“27 Compelling Movies About Loneliness (and Lonely Characters)”
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Motion pictures about loneliness delve deep into the human situation, exploring themes of isolation, alienation, and the quest for connection.
These 27 movies featured beneath usually resonate on a profound stage, touching our hearts by portraying characters who navigate the complexities of feeling alone in a world crammed with individuals.
Checklist of Motion pictures with Lonely Protagonists:
Lots of the films on this checklist function different unhappy themes, equivalent to childhood bullying and abuse.
That being mentioned, I’ve included content material warnings for every film with the assistance of DoesTheDogDie.com.
And now onto the films crammed with loneliness…
27 Finest Movies About Loneliness
Talking of childhood, have you ever downloaded your free internal baby therapeutic workbook but?
1. GIRL IN PROGRESS (2012)
I’ve talked about Girl in Progress in a number of of my film suggestion lists (like this one about childhood trauma).
Synopsis:
Grace is a single mother who’s too busy juggling work, payments, and her affair with a married man to provide her daughter, Ansiedad, the eye she deserves (and desires).
After discovering inspiration within the traditional coming-of-age tales she’s studying in class, Ansiedad plots her “shortcut to adulthood” to struggle the loneliness she’s residing in.
Style:
Coming-of-age drama comedy
Content material:
Emotional neglect, bullying
Lease or purchase it right here: Amazon
2. EIGHTH GRADE (2018)
Eighth Grade showcases the irony of how, regardless of being extra related than ever by way of social media, younger individuals can really feel profoundly remoted and misunderstood.
Synopsis:
Kayla navigates the complexities of recent adolescence, the place on-line personas may be each a refuge and a supply of hysteria.
Her efforts to make buddies and slot in, her silent battles with vanity, and her craving for real connections replicate the common battle with loneliness that many people confronted throughout our adolescence.
Style:
Drama comedy
Content material:
Sexual assault
Lease or purchase it right here: Amazon
3. THIRTEEN (2003)
Whereas extremely uncomfortable to observe at occasions, Thirteen delves into themes of id, belonging, and the acute sense of loneliness that may accompany the teenage years.
Synopsis:
Tracy’s relationship along with her mom is examined when she turns into finest buddies with troubled Evie.
Collectively, they forge down the trail of self-destruction of medicine, consuming, intercourse, and petty crimes.
Style:
Coming-of-age drama
Content material:
Drug abuse, alcohol abuse, habit, self-harm, underage intercourse, consuming dysfunction, violence, bullying
Lease or purchase it right here: Amazon
4. THE NEVERENDING STORY (1984)
In the event you’re seeking to totally immerse your self in a film, you want The Neverending Story in your life.
Synopsis:
Bastian is a bookworm who can’t devour books quick sufficient, and he makes use of books to flee the loneliness and bullying he endures by the hands of his classmates.
One e-book he was warned to not learn, The Neverending Story, takes him deep into the wonderous fantasy world of Fantasia
Style:
Coming-of-age fantasy
Content material:
Bullying, animal dying, dying of a mother or father
Lease or purchase it right here: Amazon
Extra films about bullying:
28 Finest Motion pictures About Bullying (for Teenagers, Youngsters, and Adults!)
5. HER (2013)
Her fantastically explores themes of affection, loneliness, and the complexities of human connections within the digital age.
Synopsis:
Theodore is navigating the aftermath of a painful divorce.
Feeling remoted and emotionally disconnected from the world round him, he varieties an unlikely relationship with a complicated working system named Samantha.
Style:
Romance drama
Content material:
Fatphobia, gaslighting
Lease or purchase it right here: Amazon
6. THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER (2012)
Based mostly on the novel by the identical identify, The Perks of Being a Wallflower navigates the challenges of highschool, household dynamics, and the method of self-discovery.
Synopsis:
Charlie is a shy, lonely teenager who simply entered his first 12 months of highschool.
