Movies and shows with a hopeful message

A good story can make you feel understood. Many films and shows are about people who feel alone and slowly find their way to others. They can comfort you, and they give you something to talk about with someone else.

How to use this list

• Ratings are U.S. ratings (G, PG, PG-13, R) or TV ratings. They can help you choose, especially for children. Check a parents' guide if you are unsure.
• Years are first release dates. Some films came out a year later in the U.S. than in their home country.
• Availability changes all the time. Many libraries lend DVDs, and many offer free streaming with a library card through services such as Kanopy or Hoopla. Ask your library which ones it has.
• A few films below deal with grief or suicidal feelings. These are noted. If you are feeling very low, choose something gentle and funny instead.

Family-friendly

• Up (2009, PG). A grieving widower and a lonely boy scout end up on an adventure; the opening minutes about a long marriage are famous for a reason, so have tissues.
• Lilo & Stitch (2002, PG). A lonely Hawaiian girl, her sister and a strange "dog" learn what family means. A live-action version came out in 2025.
• My Neighbor Totoro (1988, G). Two sisters with a sick mother find wonder and comfort in the countryside; very gentle for small children.
• The Iron Giant (1999, PG). A boy with no friends befriends a giant robot, and both learn they can choose who to be.
• WALL-E (2008, G). A lonely little robot cleaning up an empty Earth finds friendship, almost without words.
• Inside Out (2015, PG). A girl's emotions after a family move, showing why sadness can help us reach out to others.
• Coco (2017, PG). A boy, his family and the ancestors who still matter; a warm story about memory and belonging.
• Paddington 2 (2017, PG). A kind bear's good manners win over everyone, even in prison; joyful for all ages.
• The Wild Robot (2024, PG). A robot stranded on an island becomes an unlikely mother to a gosling; tender, with some peril.

Gentle and moving

• Amélie (2001, R). A shy young woman in Paris quietly improves strangers' lives while hiding from her own; has some sexual content.
• The Station Agent (2003, R). A man who wants to be left alone moves to a rural depot and gains two unexpected friends; for language and drug content.
• Lost in Translation (2003, R). Two lonely Americans in Tokyo form a brief, honest friendship.
• Lars and the Real Girl (2007, PG-13). A very withdrawn man and the small town that responds to him with patience and kindness; sweeter than its premise suggests.
• The Lunchbox (2013, PG). A mistaken lunch delivery in Mumbai starts a correspondence between a lonely widower and a neglected wife.
• Her (2013, R). A lonely man falls for an AI voice assistant. It is thoughtful, but it raises hard questions and is not a recommendation to replace people with apps. Has sexual content.
• A Man Called Ove (2015, PG-13) and its American remake A Man Called Otto (2022, PG-13). A grumpy widower is slowly drawn back into life by his neighbors. Both show the main character's suicide attempts; skip these if that would be hard for you right now.
• Perfect Days (2023, PG). A Tokyo toilet cleaner finds quiet joy in routine, music, trees and small kindnesses; a beautiful picture of being alone well.
• The Holdovers (2023, R). A strict teacher, a grieving cook and a stranded student spend a lonely school holiday together; for language.

Funny and warm

• About a Boy (2002, PG-13). A self-centered bachelor and a bullied boy end up needing each other.
• Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016, PG-13). A foster kid and his grumpy "uncle" go on the run in the New Zealand bush; very funny and very kind.
• Ted Lasso (series, first aired 2020, TV-MA). An American coach in England wins people over with relentless kindness, and the show handles loneliness and mental health with care. Strong language.
• Schitt's Creek (series, 2015–2020). A rich family loses everything and finds real friendships in a tiny town.
• Detectorists (British series, first aired 2014). Two friends with metal detectors in quiet English fields; a gentle comedy about friendship.

For older viewers

• Marty (1955, released before modern ratings). A lonely butcher in the Bronx meets a woman who is also used to being overlooked; it won the Oscar for best picture.
• Driving Miss Daisy (1989, PG). A long, slowly deepening friendship between an older woman and her driver in the American South.
• The Straight Story (1999, G). An older man rides a lawn mower hundreds of miles to make peace with his estranged brother; based on a true story.
• The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011, PG-13). British retirees start over in India and find new friendships and purpose.
• All Creatures Great and Small (series, first aired 2020). A warm remake of the stories of a young vet in 1930s Yorkshire and the community around him.

Documentaries

• Young@Heart (2007, PG). A choir of people in their 70s, 80s and 90s singing rock and punk songs, with humor and real loss.
• Won't You Be My Neighbor? (2018, PG-13). The life of Fred Rogers and his lifelong message that every person is worth caring about.
• My Octopus Teacher (2020). A burned-out filmmaker finds healing through a year of daily dives and an unusual friendship with an octopus.

Watch together

Films are easier to share than conversation, and they give you something to talk about afterward.

• Watch parties. Start the same film at the same time as a friend far away and text or call during it. Some streaming services have built-in watch-together features.
• Library film clubs. Many libraries host free film screenings and discussion groups. Ask at the front desk or check their events page.
• Start your own. Invite two or three people to watch one film a month at home and share snacks. See start something.
• Senior centers and community centers often host movie afternoons.
• Talk about it after. A simple question works: "Which character did you feel for most?"

A note on screens

Films and shows can be good company, but long evenings of watching alone can also crowd out people. If you notice that, see screens, gaming, gambling, porn and other habits. For more stories, see books for lonely times.