Some people find the aging process intimidating, haunting and undesirable. They’ll do everything they can to stop the aging process from progressing. This includes seeking out cosmetic procedures like Botox and filler. Some folks lie about their age when they go on first dates, apply for jobs or introduce themselves to strangers. It’s not that shocking since society hasn’t been too kind to its elders throughout history.
On the flip side of the coin, there are also plenty of people who appreciate the aging process. They understand that getting older means enjoying a longer and more fulfilling life. The only alternative to aging is dying early. That said, the list of interesting movies to watch with old age as the leading topic is extensive. These movies resonate with older folks who are already in their 70s, 80s, and 90s. They also provide thought-provoking messages for younger generations who haven’t reached an age that classifies as “old” yet.
One iconic film is “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” which premiered in 2008. It stars Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, and Taraji P. Henson, and tells the story of a baby born as an old man. He lives his entire life aging in reverse. Another beloved movie that focuses on old age is “Driving Miss Daisy” from 1989. It stars Jessica Tandy, Morgan Freeman, and Dan Aykroyd. The film is about an elderly woman named Daisy who struggles with letting go of her independence. After a car accident, she’s forced to rely on a chauffeur to get from point A to point B. Baby Boomers and the generations above them can resonate with the desire to maintain their personal freedoms. (Click here to discover 25 fads only Baby Boomers can remember.)
Here is the list of the 40 best movies about old age:
40. The Bucket List (2007)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
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- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (237,605 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 77% (77 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 41% (178 reviews)
- Directed by: Rob Reiner
39. Woman in Gold (2015)
Source: Courtesy of The Weinstein Company
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (61,228 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (79 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 57% (156 reviews)
- Directed by: Simon Curtis
38. The Old Man & the Gun (2018)
Source: Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 6.7/10 (46,992 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 62% (62 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (270 reviews)
- Directed by: David Lowery
37. About Schmidt (2002)
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
- IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (126,363 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 74% (74 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 85% (204 reviews)
- Directed by: Alexander Payne
36. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (614,041 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (80 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 71% (258 reviews)
- Directed by: David Fincher
35. Hachi: A Dog’s Tale (2009)
Source: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (288,145 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (84 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 64% (28 reviews)
- Directed by: Lasse Hallström
34. The Color of Money (1986)
Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (78,707 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 73% (73 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (47 reviews)
- Directed by: Martin Scorsese
33. The Wife (2017)
Source: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
- IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (37,875 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 77% (77 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 86% (225 reviews)
- Directed by: Björn Runge
32. Driving Miss Daisy (1989)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (105,134 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (81 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 82% (65 reviews)
- Directed by: Bruce Beresford
31. Crazy Heart (2009)
Source: Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (86,771 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 76% (76 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (212 reviews)
- Directed by: Scott Cooper
30. The Name of the Rose (1986)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
N/A
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (112,656 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (85 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 75% (24 reviews)
- Directed by: Jean-Jacques Annaud
29. Darkest Hour (2017)
Source: Courtesy of Focus Features
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (205,576 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (82 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 84% (318 reviews)
- Directed by: Joe Wright
28. The Way (2010)
Source: Courtesy of Ocean Avenue Entertainment
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (31,762 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (83 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (100 reviews)
- Directed by: Emilio Estevez
27. Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (70,612 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (91 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 74% (42 reviews)
- Directed by: Jon Avnet
26. Primal Fear (1996)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (200,241 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (89 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 76% (46 reviews)
- Directed by: Gregory Hoblit
25. Sully (2016)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (276,137 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (84 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 85% (347 reviews)
- Directed by: Clint Eastwood
23. Waking Ned Devine (1998)
Source: Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (25,934 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (88 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 84% (61 reviews)
- Directed by: Kirk Jones
22. The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (160,452 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (84 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (56 reviews)
- Directed by: David Zucker
21. La Grande Bellezza (2013)
Source: Courtesy of Janus Films
N/A
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (94,826 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (81 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (135 reviews)
- Directed by: Paolo Sorrentino
20. The World’s Fastest Indian (2005)
Source: Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures
N/A
- IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (55,754 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (89 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 82% (144 reviews)
- Directed by: Roger Donaldson
19. Gods and Monsters (1998)
Source: Courtesy of Lionsgate Films
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (31,431 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (83 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (67 reviews)
- Directed by: Bill Condon
18. Nebraska (2013)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Vantage
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (115,265 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (83 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (251 reviews)
- Directed by: Alexander Payne
17. Lucky (2017)
Source: Courtesy of Eureka Entertainment
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (21,622 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (81 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (151 reviews)
- Directed by: John Carroll Lynch
16. Gran Torino (2008)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (742,002 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (90 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 81% (238 reviews)
- Directed by: Clint Eastwood
15. Amour (2012)
Source: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
N/A
- IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (103,481 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (82 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (227 reviews)
- Directed by: Michael Haneke
14. Philomena (2013)
Source: Courtesy of The Weinstein Company
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (101,025 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (89 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (200 reviews)
- Directed by: Stephen Frears
13. True Grit (2010)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (323,355 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (85 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (275 reviews)
- Directed by: Joel & Ethan Coen
12. Harold and Maude (1971)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (74,795 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (93 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 84% (45 reviews)
- Directed by: Hal Ashby
11. Gandhi (1982)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (233,479 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (92 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 85% (62 reviews)
- Directed by: Richard Attenborough
10. Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (657,818 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (90 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (271 reviews)
- Directed by: Clint Eastwood
9. Kolya (1997)
Source: Courtesy of Miramax
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (15,962 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (92 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (25 reviews)
- Directed by: Jan Svěrák
8. Inherit the Wind (1960)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (30,791 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (91 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (26 reviews)
- Directed by: Stanley Kramer
7. Se7en (1995)
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
- IMDb user rating: 8.6/10 (1,517,067 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (95 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 82% (82 reviews)
- Directed by: David Fincher
6. The Straight Story (1999)
Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (91,786 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (91 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (103 reviews)
- Directed by: David Lynch
5. Being There (1979)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (69,791 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (92 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (57 reviews)
- Directed by: Hal Ashby
4. Up (2009)
Source: Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.2/10 (975,977 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (90 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (298 reviews)
- Directed by: Pete Docter
3. The Father (2020)
Source: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
- IMDb user rating: 8.2/10 (187,723 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (92 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (295 reviews)
- Directed by: Florian Zeller
2. Ran (1985)
Source: Courtesy of Orion Classics
- IMDb user rating: 8.2/10 (130,962 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (95 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (89 reviews)
- Directed by: Akira Kurosawa
1. Make Way for Tomorrow (1937)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.2/10 (8,028 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (92 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (20 reviews)
- Directed by: Leo McCarey