10 Best Movies About Midlife Crisis That You Should Watching Update 04/2024

Movies About Midlife Crisis

When a character is in the middle of a midlife crisis, the results might be pure entertainment. On Rotten Tomatoes, this material is recognized as one of the best.

Midlife crisis movies tend to focus on middle-aged folks who aren’t having an easy time as they approach old age. Over the years, Hollywood has produced hundreds of films about middle-aged folks who are having a hard time navigating their way through life.

Critics have commended only a few of these films, despite the fact that they are all entertaining to see. Even after their initial release, many of those picked out for special recognition went on to garner widespread praise. According to Rotten Tomatoes, these are the best movies for middle-aged adults.

1. Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011) – 79%

Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011)

In Crazy, Stupid, Love, Steve Carell portrays Cal Weaver, a middle-aged family man who thinks he has it all figured out. Eventually, he discovers that his wife Emily has been unfaithful. Announcing her plan to divorce, she leaves him feeling hopeless.

Given the fact that Cal hasn’t had any success in the bedroom in years, he has given up hope and doesn’t know where to begin. When he meets Jacob (Ryan Gosling) in a nightclub, his luck changes. Jacob, moved by his plight, decides to help him learn how to be more attractive to women.

2. Wonder Boys (2002) – 82%

After its premiere, the film received over twenty accolades from various organizations. Professor Grady Tripp is an author trying to build on the success of his debut. The university chancellor, Sara, also happens to be Sara’s mistress while she teaches creative writing.

As the chairman of the English department, Sara’s husband happens to be Sara’s supervisor. Grady’s third wife has just dumped him, making things even more difficult for him. To make matters worse, he is dependent on marijuana and has a crush on one of his students.

3. Thelma And Louise (1991) – 84%

Thelma And Louise (1991)

This film contains one of the all-time great freeze-frame shots. Two buddies from Arkansas decide to take a weekend getaway to get away from their hectic lives. To get away from her overbearing spouse, Darryl is looking for time off from her waitressing work.

When Louise shoots a man who was attempting to rape Thelma, things take a turn for the worst. They chose to flee rather than come forward, and as a result, they are now being pursued by a swarm of police officers. Both of the movie’s leading ladies were nominated for Best Actress at the Oscars for their roles in the movie. This was the only time in recent memory that such an accomplishment was accomplished.

4. A Single Man (2009) – 85%

Criticism of Tom Ford’s maiden film as a filmmaker was mostly positive. A gay English professor in the 1960s (played by Colin Firth) contemplates suicide after the death of his boyfriend in the film. But before he does anything, he resolves to get his affairs in order first.

However, when a student begins chasing Tom, Tom is compelled to reevaluate his objectives. Carlos, a male Spanish prostitute, becomes a close friend of his. This raises the stakes even higher for him.

5. The Descendants (2011) – 89%

The Descendants (2011)

In The Descendants, George Clooney plays an attorney named Matt King who is embroiled in a nasty family feud over a vast plot of land over which he has exclusive trusteeship. A boating accident causes his wife to go into cardiac arrest, and she later dies from her injuries.

Her cheating and plans to break up with him are revealed. As if it wasn’t bad enough, he has two rambunctious teenage kids. To be a single father is difficult for him, as his wife is currently hospitalized. Five Oscar nominations were made for the film.

6. The Bridges Of Madison County (1995) – 90%

Nothing can go wrong with Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood in the starring roles.

Adapted from a novel of the same name, The Bridges of Madison County follows a lady named Francesca, who is married but refuses to divorce because she wants her children to grow up in a stable family environment.

She soon meets a National Geographic photographer named Robert who has been to her county to photograph its bridges. For the next four days, they are inseparable. Streep was nominated for Best Actress at the Oscars for her performance in the film.

7. About A Boy (2002) – 93%

About A Boy (2002)

The profits his father earned from a well-known song he wrote have allowed Will, despite his lack of academic success, to live well. Desperation creeps in because he’s single and older than most of his peers. He begins courting single mothers as a solution to the problem.

With single mothers, Will believes he’ll have an easier time because they are more desperate. Marcus, the kid of a potential love interest, manages to modify his outlook on life in a very short period of time.

8. Sideways (2004) – 94%

Sideways is the story of two forty-something friends who have known each other for years. As actors go, Jack is a bust, while Miles is a flop as a writer. To celebrate Jack’s forthcoming wedding, the two travel to the wine country in Santa Barbara County, where a lot happens.

Miles goes through a self-evaluation process, and Jack has an affair with a wine pourer named Stephanie, performed well by Sandra Oh. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture.

9. Lost In Translation (2003) – 95%

Lost In Translation (2003)

Sophia Copolla, the daughter of Godfather director Francis Ford Copolla, is a talented filmmaker in her own right. She directed Lost In Translation in 2003, which won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. For the record, it was nominated for three further Academy Awards.

While vacationing in Tokyo, Bill Murray’s character, Bob, takes on the role of a Japanese whiskey commercialist.

He meetsCharlotte (Scarlett Johansson), a lady whose marriage is in trouble, while staying at a hotel. As a result, the two end up dangerously near.

10. The Wrestler (2008) – 98%

In the past, Robin (Mickey Rourke) was a popular professional wrestler, but now he works in a supermarket. A man in declining health returns to the world of professional wrestling to recapture the glory days of his career.

In addition, Robin’s connection with his daughter is strained, despite her best efforts. With the help of an empathetic stripper named Cassidy, his life improves significantly. It’s surprising that the film didn’t win an Oscar based on all the positive reviews.