turbulent backdrop

Movies with turbulent vibe

A Late Quartet

1. A Late Quartet

Music Drama Narrative Musical Relationship Drama
7.1
20121h 46min

Overview

When the beloved cellist of a world-renowned string quartet is diagnosed with a life threatening illness, the group's future suddenly hangs in the balance as suppressed emotions, competing egos and uncontrollable passions threaten to derail years of friendship and collaboration. As they are about to play their 25th anniversary concert — quite possibly their last — only their intimate bond and the power of music can preserve their legacy.

Themes

Intergenerational conflict, Creative collaboration under strain, Role renegotiation, Illness as pressure, Ego vs loyalty, Deception and boundaries

Available on

Apple TV
Starz Apple TV Channel
Amazon Prime Video Free with Ads
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

2. The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Drama Coming-of-Age Drama
7.9
20121h 43min

Overview

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1991. High school freshman Charlie is a wallflower, always watching life from the sidelines, until two senior students, Sam and her stepbrother Patrick, become his mentors, helping him discover the joys of friendship, music and love.

Themes

Belonging vs isolation, Coming of age tension, Peer mentorship dynamics, Adolescent mental health, First love and intimacy, Trauma memory disclosure

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
HBO Max
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Liberal Arts

3. Liberal Arts

Romance Comedy Drama Romantic Comedy Coming-of-Age Drama
6.7
20121h 37min

Overview

Newly single, 35, and uninspired by his job, Jesse Fisher worries that his best days are behind him. But no matter how much he buries his head in a book, life keeps pulling Jesse back. When his favorite college professor invites him to campus to speak at his retirement dinner, Jesse jumps at the chance.

Themes

Age difference romance, Letters as intimate conduit, Retirement anxiety and purpose, Adult longing vs youth ideals, Mentorship and campus dynamics, Education and self-discovery

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Shelter

4. Shelter

Drama Romance Coming-of-Age Drama Passionate Romance
7.6
20071h 29min

Overview

Forced to give up his dreams of art school, Zach works dead-end jobs to support his sister and her son. Questioning his life, he paints, surfs and hangs out with his best friend, Gabe. When Gabe's older brother returns home for the summer, Zach suddenly finds himself drawn into a relationship he didn't expect.

Themes

Romance under social scrutiny, Family obligation vs ambition, Identity and acceptance pressures, Creative dreams under pressure, Class tensions and aspiration, Caregiving vs personal growth

Available on

Here TV
Here TV  Amazon Channel
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

The King and the Clown

5. The King and the Clown

Drama History Thriller Historical Drama Historical Event
7.3
20052h 1min

Overview

Two clowns living in Korea's Chosun Dynasty get arrested for staging a play that satirizes the king. They are dragged to the palace and threatened with execution but are given a chance to save their lives if they can make the king laugh.

Themes

Loyalty under coercion, Gender performance, Art versus authority, Class hierarchy pressure, Status and reputation risk, Public satire as survival

Available on

Universcine
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

6. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

Drama Comedy Romance Romantic Comedy Coming-of-Age Drama
6.5
20051h 59min

Overview

Four best friends (Tibby, Lena, Carmen & Bridget) who buy a mysterious pair of pants that fits each of them, despite their differing sizes, and makes whoever wears them feel fabulous. When faced with the prospect of spending their first summer apart, the pals decide they'll swap the pants so that each girl in turn can enjoy the magic.

Themes

Romance and boundary testing, Female friendship under pressure, Grief and resilience, Coming of age and self-worth, Family dynamics and acceptance, Cross-cultural tensions and belonging

Available on

Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Howl's Moving Castle

7. Howl's Moving Castle

Fantasy Animation Adventure Epic Fantasy Anime
8.2
20041h 59min

Overview

Sophie, a young milliner, is turned into an elderly woman by a witch who enters her shop and curses her. She encounters a wizard named Howl and gets caught up in his resistance to fighting for the king.

Themes

Deception as strategy, Aging due to curse, Binding magical relationships, War as moral pressure, Flight as freedom, Romance amid upheaval

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
HBO Max
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

A Love Song for Bobby Long

8. A Love Song for Bobby Long

Drama Family Drama
7.1
20041h 59min

Overview

A headstrong young woman returns to New Orleans after the death of her estranged mother.

Themes

Caregiving under strain, Memory shaping identity, Unconventional family dynamics, Substance dependence and codependency, Education as aspiration, Inheritance and belonging

Available on

The Roku Channel
Tubi TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Monsieur Ibrahim

9. Monsieur Ibrahim

Drama Coming-of-Age Drama
7.3
20031h 31min

Overview

Paris, 1960s. Momo, a resolute and independent Jewish teenager who lives with his father, a sullen and depressed man, in a working-class neighborhood, develops a close friendship with Monsieur Ibrahim, an elderly Muslim who owns a small grocery store.

Themes

Class inequality, Economic precarity, Found family, Mentorship across cultures, Belonging and identity, Spiritual resilience

Available on

Amazon Video
Google Play Movies
YouTube
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Good Bye, Lenin!

10. Good Bye, Lenin!

Comedy Drama Satire Political Drama
7.7
20032h 1min

Overview

Alex Kerner's mother was in a coma while the Berlin wall fell. When she wakes up he must try to keep her from learning what happened (as she was an avid communist supporter) to avoid shocking her which could lead to another heart attack.

Themes

State change and deception, Media as reality construction, Consumerism and brand signals, Generation gap under reform, Family loyalty under pressure, Memory versus progress

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.