The theme of loneliness is prevalent in numerous films. Whether we spend our time alone or are constantly surrounded by people, we have all had this sensation. This sentiment is so pervasive that it appears frequently in many genres, languages, and geographical areas. Loneliness and isolation can result from so many different things, including sexual orientation, race, mental health, and more, that it can actually be used as a tool to bring people together. An adult who recently relocated to a new city far from their family and friends, for instance, would identify strongly with a movie about a bullied, lonely teen. This shared experience of loneliness has the potential to broaden our perspectives on one another.
This makes it a fantastic lead to follow if you want to diversify and increase your watchlist. There are probably going to be more of these lonely movies that call to you if you already enjoy films like Her or Frances Ha. “The movies are like a machine that develops empathy,” said Roger Ebert. It’s a remarkably effective instrument for bringing us together. Here are the top 15 films that examine various aspects of loneliness and may make you feel less alone.
A Ghost Story (2017)
A Ghost Story offers a singular perspective on loss and sadness as well as what happens next. When a young couple’s spouse passes away, the husband appears to the wife as a ghost dressed in a white sheet, albeit the wife is unaware of his presence. He is present while she is bereaved, unable to offer her support or interact with her. She eventually vacates the property, but the ghostly spouse stays; he stays there for decades or even centuries. The film doesn’t have a lot of language; instead, it relies on its striking imagery and stirring music by Daniel Hart to carry the narrative forward. You can’t get much more isolated from society than by being dead, so director David Lowery uses the ghost as a narrative technique to offer a unique perspective on loneliness and feeling different.
Cléo from 5 to 7 (1962)
Cléo from 5 to 7 follows the titular character, a singer, from the hours of five to seven in what is arguably Agnès Varda’s most famous film. She has an appointment with her doctor at 6:30, and as the time passes, she grows more concerned as she awaits the findings that will reveal whether she has cancer. Cléo withdraws into herself, unable to focus on anything but this impending information, and everything she does and sees is filtered through this anxiety. The only person who is able to change her perspective on her day is a French soldier she encounters who is on leave from the Algerian War.
Columbus (2017)
John Cho, known for his work in Star Trek and Harold and Kumar, and Haley Lu Richardson, who you may have seen in The White Lotus or Five Feet Apart, star in the understated drama Columbus. In Columbus, Indiana, where Cho’s character is visiting his father who is in a coma and Richardson’s character lives with her mother, their characters cross paths. Both of them are experiencing a sense of helplessness and isolation as a result of their unique circumstances, making their friendship seem less implausible than it actually is. The movie’s events are set against the iconic architecture of the city, which takes on a life of its own through influencing the story. Columbus is just as good as After Yang and Pachinko, both of which director Kogonda has since been hailed for.
Eighth Grade (2018)
Elsie Fisher, who is in her last week of eighth grade, is a star of Eighth Grade. She has trouble relating to her peers since she is timid and introverted. Although it can be painful to see, the film also exudes a strong sense of tenderness and love for its lead character. Even if you have never been a 13-year-old girl, you will be able to relate to it since it is incredibly grounded and authentic. The difference between Fisher’s character’s online identity and real character makes for an intriguing juxtaposition. Fisher’s character has a YouTube channel that offers an insight into who she aspires to be. It’s difficult to use social media in movies in a way that feels genuine, but writer and filmmaker Bo Burnham has produced a story that feels genuinely genuine.
God’s Own Country (2017)
God’s Own Country follows young farmer Johnny Saxby as he meets a Romanian migrant laborer who comes to help on the farm in the north of England. To deal with his loneliness, Johnny has a tendency of binge drinking and having sex without any kind of commitment. The rural environment of the film contributes to Johnny’s loneliness and serves as a reflection of it. The actor who plays Johnny, Josh O’Connor, says of his character: “He has a local tavern and works insane hours so he doesn’t get to see anything.” He continues by saying that for Johnny, meeting and starting a relationship with the new farmworker Gheorghe “opens a new universe.”
High Life (2018)
There are perhaps few places more solitary than space, making it the ideal venue for studying loneliness. On a spacecraft where the crew is made up of convicts who chose to take part in a reproduction experiment, High Life takes place, As the experiment progresses, the characters get more desperate for it to work, which reflects a yearning for connection and camaraderie. They are figuratively trying to make companions for themselves because the experiment is focused on creating new life. The primary cast, which includes Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche, André 3000, and Mia Goth, is all in fine form. The fact that the participants are felons who have been denied citizenship adds to the abjection in this film.
Pariah (2011)
Pariah’s Alike is played by Adepero Oduye. The story centers on Alike, a young lesbian who faces her mother’s scrutiny and judgment as she tries to understand and accept who she is. With the definition of the word being employed in the movie’s poster, Pariah’s title says a lot about the prevalence of loneliness and isolation in this work. The voyage taken by Alike is turbulent and emotional, just like the ones taken by people in comparable situations in real life. Dee Rees, the writer and filmmaker, serves as a reminder to viewers who empathize with this “pariah” that they are not the only ones who experience feelings of exclusion. This underrated film deserves to be seen by as many people as possible.
Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)
A woman is commissioned to paint a portrait of another woman to be sent to her lover in Celine Sciamma’s beautiful and riveting film Portrait of a Lady on Fire. It takes set on a French island that appears to be home to just the few persons who are there. This feeling of remoteness is emphasized by expansive images of the water and surroundings. The two women gradually open up to one another during the film, and their relationship is a once-in-a-lifetime event. Even if the bond they forge is lovely and profound, the fact that it will eventually end serves as a reminder of their lack of such relationships in their lives apart from one another.
Ratcatcher (1999)
In the opening scene of Ratcatcher, which takes place in Glasgow, a small kid sees one of his playmates inadvertently drown. He clearly feels disturbed as he comes home to his mother, his drunken father, and his sisters. As he makes an effort to make friends with some older boys and spends time with an older girl who experiences sexual harassment from many of the neighborhood males, his isolation worsens. There are plenty of happy and silly moments in the film despite its gloomy subject matter. Lynne Ramsay, a director, stated to IndieWire, “You transition from this stark truth into something that is much harder to define. I suppose it is more surreal.” Ramsay may not have been trying to be realistic, but loneliness and joy, two seemingly incompatible emotions, frequently go hand in hand or follow one another.
Roma (2018)
Roma by Alfonso Cuarón describes a maid’s life in Mexico City. Yalitza Aparicio portrays the lead character deftly and clearly. When the character of Cleo played by Aparicio’s family’s husband leaves the house with a mistress, the wife invites Cleo to go on vacation with her kids. Class differences and conflicts are simply given to the spectator in the film; it doesn’t feel didactic in the way it does so. Much of the drama in the movie is generated by Cleo’s contradictory position as both a member of and outside the family. Despite being frequent in real life, this type of loneliness—the outcome of a class divide—is not often depicted in movies.
Shoplifters (2018)
In his first film, Shoplifters, writer and director Hirokazu Kore-eda tells the story of a family who makes their living by committing minor crimes. They take in a child who is found alone in the cold and decide not to try to return her to her family after finding her. The film raises intriguing issues regarding possession, family, belonging, and loneliness while yet being enjoyable and moving to watch. Lily Franky, Sakura Andô, and Kirin Kiki are among the cast members, with some other talented young actresses making up the remainder of the family. The plot is very unique and comes together beautifully as it goes along. It’s simple to understand why Roma, which it narrowly lost to in the Best International Feature Film category at the Oscars, received a nomination.
Short Term 12 (2013)
The staff and patients at a residential treatment facility for children and teenagers are the subjects of the film Short Term 12. Many of the actors in the film, including LaKeith Stanfield, Kaitlyn Dever, Brie Larson, Rami Malek, and Stephanie Beatriz, had breakthrough performances. The movie’s short film served as the stage for Stanfield’s debut performance. Each young person in the story must be struggling with their mental health because of how the story is set up; otherwise, they wouldn’t be the focus. With such a talented group, each performance is subtle and realistic. Although it is nice to see the people develop and form relationships with one another, the film keeps these events realistic; nothing magically transforms suddenly.
Spirited Away (2001)
Chihiro, a little child in Spirited Away, is upset over her family’s decision to relocate to the country. Chihiro’s parents stop for lunch as she investigates an abandoned theme park they come across. She then knows she is in danger after learning that the park is home to a number of ominous beings, including demons and ghosts. Chihiro makes it clear that she is lonely as she travels from her home to a virtually deserted theme park. She does, however, meet Haku there, and the two develop a close connection that aids in her reuniting with her parents. What makes her feel most alone is what makes her feel connected and with others.
The Double (2013)
Based on a Fyodor Dostoyevsky tale, Richard Ayoade’s film The Double was created. The main character, played by Jesse Eisenberg, has his life taken over by a considerably more confident and endearing physical duplicate of himself. Wallace Shawn and Mia Wasikowska are also featured in the cast. As the plot develops, the incidents become increasingly ludicrous and extreme, supporting the axiom that if we saw a clone of ourselves, we would go insane. There is a lot to explore regarding sadness, corporate solitude, and feeling out of control of your own life despite the absurdist and stylized nature of the work. This is the ideal black humor for Ayoade or Dostoyevsky enthusiasts.
The Lobster (2015)
The Lobster depicts a society in which single people must travel to “The Hotel,” where they must find a spouse within a set amount of time or else they would be changed into an animal. The setting is a dystopian city not too distant in the future. The lead actor is Colin Farrell, and Rachel Weisz co-stars. The film is full of societal satire, yet it focuses a lot on relationships and loneliness. There is the usual absurdist humor and darkness there because it was written by Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthymis Filippou and was also directed by Lanthimos. The fixation with romantic relationships in our society and how it isolates single individuals are both skillfully captured and challenged in The Lobster.