Scuffling with the aftermath of shedding his finest buddy to suicide, he’s unsure the place he belongs.
However when free-spirited seniors Sam and Patrick take him beneath their wings, he learns to deal with loss and come to phrases along with his tumultuous previous.
Style:
Coming-of-age drama
Content material:
Baby abuse, home violence, bullying, habit, drug abuse, sexual assault, self-harm, suicide, dying, hate speech, homophobia
Lease or purchase it right here: Amazon
7. LOST IN TRANSLATION (2003)
Exploring themes of isolation, cultural disconnection, and the craving for human connection, Lost in Translation portrays the sensation of being adrift in a international land.
Synopsis:
Individuals Bob (an ageing film star) and Charlotte (a younger lady questioning her marriage) kind a bond whereas staying in a resort in Tokyo.
They discover solace and an surprising friendship inside one another whereas navigating a international nation.
Style:
Drama comedy
Content material:
Consuming dysfunction
Lease or purchase it right here: Amazon
8. E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL (1982)
A real 80s traditional, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is an unforgettable story of the most unexpecting friendship.
Synopsis:
Ten-year-old Elliot is lonely till he befriends a misplaced, but pleasant alien.
Collectively, they summon the braveness to search out E.T.’s approach again to his residence planet.
Style:
Coming-of-age sci-fi
Content material:
Drug use
Lease or purchase it right here: Amazon
Extra films about childhood friendships:
27 Motion pictures About Childhood Associates (Full of Nostalgia)
9. THE SANDLOT (1993)
Regardless of depictions of bullying, The Sandlot stays one of many best comedy classics.
Synopsis:
It’s the summer season of 1962, and Smalls (the brand new child on the town) is in search of a spot to belong.
He’s rapidly taken beneath the wing of a younger baseball prodigy and his rowdy crew, leading to many hilarious misadventures.
Style:
Coming-of-age comedy
Content material:
Sexual assault, bullying, fatphobia
Lease or purchase right here: Amazon
Extra films about bullying:
28 Finest Motion pictures About Bullying (for Teenagers, Youngsters, and Adults!)
10. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (2004)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a poignant exploration of loneliness, heartbreak, and the way we’re all looking for somebody to join with.
Synopsis:
Joel undergoes a process to erase all recollections of his ex-girlfriend, Clementine, from his thoughts.
Because the process unfolds, Joel realizes that the recollections he desires to maintain probably the most are those that carry him probably the most ache.
Style:
Romance drama
Content material:
Gaslighting, animal abuse, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, hate speech (homophobia)
Lease or purchase it right here: Amazon
11. THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN (2016)
Everybody is aware of that rising up is tough, and The Edge of Seventeen encaptures the trials of on a regular basis teenage life.
Synopsis:
Highschool junior Nadine is already at peak awkwardness when her all-star older brother, Darian, begins courting her finest buddy, Krista.
She feels extra alone than ever till the surprising friendship of a considerate boy offers her a glimmer of hope that issues simply may not be so horrible in any case.
Style:
Sexual assault, hate speech, parental dying, suicide
Content material:
Drama comedy
Lease or purchase it right here: Amazon
12. MOONLIGHT (2016)
Academy Award winner for Finest Image, Moonlight is a timeless story of self-discovery and connection.
Synopsis:
Rising up in a tough neighborhood in Miami, a younger Black man named Chiron grapples along with his id and his sexuality.
Attempting to flee from bullies all his life, he finds refuge when Juan, a drug vendor, takes him beneath his wing.
Watch as Chiron experiences these on a regular basis hardships of childhood, adolescence, and maturity.
Style:
Coming-of-age drama
Content material:
Baby abuse, drug abuse, habit, dying of a mother or father, hate speech, homophobia
Lease or purchase it right here: Amazon
13. THE SPECTACULAR NOW (2013)
If teen romances are your factor, The Spectacular Now is a superb selection.
