Movies About Changing Your Life For The Better

Life is a long, constant journey and sometimes you need a little motivation boost. Growing as a person and improving your quality of life is a process that requires time, effort, and often some outside help. Sources of inspiration can come from many things but if you are a movie lover or a visual person, movies about changing your life may be what you turn to for a motivation boost. Movies about change and growth can be great teachers, providing examples of how to achieve success or manage difficult obstacles. Here are 10 movies about changing your life that may help you on your own journey.

10 Movies About Change and Growth

10. Brittany Runs A Marathon

Jillian Bell has been stealing the spotlight as a comedic actress since her appearance in 22 Jump Street when she played an acid-tongued roommate. Bell has gotten the opportunity to bring the same energy to Brittany Runs a Marathon where she leads as the main actress. Brittany Runs a Marathon is about a young woman who decides to make positive changes in her life by training for the New York City Marathon. Brittany’s journey to prepare for a marathon tackles all of her other issues as well such as improving self-esteem and finding supportive communities.

9. I Feel Pretty

Self-confidence or a lack thereof affects almost every aspect of your life. How you view yourself influences your approach to other people, career, love life, and the opportunities that you allow yourself to pursue. I Feel Pretty is a comedy that stars Amy Schumer as a woman plagued with insecurity who learns a life-changing lesson. The movie is about a woman struggling with insecurity who wakes up from a fall believing she is the most beautiful and capable woman on the planet. Her new confidence empowers her to live fearlessly, but what happens when she realizes her appearance never changed? I Feel Pretty tells a deeply relatable story about the concepts of beauty in the age of social media.

Read More: Best Movies About Loving Yourself

8. Billy Elliott

There are two stereotypes regarding ballet that Billy Elliot deals with. The first is that Ballet is not for men and the second is that all men who do ballet are gay. Set in the 80s, neither of these stereotypes were seen as a positive thing. Billy Elliot is a movie about a talented young boy who becomes torn between his unexpected love of dance and the disintegration of his family. The film will inspire viewers to defy societal expectations and follow their dreams no matter what. Jaimie Cambell gave a touching performance as the titular character and captures the complex emotions of a boy who is misunderstood by those closest to him.

7. Erin Brockovich

Erin Brockovich is a true story and proves that you can always change your life for the better no matter how difficult your life may be. Julia Roberts stars as Erin Brockovich and adds another amazing performance to her long list of iconic roles. The film is about an unemployed single mother who becomes a legal assistant and almost single-handedly brings down a California power company accused of polluting a city’s water supply. The real Erin Brockovich has said that the film is 98% accurate and Steven Soderbergh’s direction earned him an Oscar nomination.

6. Yes Man

Sometimes we can be the ones holding ourselves back from opportunities and new experiences. Fear of failure or the unknown can prevent us from saying yes to things that could potentially change our lives for the better. Yes Man is a movie starring Jim Carrey as a man who decides to challenge himself by saying yes to everything. The film is based on the memoir of the same name by Danny Wallace. The film may be mostly fiction but the message is entirely true. By saying yes more often, you open yourself up to more opportunities that could possibly change your life and that you would have missed out on if you had said no.

5. The Descendants

Grief is something that we will all face at some point in our lives. The death of a loved one can change the course of our lives forever and a lack of closure with their death can make the process even more difficult. The Descendants is a movie that deals with this exact issue and reflects the personal struggle a husband has to overcome to grow as a person. The film is about a land baron who tries to reconnect with his two daughters after his wife is seriously injured in a boating accident. The Descendants is a beautiful and heart-wrenching film that teaches us a lesson about dealing with grief, love, and loss.

4. Wild

Human beings can turn to destructive methods when they are struggling to deal with personal trauma. Drug addiction, alcohol abuse, and self-harm are all ways that people have coped with pain at some point in their lives. Wild is a movie that tells the true story based on the memoir of Cheryl Strayed about her journey overcoming heroin addiction and grief by hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. The movie is about a chronicle of one woman’s 1,100-mile solo hike undertaken as a way to recover from a recent personal tragedy. Wild is an inspiring film about strength, courage, and the power of nature to heal.

3. The Pursuit of Happyness

The story of Chris Gardener is one from the lowest point of his life when he is homeless with his son to become employed with a roof over his head. The Pursuit of Happyness is based on a true story and will inspire you to always fight to overcome the odds no matter how difficult your life may be. The film is about a struggling salesman who takes custody of his son as he’s poised to begin a life-changing professional career. Will Smith and Jaden Smith both give amazing performances as father and son in this film that is sure to leave a lasting impression.

2. Into The Wild

In a world of materialism and greed, it’s easy to get lost and forget what’s truly important in life. Into The Wild is a movie that will inspire you to strip away the unnecessary things in your life and live with intention. The film puts things in perspective by showing the importance of relationships with other human beings, especially the people close to you. The film is based on the true story of Christopher McCandless, a man in the 1990s who abandoned his possessions, savings, and family to hike across America into the Alaskan wilderness. Into The Wild will have you looking to get out of the unhappy circumstances of your life and start fresh somewhere new.

1. Good Will Hunting

Out of all of the movies about change and growth, Good Will Hunting is one of the best stories about a main character’s personal journey of self-improvement. Will Hunting, played by Matt Damon, learns how to deal with his emotions and be vulnerable with other people. The film is about Will Hunting, a janitor at M.I.T., who has a gift for mathematics but needs help from a psychologist to find direction in his life. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck wrote the screenplay and won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Robin Williams also gave an outstanding performance in the film and won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. If you’re looking for a feel-good movie about personal growth, then Good Will Hunting is a perfect choice.