Movies for Older Adults
While most movies today are aimed at a much younger population, we suggest several that reflect seniors’ concerns. Click here to read more.
You don’t have to spend a lot of time watching TV’s current crop of movies to realize that the majority of films these days are aimed at younger people. Yet the need remains for older adults to be able to view movies that portray their concerns and situations. We compiled a list from several Internet sites, which offers a starting point for movies that reflect an older, or should we say, more mature, point of view.
About Schmidt (2002): Upon retirement and the death of his wife, a man embarks on a journey to his estranged daughter’s wedding only to discover more about himself and life than he ever expected. (Director Alexander Payne, starring Jack Nicholson, Hope Davis, Dermot Mulroney and Kathy Bates)
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011): British retirees travel to India to take up residence in what they believe is a newly restored hotel. (Director John Madden, starring Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith and Tom Wilkinson)
The Bucket List (2007): Two terminally ill men escape from a cancer ward and head off on a road trip with a wish list of to-dos before they die. (Director Rob Reiner, starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman)
Cocoon (1985): Residents in a senior community encounter aliens, who offer them the gift of eternal life in this thoughtful film about the resilience of the human spirit. (Director Ron Howard, starring Don Ameche, Wilford Brimley, Hume Cronyn and Brian Dennehy)
Driving Miss Daisy (1989): An elderly Jewish woman and her African-American chauffeur in the American South have a relationship that grows and improves over the years. (Director Bruce Beresford, starring Morgan Freeman, Jessica Tandy, Dan Aykroyd and Patti LuPone)
Gran Torino (2008): Disgruntled Korean War vet Walt Kowalski sets out to reform his neighbor, a young Hmong teenager, who tried to steal Kowalski’s prized possession: his 1972 Gran Torino. (Director Clint Eastwood, starring Clint Eastwood and Bee Vang)
The Straight Story (1999): An elderly man makes a long journey by tractor to mend his relationship with an ill brother. (Director David Lynch, starring Richard Farnsworth and Sissy Spacek)