Synopsis:
Sutter, a charismatic and hard-partying highschool senior, falls for the bookish woman subsequent door, Aimee.
An surprising romance blossoms between these opposites.
Style:
Romantic drama
Content material:
Tablet habit, alcoholism
Lease or purchase it right here: Amazon
14. CAST AWAY (2000)
Cast Away affords a extra literal tackle loneliness, whereas it explores human resilience and the deep-seated want for connection — even in probably the most dire circumstances.
Synopsis:
Chuck, a FedEx govt, turns into stranded on a abandoned island after a aircraft crash.
Remoted from civilization, Chuck’s profound loneliness is palpable as he struggles to outlive and keep his sanity.
Style:
Drama journey
Content material:
Suicidal ideation
Lease or purchase it right here: Amazon
15. MOON (2009)
A thought-provoking sci-fi drama, Moon delves into themes of isolation, id, and the human situation.
Synopsis:
Sam is an astronaut nearing the tip of his three-year stint on a lunar base grappling with isolation and id.
As his contract approaches its conclusion, he begins to expertise unusual hallucinations and well being points, main him to query his actuality and the character of his existence.
Style:
Sci-fi drama
Content material:
Parental dying, self-harm
Lease or purchase it right here: Amazon
16. INTO THE WILD (2007)
Tailored from the book by Jon Krakauer, Into the Wild drastically examines full isolation and the necessity for human interplay.
Synopsis:
Christopher is a younger man who seeks solitude within the Alaskan wilderness.
Nevertheless, as he faces the tough realities of surviving alone within the wilderness, he begins to grasp the profound want for human connection.
Style:
Drama journey
Content material:
Home violence, baby abuse
Lease or purchase it right here: Amazon
17. THE WAY, WAY BACK (2013)
The Way, Way Back is a coming-of-age movie that poignantly explores themes of loneliness and self-discovery by way of the eyes of its younger protagonist.
Synopsis:
Set in opposition to the backdrop of a summer season trip, Duncan struggles with feeling remoted and misunderstood by each his household and friends.
On the coronary heart of his loneliness is a strained relationship along with his mom’s overbearing boyfriend, Trent, who persistently belittles Duncan, exacerbating his sense of alienation.
Style:
Coming-of-age comedy
Content material:
Emotional abuse
Lease or purchase it right here: Amazon
Try these coming-of-age TV exhibits:
28 Coming-of-Age TV Exhibits (Bursting with 90s and 2000s Nostalgia)
18. A GHOST STORY (2017)
The central theme of A Ghost Story is loneliness, which is depicted by way of the ghost’s silent, solitary presence and his lack of ability to work together with the residing world.
Synopsis:
After his sudden dying in a automotive accident, C turns into a ghost draped in a easy white sheet with two black eye holes and returns to the suburban residence he shared along with his spouse, M.
Certain to the home, C silently observes as time passes and M struggles to deal with her grief and ultimately strikes on along with her life
Style:
Drama
Content material:
Dying
Lease or purchase it right here: Amazon
19. WHERE THE HEART IS (2000)
Where The Heart Is is certainly one of my all-time favourite consolation films.
Synopsis:
Teen mother Novalee was deserted by her child’s father in a Walmart parking zone.
Abandoned (and with solely $5.55 in her pocket), she has to discover a option to survive.
Style:
Drama comedy
Content material:
Baby trauma, home violence, kidnapping
Lease or purchase it right here: Amazon
20. A WALK TO REMEMBER (2002)
Based mostly on the novel of the identical identify, A Walk to Remember is a tear-jerker crammed with love, loss, and hope.
Synopsis:
Jamie Sullivan appears straightforward to make enjoyable of for her conservative gown and non secular values.
However every part adjustments when Landon Carter, the college’s delinquent, will get into hassle and is sentenced to carry out within the faculty play.
