You’re not alone; almost everybody goes through this phase somewhere between their late 20s and early 30s — it’s called the quarter-life crisis. You start to feel trapped by your job or your relationship, and you just want out of it all. It can be a very confusing and painful time in your life. Below are 20 movies that are truly inspirational that can relieve the pain and even motivate you.
1. Into the Wild
Trailer This is the true story of a young man going through a quarter-life crisis. He leaves home in search of adventure in the Alaskan wilderness.
2. The Fault in Our Stars
Trailer This is the heartwarming story of two teenage cancer patients who fall in love. They bond over reading the same book and set out to meet the author.
3. Whiplash
Trailer Whiplash is about the struggles of a young, talented drummer who gets into a prestigious music academy. He develops a complex relationship with his aggressive instructor, who tries to push him to greatness.
4. 500 Days of Summer
Trailer 500 Days of Summer is a romantic comedy about a girl who doesn’t believe in true love and a guy who has been waiting for true love his whole life. It’s a great reminder that no matter how bad things seem in your life, they can always get better.
5. About Time
Trailer About Time is about a 21-year-old-man who is going through his own quarter-life crisis. When he discovers that he can travel through time, he decides to improve his love life.
6. Garden State
Trailer Garden State is a great movie to help you with your quarter-life crisis. It revolves around two characters who are transitioning into adulthood, dealing with death, and learning from the past.
7. The Devil Wears Prada
Trailer This movie is great if your quarter-life crisis was brought on by career stress. The Devil Wears Prada is the story of a girl who lands her dream job but has a difficult boss.
8. Walking and Talking
Walking and Talking is the perfect movie about life changes and how close friends are not always on the same path.
9. Almost Famous
Trailer Almost Famous is all about taking risks to get what you want. Sixteen-year-old William sets out to become a rock-and-roll journalist. He ends up learning quite a bit about life along the way.
10. About Alex
Trailer This movie is about a group of friends who come together for the weekend. They are there to support a friend after his suicide attempt. Coming together brings back a lot of old, unresolved issues.
11. Beaches
Trailer This movie is about two best friends who support each other through the quarter-life crisis, divorce, illness, and loss.
12. Office Space
Trailer This is another excellent movie about working in a dead-end job with a terrible boss.
13. Good Will Hunting
Trailer Matt Damon plays a math genius working as a janitor at M.I.T. who goes through a quarter-life crisis.
14. The Graduate
Trailer This movie portrays the classic quarter-life crisis. Ben finishes college at the top of his class, but what is he going to do next?
15. Reality Bites
Trailer Friends graduate from college and have to face adulthood. Their quarter-life crises are all about looking for love and work.
16. Amazing Grace
Trailer Amazing Grace is the story of a young man who fights against the British slave trade. It’s a reminder to anyone going through a quarter-life crisis that sometimes, it can take years of difficult, painful, and depressing work to achieve lifetime goals.
17. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Trailer In this movie, Ben Stiller plays Walter Mitty, a man who has diligently worked at the same job for years. Unhappy and about to lose his job, he takes off on an international adventure in an attempt to find himself.
18. People Places Things
Trailer People Places Things is about a newly divorced man and how he tries to get over his ex-wife while balancing his new life, his career, and parenting.
19. Young Adult
Trailer A newly divorced woman returns to her hometown while she is going through her quarter-life crisis. Things aren’t as she left them, however, and she must learn to deal with the changes.
20. Silver Linings Playbook
Trailer Silver Linings Playbook is about a man who gets divorced, spends time in a mental institution, and moves back in with his parents. He has to learn to navigate his feelings about his ex-wife and a new girl he meets.
