The feeling of becoming thirty is unique since many people welcome it differently. Some feel depressed over passing the big three-o, while others don’t mind it as they still feel young at heart. But, sooner or later, everyone in their early or mid-30s realizes thatthe life experience just becomes more special as time goes by, and there’s a lot more waiting for them.
Somemovies encourage viewers to start overin life and others help them overcomethe coming-of-age period, but what kind of movie is there for someone turning thirty? There’s no secret formula or definition, which is why they’re everywhere and in various genres. Whether it’s about juggling love life, fulfilling external and internal expectations, leaving a potentially dead-end job, or reconnecting with roots,the experience of becoming and being in one’s thirties is encompassing. For anyone looking to dissect what it means to turn or be 30, some movies might help them see themselves and life in a different light.
10’How to be Single' (2014)
Directed by Christian Ditter
How to Be Singlefollows Alice (Dakota Johnson), who leaves her boyfriend and moves to New York City to find more for herself. She settles in with her older sister, Meg (Leslie Mann), and meets a plethora of characters, from the hilarious Robin (Rebel Wilson) to the handsome Tom (Anders Holm) and David (Damon Wayans Jr.). Alice first decides to let go by partying with Robin and engaging in one-night stands. This period allows her to figure out what she wants out of life after a long relationship, but distractions seem to take her away from that path.
Alice and the rest of the characters may not all officially be in their thirties, but those on the brink of entering this time of life will surely relate to them. Doing the same things over and over, drowning sorrows in partying and drinking, denying what they really want—the list can get long. However,the ending ofHow to Be Singleis happy for everyone since each character decides that enough is enough, taking their fate into their own hands.The movie is a light comedy, so it’s bound to entertain as well as help people relate.
How to Be Single
9’Jeff, Who Lives at Home' (2011)
Directed by Mark and Jay Duplass
TheDuplass brothers' indie wonder,Jeff, Who Lives at Home, follows a man in his 30s, Jeff (Jason Segel), whose life is at a standstill. He believes in karmic signs and fate, but to the detriment of his mother (Susan Sarandon), he still lives in her home and doesn’t do much. Jeff has a brother, Pat (Ed Helms), who’s seemingly living the good life—he’s married, has a steady job, and even drives a Porsche. Pat often criticizes Jeff for being directionless, while Jeff considers Pat’s life void of any real emotion. The two are brought closer together when Pat sees his wife sitting with another man, and they embark on an adventure to find out more.
Unlikemany other box office indie hits,Jeff, Who Lives at Homewasn’t a huge money maker but received praise for its humor and poignancy.If anyone feels directionless in their 30s, this movie might help them feel a bit more seen. Every character carries an emotional burden, whether it’s letting go of responsibility for others (like Jeff and Pat’s mother), the soul-crushing weight of trying to find a purpose, or dealing with the things that have so far been swept under the rug. It sounds heavy, butJeff, Who Lives at Homehas a happy ending and might encourage someone to feel better about themselves.
Jeff, Who Lives at Home
8’Bridesmaids' (2011)
Directed by Paul Feig
One ofthe best comedies of the 2010sand one of thegreatest comedies of the 21st century so far, 2011’sBridesmaidsfollows failed baker Annie (Kristen Wiig), chosen to be her best friend Lilian’s (Maya Rudolph) maid of honor. She soon develops an antagonistic relationship with one of Lillian’s bridesmaids, Helen (Rose Byrne), the wealthy trophy wife of her fiancé’s boss. As tensions rise between them through a series of wedding events, from the engagement celebration to the bachelorette party, Annie begins to resent her.
