Movies aren’t just a means of escapism and entertainment. While, yes, many theater experiences enrapture us away from reality and transport us beyond ourselves to another world entirely, sometimes they may also hold up a looking glass to our own lives. Whether set in outer space or right around your knack of the woods, films have a great deal to teach us about common themes of everyday life, such as friendship.
Update August 25, 2025: This article has been updated to include even more great movies about friendship, including a recently released film.
Friendship is a dynamic often explored in film and in a great number of ways. We see the tales of friends that drift apart, of friends that become lovers, of betrayal, of loyalty, and of finding friendship in the least of expected places. No matter what genre, and even if the characters are not even human, the stories told in film are rooted in the human experience and, therefore, can almost always inspire thoughtful reflection. From moving indie pieces and high-stakes dramas to blockbuster comedies, here are twenty films that can teach us a great deal about friendship.
25Joy Ride (2023)
The newest entry to this list,Joy Ride, is very much inThe Hangovermold, a wacky raunchy comedy as friends travel to a new location and get into trouble. Yet what makes Joy Ride so incredibly enjoyable is the real heart underneath it, particularly as it pertains to friendship. The main character Audrey (Ashley Park), has two very different friends, the famous actress Kat (Stephanie Hsu) and her longtime childhood best friend Lolo (Sherry Cola), and are joined on a trip to China by Lolo’s cousin Deadeye (Sabrina Wu).
These four characters all have varying degrees of familiarity with one another, but over the course of the film grow close to one another and form strong bonds. The film even ends with the promise that these characters will remain friends for the rest of their lives.
24Thelma & Louise (1991)
Another delightful movie about two very astonishing and fierce women,Thelma & Louise, follows the titular ladies as they embark on an adventure of a lifetime. Thelma is a sincere housewife, and Louise is a waitress. Theylive their small lives in their small townuntil one day they decide to go on a weekend getaway. But their simple road trip turns into a high-flying escape from their ordinary lives when Louise ends up shooting a would-be rapist and becoming outlaws within the night.
The two women hit the road in a classic 1966 Thunderbird convertible with no money, a gun under the seat, and the law hot on their heels. Directed by Ridley Scott, the movie is a blazing ride. There’s everything that makes it memorable – humor, sly wisdom, and deep feelings. But at its core, it shows us that friendship can endure even the most challenging situations.
Under Peter Weir’s careful direction, thisachingly beautiful storycomes to life only to leave an indelible mark on our soul – much like lifelong friends do. Set at the strict and staid Welton Academy boarding school in 1959,Dead Poets Societybegins when the free-spirited, highly intellectual, yet unconventional John Keating is hired to teach an English class to boys filled with a longing to escape their dull lives and strict parents.
Through clever poetry lessons, subversive teaching methods, and vivid gestures, Keating inspires the boys – who eventually end up discovering the secret club and call themselves the Dead Poets Society – to break the rules and seize the day. From Neil’s story of breaking out of the confines of his parents’ expectations to Todd’s journey of finally finding the strength to fit in, the film is a moving testament to how important certain people can be in our lives.
22Stand By Me (1986)
Stand By Meis an amusing tale of boyhood and the wonder associated with the age. It follows four misfit boys who plunge headfirst into an epic journey during the summer of 1959. When a neighborhood kid reveals that he saw the body of a missing boy, these kids are immediately intrigued, and they set out on a perilous 48-hour quest across rural Oregon’s woodland to see the corpse for themselves. Because let’s admit it, tender young hearts are unafraid of and curious about literally everything.
Related:9 Wholesome Movies About Friendship for All Age Groups
On their misadventures, the boys reveal deeper truths, and the final realization that occurs is this. Growing up does not mean leaving your childhood behind. While this is a lesson we all need, Rob Reiner’s coming-of-age story teaches it to us through a friendship that never fails.
