There are only a few films about the so-called quarter-life crisis, and there are even fewer that do justice to this period of anxiety and self-discovery. A looming love life, a search for a perfect career, bills on loop, questionable choices, struggles to find the right answers, then discovering there are no right answers. Everyone entering adulthood experiences a version of the quarter-life crisis. This has been masterfully captured in cinema a few times via poignant storytelling, relatable situations, and brilliant performances.
This genre is tricky to identify because of how similar it is to coming-of-age films, and yet how its transitional stage also resembles the midlife crisis. Here are 10 films that perfectly fit the genre.
The King of Staten Island
Capturing Pete Davidson’s quarter-life crisis in this 2020 semi-autobiography, The King of Staten Island is an empathetic and entertaining narrative of a 24-year-old slacker who lives with his mother and smokes pot, attempting to slow down the time.
Finding roots in the events surrounding the loss of his firefighter father, Scott’s quarter-life crisis includes an unmotivated aspiration to become a tattoo artist, a lawless lifestyle, and medication that soothes his ADD and depression. When his mother starts dating another firefighter, Scott is suddenly forced to uncover his repressed feelings. The comedic timing and the relatable expression of confusion and grief among Millennials work in tandem to deliver a perfect example of delayed adulthood.
500 Days of Summer
Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel, this 2009 hit is a quirky yet refreshingly honest tale about a woman who doesn’t believe in the idea of true love, and a young man who falls irrevocably in love with her.
Although this film beautifully explores the pain of uneven heartbreaks, it is also a warm testimony to the fact that nothing is permanent. Covering 500 days of bliss, grief, uncertainty, and self-reinvention, 500 Days of Summer perfectly captures the futile nature of most romantic relationships of people in their 20s.
Whiplash
Starring Miles Teller and J.K Simmons, Whiplash is a 2014 film that tells the story of a young man’s pursuit of becoming the greatest drummer of all time and the mental turmoil that he endures because of his music teacher.
Andrew’s version of a quarter-life crisis is woven by the cost of his obsession, his choices, his ego, and his attempts to prove himself. This is further fuelled by the psychological and emotional abuse that his music teacher puts him through. How Andrew redeems himself is the apex of the adrenaline rush that viewers feel throughout the film.
In A World
Directed and acted in by Lake Bell, In a World explores the struggles of a young vocal coach who is tenaciously finding her place in an industry dominated by men.
Carol wants to make a mark in the voice-over industry. One of the many men she has to compete with is her own father, a legend in the business. Pairing that determined motive with an attempt to gain her father’s respect, we observe Carol’s struggle to make her voice heard. Her journey feels personal to a lot of viewers because it mirrors the challenges of trying to fit it in, striving for success, and keeping up with family drama.
The Graduate
Widely acknowledged as the first movie to address quarter-life crises, this 1967 classic stars Dustin Hoffman as Benjamin Braddock, a college graduate who returns home with no plans for the future. In a subconscious attempt to rebel against his parents and distract himself from the apathy and anxiety surrounding his future, Ben gets into an affair with his parents’ neighbor, Mrs. Robinson, and then falls in love with her daughter, Elaine.
This movie deals with the aimlessness and questions that young adults try to bury when they are first exposed to a world unshielded by college life. The unforgettable look of regret and awkwardness that Ben and Claire share at the film’s end sums up an entire generation’s quarter-life crisis.
Reality Bites
Directed by and co-starring Ben Stiller, this 1994 film delightfully explores the confusion surrounding a generation’s transition from the safety of college life to the adult world of responsibilities and commitments.
Lelaina (Wynona Rider) is an aspiring documentary filmmaker who films the life of her passive friends and gives the viewers serious deja vu vibes through her honest confession about how she thought she was going to be “someone at 23.” The film explores an amateur generation’s search for work and love, the cluelessness surrounding the search, and the choice of whether or not to sell out. Themes like these make the film relatable to this day.
Good Will Hunting
Starring Matt Damon and Robin Williams, this timeless classic is a heart-warming story of a math prodigy, Will Hunting, and his friendship with his therapist, which eventually helps Will come to terms with his abusive past and make way for a better life ahead.
The dialogue and the relationship between the two characters capture their intellect, humor, and stripped-bare vision of life. It throws light on how Will is constantly trying to protect himself from emotional pain, and how Sean helps Will is what makes this film so immersive. The insecurity, unhealed wounds, and the kindness of friendship make this film relatable and a must-watch for someone going through a quarter-life crisis.
Kicking and Screaming
After his longtime girlfriend breaks up with him and heads to Prague, Grover and his friends form a community and start living on the college campus they just graduated from, in a futile attempt to ward off the future.
Directed by Noah Baumbach, this 1995 film is a self-analysis of preppie graduates as they have trouble letting go of their college life and spend most of their time in nostalgia and uncertainty. Besides showcasing their growing worries about the future, this film smartly captures the uncomfortable and initial stages of a transition to adult life via relatable dialogue, excellent humor, and ultra-relatable moments.
Garden State
Zach Braff shines in this semi-autobiographical tale of a struggling actor going through a quarter-life crisis. Garden State becomes relatable because of how well it captures the tensions, disappointments, and awakening surrounding this self-reflective period.
After receiving the news of his mother’s demise, Andrew heads home to New Jersey, a place he carefully chose to leave behind. Upon his return, he decides to say goodbye to his antidepressants and is forced to confront the ghosts of his past. This 2004 film continues to be iconic because of its attention to detail, its delightful use of quirky humor, sharp wit, and its ability to gently render a plethora of emotions.
Frances Ha
Greta Gerwig is a revelation in this 2012 film about a 27-year-old New Yorker who is still trying to figure out “how to be a real person.” She plays Frances Halladay and depicts a struggling dancer’s awkward yet charming quarter-life crisis. When her best friend decides to move out, Frances is faced with the onset of her crisis.
Although she is insecure and consistently self-deprecating, Frances is also incredibly clever and kind and functions as the most loyal friend who ever lived. She is confident about the many beautiful things that make her shine, while consciously accepting her shortcomings and keeping up with change and uncertainty. Directed by Noah Baumbach, this film rises to the top because of how accurately Frances’ ups and downs mirror the daily chaos of anyone trying to make sense of a world that keeps surprising them.
