5 movies about people who dared to change their lives

A movie is a story, but that’s what screenwriters think. Directors think movies should change people. Both are right in this discussion.

culturologist, writer, film critic, head of cultural projects of Oliva Group Company

For the viewer, the movie is not only a way to have fun, but also to become a better version of himself. Therefore, the viewer who wants to become different is subconsciously looking for “his” director-mentor, and there are such directors in every country. We have chosen five films whose heroes change something in themselves and help the viewer to do the same.

“Eat, Pray, Love”

2010, USA, directed by Ryan Murphy.

A cult movie starring Julia Roberts, which is good to rewatch once in several years. It would seem that what is unusual here? The heroine Elizabeth Gilbert lived with her husband, divorced, and then decided to shake things up on a trip.

Liz finds herself in a “dead end” from which it is difficult to get out of in such a diverse New York. She gives her ex-husband all her savings, sends all her boxes of personal belongings to a rented container, and herself goes to Italy and starts her life with a “clean slate”.

From the first minutes of watching, the viewer begins to change with the heroine and gets an incentive to “reboot” his own life. He begins to understand what the taste of life is, how to choose thoughts, how to forgive himself and how to finally open up to new relationships and a renewed self.

“The Secret in His Eyes”

2009, Argentina, directed by Juan Jose Companella.

In this picture, all the characters could live their lives differently, but it really managed only the main character. And he started his way in the same way as others – with mistakes. Benjamin Esposito, a court officer, could have confessed his love to his boss, but he did not. As a result, he lived ten years in exile, leaving his town, his job, his friends, everything that filled him.

The hero did not create a family or a career, and only one old crime made him reconsider his life and open a new page in his destiny. This Argentine movie does not end with a standard happy ending, where the heroes after a long separation meet each other and never part again.

The plot is much more serious than one might expect. How the viewer himself to act on life, the main character still prompts, but at the very end, with the help of a note with a deep meaning.

“Miss Daisy’s Chauffeur”

1989, Great Britain, directed by Bruce Beresford.

The distance from total rejection of everything and everyone to a different life may not be that long and long. Almost always an encounter with the one right person is enough to make it happen. Such was the case with the unapproachable as a wall Ms. Daisy, for whom her son had hired a driver. At first, the old lady even refuses to get in the car and walks. But then her and driver Hawk’s relationship changes, and the viewer sees it happen.

Ms. Daisy becomes different, but Driver Hawk remains the same. This does not mean there is no transformation in him as a person. There is a change in the hero, too: from a disenfranchised worker, he gradually became a man with power over the events in his life.

“Couch in Tunisia.”

2019, Tunisia, directed by Manel Labidi

All the characters in this movie dream of going to France, but the psychologist Selma, on the contrary, came to Tunisia to change the attitude of people to themselves. No one understands her, for everyone in the family and with herself everything is fine. In fact, they are not. But this is not something that is openly spoken about in traditional society.

It seems that Selma is struggling with the air, because psychology in a traditional society is an unthinkable and inapplicable thing. And besides, Selma is a fan of Freud, whose ideas are well known to many.

Selma’s activity is prohibited by the local authorities, because the girl consults people without a license. But Selma does not give up: she collects certificates, visits slow officials, takes clients right in the car.

While the protagonist fights the system and protects her clients, she changes herself at some point. With Freud’s help. It turns out that the external struggle is a mirror of the internal one. Once Selma realizes this, the struggle from her life is gone forever.

“Autumn Ball”

2007, Estonia, directed by Veiko Eunpuu.

A movie that you want to watch a second time. Three heroes and their three halves who are separated by life. All of them want something of their own, but different. As a rule, women make the first step, but there, in another life, they do not find what they are looking for. But the men are left alone, in their apartments, but also in some passive search.

It seems to all the men in this movie that they will become different only if their women are with them. Their women don’t think so. Three different couples, one neighborhood on the outskirts of Tallinn, six ways to change themselves.

Were the heroes’ actions right? Who of the heroes will become different, and who will find something new in themselves, but remain the same? The viewer does not find the answers to these questions immediately. After watching an Estonian movie, we can’t stop thinking about the plot – the heroes’ search for other selves is so impressive. And the results of this search are so surprising.

If you have more than one free evening, spend it to your advantage. We recommend watching these movies.