appreciate the themes it touches upon, and know it might be appealing (or warning: triggering) to some.
9. The Devil Wears Prada
We all have to start somewhere, and The Devil Wears Prada is another film that tackles the sometimes toxic relationship between a person’s ambition, their sanity, and their environment in a completely different way. The Devil Wears Prada follows an aspiring journalist who works as an assistant to one of New York’s biggest and most ruthless fashion magazine editors. A classic for a reason. IT’s accessibility and charm never goes out of style.
10. Before Sunrise
Before Sunrise follows an American man and a French woman who spend a day together walking the streets of Vienna before his flight back to the US. Craving adventure is human, and the safest thing to a typical “adventure” that most of us will experience in our lives is travel, as opposed to the stuff we see in major blockbusters. Though nothing crazy or typically adventurous happens in Before Sunrise, I like to think of it as an adventure too. It features two strangers who step outside of their comfort zone together and get to know one another in a strange city, something we’d likely shy away from and never do in real life, but can’t help but wonder about. The idea of getting to know a complete stranger and a stranger knowing you as a blank slate… can be exciting. And when that results in understanding between each other and chemistry… it can be unforgettable or change the course of your life, as it does for the characters in the film. It features a genuine human connection between two people in their twenties, and as a result it’s one that most people would appreciate in their twenties as well - we get where the characters are coming from when expressing their thoughts, fears, and desires, and even wish to be in their place.
11. Brooklyn
Brooklyn (2015) follows Ellis, a young lady from Ireland who moves to Brooklyn in the 1950s, where she gets used to a freer life and falls in love with a local. Brooklyn features another romantic adventure, as the main character leaves everything when she moves away and later finds love. While home can mean so much to someone, in their twenties many people realize for whatever reason that they no longer fit in with the place or community they called home. It can be devastating or freeing, or both - as it is for Ellis while she struggles with the idea of home and her future.
12. Silver Linings Playbook
The Silver Linings Playbook follows a former teacher who moves back in with his parents after a stint in a mental institution, and it isn’t long before he meets a mysterious girl with problems of her own. I’m not including this film on the list for the main character Pat (played by Bradley Cooper), but more so for Tiffany, the female lead played by Jennifer Lawrence. If I’m not mistaken, the ages of the characters are not mentioned in the film, but Lawrence was 22 when the film was released and I doubt her character is supposed to be over 30. Lawrence’s character Tiffany is a young widow, & over the course of the film reveals her struggle with mental health and the impact of her late husband’s death. Tiffany’s life unfolded in a way unlike most twentysomethings, yet her struggles are honest and true - many of us have an “idea” of how our twenties “should” pan out but it can end up looking extremely different to that picture due to unexpected circumstances and struggles with health and mental health, and almost make us feel as though we’ve been robbed of the time we have. Dealing with that & the road to healing can be a mess, but it’s there and sometimes just seeing those struggles reflected back, especially in a lighthearted yet authentic way as this film does, can be so cathartic to anyone that can relate.
13. 500 Days of Summer
500 Days of Summer follows a man who reflects on his relationship with a woman who he believed to be his soulmate. To put it in the most direct way possible, I think 500 Days of Summer is an incredibly important lesson for most people when it comes to romance and love. Tom, the main character isn’t worthy of our sympathy as he might lead you to believe.. He wants the girl he falls in love with to be what he wants her to be rather than herself, and it’s presented in a subtle way to sort of call out anyone who does sympathize with him for their own perceptions on love and get them to reflect on behaviors and beliefs that they might not realize are toxic. Many of us will have to begin to learn hard lessons in love in our twenties and the film provides an excellent case study into one of the pitfalls of love and infatuation.
14. Chungking Express
Chungking Express follows two stories of two melancholy Hong Kong policemen who fall in love, one with a mysterious woman in the criminal underworld, the other with a waitress at a late-night restaurant. This is perhaps a recommendation for the more “cinephile” or artsy readers. It’s been a while since I’ve seen the film and I still don’t know what to make of it, but it provided me with a sense of unity and peace by the end of it… I wouldnt necessarily describe the film itself as peaceful, but it sort of made me realize how connected many of us are in our struggles. There’s no real story to the film, but the two heartbroken policemen as well as the women in the film are all some sort of modern nomads. They’re unfulfilled and wandering in their lives, with no home or grounding force that settles them - so they look for that fulfillment in the world and in love. They don’t know what they want or who they are, but they’re hoping to find the answers in life and love…. Messily. Any aspect of that is relatable to any twenty-something. I guess the film gave me peace in the sense that it reassured me that all of us are just trying to find our place in this world. Some of us are lucky enough to have foundations or pillars that ground us… or we’re trying to look for or build them.
15. Little Women
Little Women has always been a tale for all-ages and is a timeless depiction of womanhood, but I think it resonates in a very special way in early adulthood. Throughout Little Women, we see the March sisters grow into.. well.. young women. We see their characters, priorities, and perspectives drastically shift as they mature, come into their own, and live in the world around them. Jo has always been a headstrong, confident young woman - yet she couldn’t grasp the idea of Meg choosing to get married or even marriage to Laurie. She found herself needing to sort out her priorities and feelings into early adulthood as she and everyone around her transitioned into completely new chapters of their lives. Amy had to do the same as well once her relationship with Laurie developed. It’s a journey we will all have to face in our lives and particularly in our twenties - figuring out what we want, when we want those things, our mental capabilities and feelings - for our sake as well as those around us.
16. Frances Ha
Saved one of my all-time favorite movies of all time for last! Frances Ha does almost everything every other film on this list does, all at once. The film follows a 27-year old woman who apprentices for a dance company who tries to make sense of her scattered and messy life after having to move away from her best friend and realizing that the possibility of actualizing her dreams is dwindling.
Through Frances, the film touches on loneliness, feeling lost, change, growing up and having to act like an adult, the idea of potential, self-sabotage, and dreams…. all while being incredibly endearing and charming all throughout. Perhaps the reason I found it so and loved it so much is because I would consider Frances’ situation to resemble mine the most among the others in this list, but I think the film and Frances herself perfectly encapsulate the nature of being in your twenties. Frances is a bit all over the place, vulnerable, and scared yet also motivated and a dreamer… isn’t that what being in your twenties is all about?
