When we think of films that make us happy, we are often drawn to rom-coms, but that’s not the only topic that can make us feel warm and rewarded. The subject of friendship attracts just as many viewers, because, at the end of the day, friends are often the people who know us best, and those with whom we’ve shared some of the best moments of our lives. No wonder the topic of friendship has inspired countless discussions and even prompted essay writers UK students to explore the theme further: good friends can not only support you and be there for you when you need it the most, but the best friendships simply make our lives better, giving us a sense of belonging and making us feel loved in a way that’s completely different from the love of a partner or family. Let’s take a look at 5 great films about friendship, listed in alphabetical order and belonging to different genres!
1. Frances Ha
Noah Baumbach
The only possible movie we could start with is Noah Baumbach‘s Frances Ha, about the titular Frances, played by Greta Gerwig in one of the movies that made her so popular and beloved by audiences. This black-and-white gem sees our 27 year-old protagonist’s life change when her best friend Sophie (Mickey Sumner), whom she’s known since college, decides to move from Brooklyn to Tribeca to be with her partner. To Frances, this is huge news that immediately affects her life, as she can’t afford to pay for the Brooklyn flat they used to share on her own.
And so, as their friendship evolves due to their physical distance from one another, Frances finds herself moving from one neighborhood to another, desperate to keep a hold of her life but failing to find what she so desperately needs: a sense of identity when her best friend is not there to support her. Frances Ha is many things, and that is the beauty of it, but one of those things is a beautiful exploration of friendship and how it changes as we become adults. It’s one of Baumbach and Gerwig’s best works and it’s not to be missed.
2. Magic Mike XXL
Gregory Jacobs
Who said that films about frienship only ever revolve around women? The Magic Mike movies, and particularly the second film, Magic Mike XXL, might be about strippers, but at their very core lies a story of friendship between six men – Channing Tatum’s Mike, Joe Manganiello’s Richie, Matt Bomer’s Ken, Adam Rodriguez’s TIto, Gabriel Iglesias’s Tobias, and Kevin Nash’s Tarzan – who embark on a journey and learn that it’s ok to be exactly who they are. The film mainly revolves around a road trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina that Mike and the remaining members of the Kings of Tampa take to try and locate their former boss, Dallas who has disappeared.
Needless to say, they’ll eventually end up returning to their favorite activity, but not without subverting some stereotypes and fully embracing their identities along the way. Magic Mike XXL is a film about friendship in more than one way: not only will the friendship at its center surprise you and captivate you, but the story itself is genuinely charming, funny, and heartwarming, making this the perfect movie to watch with a friend. Matt Bomer and Joe Manganiello also discuss the real-life friendship behind the movie in this interview with Front Row Features, which will give you even more to think about.
3. Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood
Quentin Tarantino
Two best friends are at the center of this 2019 classic-to-be by director Quentin Tarantino. The men in question are 1950s western TV actor Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). It all starts when the former, who’s struggling to find work in this new, modern film industry, enlists the latter’s help to befriend star Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), who lives next door to his stunt double friend with her husband, director Roman Polanski (Rafal Zawierucha). We all know how that ended… Or do we? Quentin Tarantino gives us an unexpected story that fully shows us the power of cinema and might even rewrite history, and though its real standout is, as always, its screenplay, the friendship between Dalton and Booth is also a highlight.
4. Thelma And Louise
Ridley Scott
You can’t make a list of films about friendship and not include Thelma and Louise. Ridley Scott’s 1991 film revolves around a housewife (Geena Davis’s Thelma) and a waitress (Susan Sarandon’s Louise) who are – you guessed it – best friends, and who one day embark on a fishing trip. Except that, when they are attacked by a man at a bar, Louise shoots him. Soon, our two protagonists find themselves on the run from the law, intent on fleeing to Mexico. But will they manage to reach their destination?
Thelma and Louise is a film that was really ahead of its time in so many ways. It’s a movie that cannot be confined to just one genre, as it keeps surprising you and evolving into something else as its story unfolds, delivering a truly unexpected journey. If you already know how the journey ends – and how could you not, when some of the film’s key scenes have been referenced by so many movies and shows? – you’ll still have plenty to discover in a movie that shines whenever its two leads are on screen.
5. Toy Story
John Lasseter
Some of the best animated films out there are about friendship, particularly when it comes to Pixar. Think of Up, Inside Out, Ratatouille, Cars, Finding Nemo, and even recent releases like Luca and Turning Red. In each of these movies, there is at least one friendship that makes them the memorable gems that they are, and that friendship is what makes us so emotional by the time the credits roll. We’ve chosen to feature Toy Story in our list because, as well as having a fantastic friendship at its center, it also depicts the very special bonds children have with their toys – a bond that continues as they grow older and that is often the theme of this franchise’s films.
Toy Story revolves around a boy named Andy who one day moves to a new house with his family, bringing his belove toys with him. These include his all-time favorite, a cowboy doll named Woody (Tom Hanks), and the spaceman action figure that has just replaced him, Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen). Needless to say, Woody and Andy’s other toys don’t take kindly to this change of dynamics, particularly when Buzz is so arrogant and entitled. But when they wind up in the pocket of Andy’s neighbor Sid (Erik von Detten), they’ll have to join forces to find their boy again. Toy Story is a timeless classic that continues to speak to both kids and adults, and you’ll find more than one story of friendship in this charming animated tale.
The 5 films listed above belong to different genres, but the one thing they have in common is that they all feature at least one memorable friendship at their core. You are guaranteed to love them and you’ll want to revisit them in the future too. Happy watching!