Style:
Coming-of-age romantic drama
Content material:
Bullying, most cancers, dying
Lease or purchase right here: Amazon
21. SPEAK (2004)
Once I discovered that the book Speak (certainly one of my most reread books) was tailored into a movie, I knew I needed to watch it.
Synopsis:
Melinda suffers unspeakable trauma the summer season earlier than highschool, which has brought on her to develop into a selective mute.
Now, battling faculty, buddies, and household, she lastly speaks on the darkish expertise that formed her.
Style:
Drama
Content material:
Sexual assault, self-harm, bullying, gaslighting, PTSD
Lease or purchase it right here: Amazon
22. CARRIE (1976)
For a Steven King horror traditional, placed on Carrie to witness the last word bullying revenge.
Synopsis:
Carrie is a shy and friendless teenage woman who’s relentlessly laid low with her classmates.
Nevertheless, when she learns she has telekinetic powers, she unleashes them in a bloody marketing campaign of vengeance after she is humiliated at her senior promenade.
Style:
Horror
Content material:
Baby abuse, animal abuse, gaslighting, bullying, torture, dying
Lease or purchase right here: Amazon
23. MATILDA (1996)
Most likely one of the crucial well-liked children films on this checklist, Matilda takes an virtually caricature strategy to childhood abuse and alienation.
Synopsis:
Matilda is a younger woman who is consistently ignored, talked right down to, uncared for, and abused by her mother and father.
She makes use of her mental and psychic powers to cope with her household and free her trainer from the headmistress.
Style:
Coming-of-age comedy
Content material:
Home violence, abuse, neglect
Lease or purchase it right here: Amazon
24. THE ROAD WITHIN (2014)
The Road Within incorporates a delicate look into psychological sickness of three youngsters making an attempt to make their approach on the planet.
Synopsis:
Vincent, a younger man with Tourette’s Syndrome, embarks on a street journey along with his not too long ago deceased mom’s ashes.
With the assistance of two different youngsters (who each battle with psychological sickness), they go on a life-changing street journey to ship his mom’s ashes to the ocean.
Style:
Coming-of-age drama
Content material:
Consuming dysfunction, psychological sickness, dying, homophobia, racism
Lease or purchase it right here: Amazon
25. WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE (1995)
Welcome to the Dollhouse resonates deeply with anybody who has ever felt marginalized or misunderstood.
Synopsis:
Set in suburban New Jersey, 11-year-old Daybreak navigates the complexities of adolescence, marked by relentless bullying at college, a lack of expertise from her household, and a normal sense of social alienation.
As she struggles to search out her place on the planet, Daybreak’s journey encapsulates the uncooked, usually painful expertise of rising up.
Style:
Coming-of-age comedy
Content material:
Emotional abuse, baby neglect, gaslighting, sexual assault, hate speech
Lease or purchase it right here: Amazon
26. FINDING NEMO (2003)
Heartwarming animated movie Finding Nemo is a touching narrative about overcoming the worry of being alone, embracing the unknown, and the enduring energy of household.
Synopsis:
Clownfish Nemo is captured by a scuba diver and positioned in a fish tank in a dentist’s workplace.
Hoping to reunite along with his son, Marlin (Nemo’s dad) groups up with a forgetful however endearing fish named Dory.
Style:
Animation youngsters’s
Content material:
Dying of mother or father
Lease or purchase it right here: Amazon
27. LADY BIRD (2017)
Lady Bird examines a tumultuous mother-daughter relationship, struggles with id, and a need to flee your hometown for a extra culturally wealthy setting.
Synopsis:
Set in the course of the early 2000s, Christine “Lady Bird” is a highschool senior in Sacramento, California.
Watch as she navigates friendships, romantic relationships, and the pressures of educational life, all whereas craving for a way of belonging and understanding.
Style:
Coming-of-age comedy drama
Content material:
Baby abuse, gaslighting, sexual assault
Lease or purchase it right here: Amazon
Motion pictures with lonely characters:
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