Are you currently on holiday and looking for something to watch that will remind you of home? Are you away on a business trip and need something to help you take your mind off work after a busy day? There are plenty of reasons why you might looking for something to stream while abroad, and we’re here to help! We made a list of 5 great movies that will all make for fantastic watches, whether you’re in the mood for something nostalgic, exciting, action-packed or thought-provoking, there’s something for everyone on our list!
The great news is that, while you’re traveling, you’ll have access to more movies than you’d normally be able to see at home, as most streaming services – Netflix in particular – have different catalogues depending on your location. Of course, if you’d like to keep accessing your favorite films while abroad, a VPN like AstrillVPN can help bypass geo-restrictions, allowing you to watch a broader selection of movies. On top of this, don’t be afraid to check out popular international titles, as you might find your new go-to movie or show.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at 5 movies to watch while abroad, in no particular order!
1. Up in the Air (2009)
Jason Reitman
Let’s start with this 2009 gem from director Jason Reitman (Saturday Night), based on Walter Kirn’s 2001 novel of the same name. Sometimes, watching a film about people who travel is exactly what we need after doing some traveling of our own, and Up in the Air also happens to have some fantastic acting and a clever script. The film revolves around a businessman who fires other companies’ employees for a living.
Ryan Bingham (George Clooney), whose job consists of traveling to various companies and helping them “downsize”, doesn’t mind the grim nature of his job, as he lives by a philosophy of his own. Our protagonist thinks we should get rid of anything we don’t need, from material goods to actual relationships, and he has it all figured out. His main goal in life is to reach ten million frequent flyer miles, and the only person he needs to interact with is another frequent flyer named Alex (Vera Farmiga), with whom he has a casual relationship.
One day, his company hires a young woman named Natalie (Anna Kendrick), and everything changes. Natalie is trying to get the company to fire people remotely, which would eliminate the need for traveling. Needless to say, Ryan is against it, which leads to him taking Natalie with him on his next trip. From then on, Up in the Air turns into a completely different, much more introspective kind of movie, while also remaining entertaining thanks to its leads’ charm. If you’re looking for something lighthearted that will still make you think, look no further than this 2009 release, which is available on most major streamers. Watch out for supporting turns from Jason Bateman, Melanie Lynskey, Zach Galifianakis, J.K. Simmons, and more stars you’ll know.
2. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
George Miller
What if you’re looking for a film that will have your eyes glued to the screen from start to end? If you’ve never seen Mad Max: Fury Road, you should absolutely add it to your watchlist, as it’s quite simply one of the best action movies ever made. What if you’re not familiar with the first movie? Then get yourself acquainted with the plot and universe of the original Mad Max movies, and you’ll be able to understand what happens in George Miller’s 2015 film.
Fury Road is quite a hard film to recap, as so much takes place over its two-hour runtime, but what you need to know is that it takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, and it revolves around the titular Max (Tom Hardy) and a woman named Furiosa (Charlize Theron). Both protagonists carry their own demons, and both are trying to escape a tyrannical authority for different reasons. It’s best if you find out what actually happens in the movie on your own, but we guarantee it will become one of your favorite action movies.
Breathtaking cinematography, exciting stunts and action scenes, elaborate world-building, and superb acting from everyone – not just Hardy and Theron, who are exceptional, but also Nicholas Hoult as War Boy Nux – make this the masterpiece that it is, on top of a screenplay that will surprise you at every turn. Watch it on Netflix!
3. Anyone But You (2023)
Will Gluck
If you’re in the mood for a rom-com that takes place somewhere exotic, you have plenty of films to choose from, including musical Mamma Mia!, tearjerker P.S. I Love You, and beloved hit Crazy Rich Asians. We decided to pick something more recent, which might even become your new guilty pleasure. Loosely inspired by Shakespeare’s play “Much Ado About Nothing,” Anyone But You revolves around two characters who meet by chance, spend the night together, have a misunderstanding that leads them both to thinking the other rejected them, and eventually meet again at the most unlikely of places.
That place is the wedding of a young woman named Halle (Hadley Robinson), who just-so-happens to be the cousin of one of our protagonists, Bea (Sydney Sweeney). The other, Ben (Glen Powell), is also a guest, and this is a destination wedding, meaning that it will take place in Australia. And so begins a trip defined by lies and hilarity, but that also sees Bea and Ben get closer to each other, in true rom-com fashion. Anyone But You doesn’t reinvent the genre, but it was a hit from the moment it was released for the way it manages to capture the very essence of the genre.
It’s a lighthearted watch, but a very enjoyable one, with fantastic acting from everyone involved. Stream it on Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV+, and more.
4. The Truman Show (1998)
Peter Weir
The oldest film on our list is this multi-award winning classic from director Peter Weir, which redefined multiple genres when it was released, back in 1998. The movie starts from a simple yet highly compelling premise: what if your entire life was actually a reality show, and everything you thought was real was actually staged, and televised to entertain other people? Jim Carrey stars as the titular insurance salesman, whom we follow become increasingly aware that something in his life doesn’t feel authentic, yet he cannot seem to be able to escape it.
Of course, with Jim Carrey as the lead, The Truman Show is a hilarious comedy, but it’s also a subtly disquieting psychological drama that works as a metaphor for many aspects of our actual life, with commentary on anything from the artificiality of social interactions to what individuality really means. Why is it a great movie to watch while abroad? Well, because we tend to do our best thinking while traveling, and this introspective movie might get you to ponder some very interesting psychological matters, all while remaining the entertaining gem that it is. And it’s available on multiple streamers!
5. A Real Pain (2024)
Jesse Eisenberg
Let’s end our list with a recent release! You might have heard about A Real Pain, as it won Kieran Culkin a well-deserved Award for Best Performance by a Supporting Actor at last year’s Oscars. Like many films on this list, A Real Pain also sees its protagonists travel abroad, but what distinguishes it from the other is how full of surprises its deceivingly simply screenplay is. The movie is about two cousins, David (Jesse Eisenberg) and Benji (Culkin), who meet again after a long time apart for a trip to Poland. David and Benji are following their recently deceased grandmother’s wishes, as she wanted them to see her birthplace, and they’re doing so by joining a peculiar group tour.
Still, Benji and David are those who stand out the most in the group, mainly because they’re so different from one another: the former is the most approachable person you’ll ever meet, and the latter is, well, pretty much a nervous wreck. As the film goes on, we come to fully understand their family dynamics, and the complex situation at its core, which reflects the human experience as a whole. A Real Pain is a film that’s bound to make you emotional, but it’s also, surprisingly, a very funny watch, with plenty of moments that will make you laugh out loud and possibly even remind you of your own family. It’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen and you should absolutely seek it out.
The 5 movies listed above will all make for fantastic watches to stream while you’re abroad, and they’re all available on multiple streaming platforms! And of course, don’t forget to check out some international releases, as traveling abroad is the best time to discover hidden gems in other languages! Enjoy!
