Every year on July 30, International Friendship Day is celebrated to inspire people around the world to commemorate the spirit of camaraderie, solidarity, companionship and mutual understanding.
In honor of this, and as an annual reminder of the precious connections that enrich our lives, let’s review six cinematic works that prove that age is no barrier to forming meaningful friendships.
Often, films that celebrate the spirit of intergenerational friendship offer a bridge between the past, present and future, allowing each generation to learn from the experiences and perspectives of the other. From classics like Cinema Paradiso to more recent films like Mr. Holmes, these titles provide a unique lens through which we can view life, merging the seasoned insight of the old with the fresh enthusiasm of the young.
Here are a handful of films that promote the value of intergenerational friendships.
Cinema Paradiso (1988)
Winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film (1990), Cinema Paradiso is a coming-of-age film in which a restless boy is taken in by an older man who teaches him a true love of cinema and helps him find his purpose in life.
Written and directed by Giuseppe Tornatore, this charming Italian film follows Salvatore Di Vita, an accomplished filmmaker, as he reflects on his childhood in a Sicilian village. Throughout the film we see Salvatore’s most cherished memories, including: the “Cinema Paradiso,” the setting of his childhood dreams, and Alfredo (Philippe Noiret), the kind and wise projectionist who becomes his friend and father figure.
Cinema Paradiso is the story of two friends and how their lives affect each other, but also how cinema nourishes and transforms them. As they face the wonders and challenges of life, Alfredo and Salvatore (aka Toto) cultivate a deep friendship that transcends their vast age difference and proves that camaraderie knows no bounds.
This nostalgic production that has been called “one of the best films of all time” reminds us that the most meaningful friendships can be found in unlikely places, transcending age and distance.
Steel Magnolias (1989)
Since its release a little over three decades ago, Steel Magnolias has been hailed as a celebration of womanhood and intergenerational female friendship. At its release, its tagline was “the funniest movie that will make you cry.”
This dramatic comedy takes place in a fictional small Louisiana town called Chinquapin Parish, at Truvy Jones’ beauty salon, and involves a group of imperfect, vulnerable and compassionate female friends who love to gossip.
Shelby, M’Lynn, Annelle, Truvy, Clairee and Ouiser are a multi-generational gang, often found chatting in the town’s beauty salon. Their lives are dominated by challenges in their marriages, their jobs and their health. However, it is in the beauty salon where they can briefly escape their routines and ease their hearts and minds.
As the inevitable trials of life arise, such as romances, quarrels, births and deaths, these Southern ladies, who are of very different ages, find solace in each other. Steel Magnolias, explores the healing nature of friendship and reaffirms the strength that women draw from each other, regardless of their age.
Steel Magnolias has given us memorable cinematic lines, such as: “If you have something bad to say about somebody… sit down right here beside me!”, “When it comes to pain and suffering, she’s right up there with Elizabeth Taylor.”
This feature film is a brilliant depiction of friendship that manages to be warm, witty, and uplifting.
Drillbit Taylor (2008)
Produced by Judd Apatow, co-written by Seth Rogen and Kristofor Brown, and starring Owen Wilson, Drillbit Taylor is an irreverent and sassy comedy about school life and bullying among students.
At the center of Drillbit Taylor is a trio of nerds who feud with the school bullies. Continually threatened, beaten and persecuted – shy, sensitive Wade (Nate Hartley), chubby loudmouth Ryan (Troy Gentile), and neurotic geek Emmit (David Dorfman) – they make the decision to pool their resources and hire a personal bodyguard.
After a round of interviews that go nowhere, the guys innocently choose black ops expert Bob “Drillbit” Taylor (Owen Wilson), not realizing that he’s actually a witty drifter who will say anything to get what he wants. In need of money, Drillbit pretends to train the boys in martial arts, while conspiring with his hobo buddies to rob underage boys’ homes.
This quirky comedy depicts the rapprochement between Bob “Drillbit” Taylor and schoolboys Wade, Ryan and Emmit, highlighting how the untainted perspectives of children can rekindle an adult’s broken spirit. In the end, Drillbit realizes that he needs the boys as much as they need him, and he becomes a big brother and unconditional friend.
Naturally, the high school bullies get their comeuppance.
Up (2009)
Directed by Pete Docter and co-directed by Bob Peterson, Up became the third consecutive Pixar production to win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, following Ratatouille (2007) and WALL-E (2008).
We already know that Up is a sobering human drama that goes far beyond what is expected of a children’s film; the hero of the story is the unforgettable Carl Fredricksen, a cantankerous widower and balloon salesman who suddenly embarks on a wild adventure with an unexpected sidekick.
After the death of his wife, Carl has only one thing on his mind: to realize their shared dream of discovering Paradise Falls, -a fictitious waterfall inspired by the world’s tallest waterfall, Angel Falls, in the Amazon rainforest of Venezuela. Then, one fine day, he gets up the courage, ties thousands of helium balloons to his house and flies off to South America. But, to his surprise, Carl is not alone. On board is an accidental stowaway, Russell, a boy scout desperate to earn a “senior assistance” badge.
Trapped at high altitudes and as the journey progresses, Carl and Russell become emotionally supportive and bond. Although at the beginning of the film, Carl thinks Russell is nothing more than a nuisance, the boy, little by little, becomes his most trusted ally and endears himself to him.
Ultimately, Up is the story of an old widower and a young boy scout who bring out the best in each other.
Les Intouchables (2011)
Written and directed by Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano, Les Intouchables (The Intouchables) is an award-winning French drama based on the true story of a wealthy quadriplegic and his personal caretaker.
In this dramatic comedy, Philippe (François Cluzet) is paralyzed from the neck down as a result of a paragliding accident. It so happens that, since the incident, he has gone through a number of caregivers, and just now, he defies his family to hire Driss (Omar Sy), an unlikely domestic helper who has just been released from prison. The two men could not be more different, but there is something about the Senegalese man’s vitality and cockiness that appeals to Philippe. To the dismay of everyone close to him and even himself, the aristocrat gives this brash and inexperienced young man a job opportunity.
Although their initial connection seems unlikely, Philippe and Driss inspire each other and become a powerful source of strength and mutual enrichment. Philippe teaches Driss about life, introduces him to new values, experiences and perspectives. For his part, Driss helps Philippe rediscover his capacity for joy.
As can be seen, this film captures the bittersweet taste of life and explores the essence of intergenerational companionship, highlighting the trust, loyalty and mutual support that define real friendships.
Mr. Holmes (2015)
Directed by Bill Condon, responsible for films such as Chicago and Twilight: Breaking Dawn, Mr. Holmes is not your typical Sherlock story. The main difference between this feature film and others in the Sherlockian subgenre is that Holmes doesn’t have a problem with a specific case, but with himself. In this reimagining, based on Mitch Cullen’s novel A Slight Trick of the Mind (2005), the gifted detective struggles with his own aging process.
It all begins with a peculiar premise: The year is 1947, Sherlock Holmes (Ian McKellen) has been retired for more than 25 years and has major difficulties in employing his well-known logic to solve convoluted mysteries. Just now, he has just returned to his country house on the Sussex coast, and is in the care of his housekeeper, Mrs. Munro (Laura Linney), and her young son Roger (Milo Parker).
Almost immediately, the detective is impressed by Roger’s quick thinking, and Roger in turn is fascinated by Sherlock’s adventures. Together, they set out to discover the mysterious reason why Sherlock left the detective business the way he did.
Mr. Holmes is a beautiful love letter to the legendary detective, and features one of the most memorable and revitalizing intergenerational friendships of recent decades.