What are some movies about ageism?
So many seniors worldwide have faced the destructive effects of ageism every once in a while. Their intelligence may get underestimated, they might be got ignored, or their experiences may not be taken seriously. It seems unfair, right? Yes! It is! Ageism is toxic, and that’s how it hurts older adults.
As a senior, you have to know that you’re not alone. You’re always valuable. One of the best ways to stay productive and not get frustrated by some offensive attitudes is to watch movies relevant to your situation. These movies show similar characters with the same problem and get over ageism and do not give up.
Since you may have plenty of free time, it will be excellent entertainment for you. Trust me! You’re going to have a great time. Here are some recommendations for you.
• Sunset Blvd
Joe Gliss (starring William Holden) is a bankrupt screenwriter who accidentally enters a random house while running away from his creditors. He finds out the house belongs to one of the former Hollywood stars named Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson). She has been left out because she is not as young and beautiful as before. However, she still tries hard to return to take back her fame and position.
• The natural
The movie is about a former baseball star, Roy Hobbs. His journey to success has become undone by a horrible accident. Now, after 16 years, he is trying to make his old dream come true. But this time, his unstoppable.
• About Schmidt
Have you ever thought about your retirement while working hard in your office? Most people think about retirement as the most peaceful and joyful period in their lives. Still, after retirement, they realize that it was not such a dream that they had been waiting for. That’s what happens for the main character of “About Schmidt.” now, he is trying to figure out a way to overcome his midlife crisis.
• I, Daniel Blake
Daniel Blake is almost 60, and he used to work as a carpenter, but after his heart attack, the doctors forbade him from working. But there is a problem. The authorities denied his request for employment and support allowance. Now he has to start an unbearable fight to take back his legal rights. Experiencing illness, becoming jobless, and loneliness is too much for Blake to go through. He is on the edge of being crashed, but he meets someone who changes everything.
• The High Note
The destructive effects of ageism are frequently seen in famous people’s career life. The entertainment industry has crashed many singers and actresses for their age, beauty, and body shapes and cruelly leaves them behind. Many experienced artists have been through such mental pressure in the middle of their careers. The high note reflects that fact. Grace Davis is an R&B legend experiencing her mid-career crisis, and her assistant Maggie is trying to help her out.
Not many movies’ main story is about ageism, but here are some that point ageism out somehow: Sunset Blvd. (1950) is about a screenwriter and a film star whose time is over and wants a glorious return. These two develop a relationship, and the story carries on around them. About Schmidt (2002) Starring Jack Nicholson as Schmidt is my favorite movie nominated for 2 Oscars, achieved 25 wins and 71 nominations. Schmidt is a recently retired man whose journey starts when he decides to be at his estranged daughter’s wedding. Happy End (2017) is focused on crises and setbacks in a French family. Things like depression and emptiness are pointed out in this movie. Our Souls at Night (2017) Addie Moore and Louis Waters are widows living next to each other. They have no relationship until Addie wants to connect with her neighbour; after that, everything starts to change.
My short list is:
• A Song for Martin, 2001
Swedish composer Martin and concertmaster Barbara fall in love and happily marry. While composing an opera, Martin is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. That slowly changes him.
• Being Julia, 2004
Set in ’30s London, the film is about stage actors and their experiences with love and revenge.
• Bicycle, Spoon, Apple, 2010
We witness Pasqual Maragall, Former President of Catalonia and former Mayor of Barcelona, and his surroundings during his fight against Alzheimer’s.
• Home for the Weekend, 2012
Marko is in his mid-thirties, has just published his first book, and he has lived in Berlin since his university days, very far from his parents Gitte and Günter, whose bourgeois lifestyle he could never completely get used to.
• Happy End, 2017
A well-to-do French family is dealing with a series of setbacks and crises.
• Our Souls at Night, 2017
Robert Redford and Jane Fonda star as Louis Waters and Addie Moore, a widow and widower who have lived next to each other for many years.
If you are a film buff or not, there are many films for entertainment. The following are the films that seniors would like to watch to learn about ageism:
1. I, Daniel Blake (2016), a 59-year-old carpenter, must fight the official forces to obtain Employment and Support Allowance after a heart attack.
2. Our Souls at Night (2017) is about a widow and widower living next door.
3. About Schmidt (2002): A man near retirement goes on a journey to his daughter’s wedding. This journey is to find out more about himself and life.
4. 45 Years (2015), a married couple getting ready to celebrate their wedding anniversary receives unpleasant news that changes their lives.