21The Intouchables (2011)
An innovative but superb study in friendship and the healing power that comes with the presence of another human,The Intouchablesis a true story that centers around two people from very different lives. Philippe is a brilliant yet arrogant Parisian aristocrat quadriplegic who hires Driss, a street-smart, unemployed stranger, to be his caregiver. The men develop an incredible friendship that helps themboth become better versions of themselves.
They realize they have more in common than they could have ever imagined. Philippe brings out the joy of living that Driss seems to lack and Driss helps repair a life that has shattered under the weight of seclusion. Their witty banter turns into a roaring laughter and they go on random road trips. Eventually, two souls separated by race, wealth, culture, and generation begin to understand each other in this feel-good movie.
20The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)
The wonder ofThe Banshees of Inisherinis the palpable humanity of the story being told. Though the film is set on an entirely fictional Irish isle of Inisherin, the heart of the story feels devastatingly true. It is not lost on the audience that the self-destructive feud between long-time friends Colm and Pádraic is set in the aftermath of the Irish Civil War. The two friends fight each other, but truly themselves, just as their country did the same.
Perhaps the erratic behavior of the men is a reflection of the sort of damage that wartime does to the human psyche, but even without the metaphors for war, the film speaks to the erratic and passionate nature that emotions and relationships can have. Colm is tired of his friend Pádraic rather out of the blue, and each man digs in his heels to either end the friendship or attempt to mend it, respectively. The characters make some extreme decisions in the film that (hopefully) do not mirror real life for most people, but it can invite us to reflect on the moments where pride and obstinacy can lead us to futile battles.
19Booksmart (2019)
Booksmartis a witty coming-of-age comedy that emphasizes the importance of independence within a healthy friendship. Molly and Amy, two high school seniors and soon-to-be-graduates, are enjoying a night of partying before their upcoming graduation. This isn’t a very typical night for the pair, who have been mostly unpopular throughout their high school career.
They decide to make this night a memorable one as they regretfully reflect on their high school experiences, but this, of course, does not go according to plan. As the girls weave in and out of one chaotic situation and another, nearly tearing their friendship apart, they come to terms with themselves and set healthy boundaries for their friendship.
18Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015)
This moving film captures its premise, very much in a nutshell, in the title. Introverted high school student Greg is forced to re-assume a friendship with a former childhood companion, the now terminally-ill Rachel. Along with his friend and film-making buddy Earl, Greg grows increasingly fond of Rachel as she battles her diagnosis. Friendship with a terminally-ill person is not easy for Greg, and he has to learn how to step outside himself and think selflessly when it comes to Rachel.
He wants her to keep fighting the cancer, but ultimately learns how to respect her choices and continue to be a good friend in the way that she needs him to be, not according to his own selfish desires.Me and Earl and the Dying Girlis furthermore a powerful and touching piece for anyone who has suffered the loss of a friend or loved one.
17Girls Trip (2017)
Even a light-hearted and sometimes raunchy comedy can teach us a lot about friendship.Girls Triptakes its leading ladies on a New Orleans getaway on account of one of them speaking at the Essence Music Festival. Though their friendship has survived since their college days, the women all live vastly different lifestyles.
The film highlights how long-distance friendships can often bypass the growing pains that relationships face as people evolve, and their lives dramatically change, with the reunion bringing these issues to the surface. The women can either let these challenges tear their group apart, or they can take advantage of this time together to not only get to know each other again as they are and not as they were, but to reconnect with long-lost parts of themselves.
16Wonder (2017)
This true tear-jerker follows little August “Auggie” Pullman, a boy living with a rare genetic disorder called Treacher Collins Syndrome. The disorder causes developmental deformities in children, which may sometimes lead to increased complications. As one may expect, enrolling in a public school for fifth grade after having been homeschooled proves a difficult endeavor for Auggie, who is initially rejected by his classmates.
Enduring some bullying and struggling to find true friendships, Auggie continues to be positive and kind, with the school community eventually coming around for the young boy.Wonderspeaks to the power of kindness and friendship, encouraging viewers to look beyond appearances and to appreciate people for who they are.