Annie unravels and goes through a painful but necessary transformation, which is something many 30-somethings may have felt over the years. How does one continue after failing without continuously blaming themselves?Bridesmaidsdescribes the female experience well, including being thirty or more without actually feeling those years emotionally. It’s important to mature and overcome certain things, and sometimes, it takes a raunchy, slapstick comedy to show how. Funnily enough,Melissa McCarthyhas one of the grossest scenes in the movie, but her role earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Bridesmaids
7’The Way We Were' (1973)
Directed by Sydney Pollack
The Way We Wereis one of those classics that lingers in the mind for a long time.Barbra StreisandandRobert Redfordstunningly play Katie and Hubbell, two opposites who can’t help their attraction to each other. Katie is socially and politically active and doesn’t back down from her principles, calling out injustice wherever she sees it. Hubbell is an apolitical author who’s inevitably bound to privileged societal circles and rarely takes a stance. This unlikely pair enters an on-and-off relationship spanning years, but they ultimately understand that their love is not enough for them to last.
Sydney Pollockdirected this romantic drama, andBarbra Streisand won the Oscarfor the movie’s theme song, “The Way We Were.” Many 30-year-olds today are Millennials, and this generation was raised on shaky ground. The socio-economic and political state of the world grows unstable each year, andmany come to terms with the fact that it’s tough to just sit on the sidelines. Still, many also need to understand that love isn’t enough to sustain a relationship; one should be on the same page with a potential lifelong partner, and the premise of opposites attracting sounds romantic, but it’s highly complex.
The Way We Were
6’tick, tick… BOOM!' (2021)
Directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda
Lin-Manuel Miranda’stick, tick… BOOM!was based on a musical of the same name, an autobiographical story written byJonathan Larson. Larson is the author behind the highly acclaimed musicalRentandtick, tick… BOOM!mainly shows how he embarked on the journey of entering musical theater.Andrew Garfieldstunningly portrays Larson as he’s about to turn 30 while admittedly living a life run by fear.
The musical portraysan honest and frail man who only wishes to realize his dreams but isn’t sure if he has what it takes. This could be highly relatable to someone in their 30s, trying their best to find a footing in life and weighing whether dreams are worth every (or any) risk.Andrew Garfield received an Oscar nominationfor his role, and many consider him the rightful winner. Despite this loss,tick, tick… BOOM!is a career highlight for both Garfield and Lin-Manuel Miranda, whose theater career is what made him a staple in the musical theater industry.
Tick, Tick…Boom!
Watch on Netflix
5’Office Space' (1999)
Directed by Mike Judge
Ron LivingstonleadsOffice Space,the iconic movie that ushered office comedy into a staple genre. It shows various corporate employees tackling the plight of being nothing more than a number to their bosses. Livingston’s character, Peter,hates his corporate job so muchthat he starts doing reckless things in the office to see how much it’d take to get fired, but his behavior causes the opposite reaction: he gets promoted. His coworkers, Samir and Michael, as well as his romantic interest Joanna (Jennifer Aniston), struggle, too, and Peter lets them know it’s time tosay goodbye to living dull lives and following the rules.
Office Spaceis memorable for many scenes but could be known to wider audiences for itsopening scene in trafficand one where Peter, Michael, and Samir trash an office printerto the music of Geto Boys.Office Spacegives the ultimate “up yours” to the status quo, corporate lifestyle, and loss of individuality is something many folks dream of. People in their thirties could be some of these office employees, and it’s tough to observe corporate jobs as worthy of one’s time, especially after the pandemic and the rise of remote work.Office Spaceis so relatable thatit could motivate someone to finallysay “no” to their bossy management and live life on their terms.
Office Space
4’The Joy Luck Club' (1993)
Directed by Wayne Wang
Wayne Wang’s pivotal filmThe Joy Luck Clubwas the first in 30 years to feature a mostly Asian cast that talks about the lives of Asian immigrants in America. The first-ever movie to tell such anAsian immigrant story wasFlower Drum Songin 1961.The Joy Luck Clubguides viewers through the memories of four Chinese women and their lives as kids and young girls; it also focuses on their Chinese-American daughters, the first-generation Americans in their families.Ming-Na WenandTamlyn Tomitaare among the more famous names of today, but the entire cast was pivotal to the story’s widespread impact.
The Joy Luck Clubhelps audiences learn how to ask, listen, and learn.
It’s crucial for Asian representation in Hollywood, but how can it describe the feeling of being in one’s thirties? Many people, but more than anything, women, understand what it can be like to connect to their mothers, and for migrant families, the disparities between the mothers' and daughters' upbringings can be huge. Generally,The Joy Luck Clubhelps audiences learn how to ask, listen, and learn. Connecting with those who came before can be crucial for personal change because one can choose to repeat the same mistakes and successes or forge an individual path.The thirties are often the time to reflect on past achievements and plan for the future, but it’s always important to reflect on what happened and how it can be used for good.
Watch on Hulu
3’The Big Chill' (1983)
Directed by Lawrence Kasdan
What could bring a group of college friends back together? It can be either a graduation party or any similar happy occasion, or, in the case ofThe Big Chill, a tragedy. Alex dies by suicide, and his friends — Sarah, Harold, Meg, Nick, Sam, Michael, and Karen — get together at Sarah and Harold’s house to recall the good (and bad) times. The friends remember Alex as charismatic, progressive, and a driving force in the friendship, but dealing with his loss comes as a shock. The group begins opening up about their struggles over the years after graduating from college.
The movie’s name refers to aphysical chill Kasdan claimed to have experiencedafter witnessing his former classmates' apathy and cynicism towards ideas they firmly held during their college years. Thus, the movie is semi-autobiographical, describing how a big chill turns a passionate and yearning person into a comfort-seeking, apathetic adult. For this and many other reasons,this star-studded movie is one of the best movies for anyone in their thirties. Someone might even recognize themselves in one of the characters, decide to take a different path in life out of fear of becoming like one of them, or just reconsider where their limits and possibilities lie at the very moment.
The Big Chill
2’The Worst Person In the World' (2022)
Directed by Joachim Trier
Is there anyone who hasn’t felt like the worst person in the world at some point in their twenties and thirties?Joachim Trier’sThe Worst Person in the Worldrevolves around Julie (Renate Reinsve) and her life across four years. Julie enters a relationship, changes her college major and hobbies several times, falls in love again, and deals with grief and finding independence.The Worst Person in the Worldis the third installment in Trier’sOslo trilogy, coming afterReprise(2006) andOslo, August 31st(2011).
The movie is an ultimatededication to achieving self-lovewhile finding romantic love. Though Julie hasn’t reached the third floor in the movie, many thirty-somethings definitely remember the times they were indecisive about college and the path their lives were supposed to take.This dilemma doesn’t really pass for some, including Julie, who struggles to make peace with herself while hurting other people. Sometimes, it’s easier to leave a situation without a word, but more often,it takes guts and courage to deal with it head-on.
The Worst Person in the World
1’Swingers' (1996)
Directed by Doug Liman
In certain ways,Swingersis a coming-of-age-again story while hiding behind the facade of a raunchy comedyabout men in the Los Angeles dating scene. Jon Favreau plays Mike, a New York stand-up comedian who moves to LA to make it big. Mike’s friends love chasing girls and binge drinking while he desperately tries to get over an unexpected breakup. Mike tries to follow his friends' lead by approaching girls and enjoying parties, but his depression increases after each night out. Ultimately, Mike clicks with a woman and observes as his friends seemingly keep chasing their tails by doing the same things, realizing that progress takes time and happens when one least expects it.
Swingerssuperficially doesn’t seem that deep, but a lot happens that makes someone relate to Mike and his friends.
Jon Favreauwrote and stars inSwingers;his chemistry withVince Vaughnoften defines the movie, making it a more believable story about friendship, love, and self-compassion. This buddy comedy superficially doesn’t seem that deep, but a lot happens that makes someone relate to Mike and his friends. They’re funny and charming, and their friendship endures. Alas, sometimes it’s vital to step back and assess whether the whole friend group is at the same mental and emotional level. One shouldn’t abandon friends, but they should also be allowed to grow outside their expectations.
