Movies About Communication

From Directors: Olivier Nakache, Éric Toledano, starring François Cluzet, Omar Sy, Anne Le Ny, Audrey Fleurot
Rated R

The Intouchables is an uplifting, heartwarming comedy-drama about the unlikely friendship between Driss (Omar Sy), a young man from the projects, and Philippe (François Cluzet), a wealthy quadriplegic. After Philippe’s car accident, he hires Driss to be his caretaker despite having no experience. The two quickly form a bond, as Driss helps Philippe regain some of his independence and Philippe gives Driss a new outlook on life. As Driss helps Philippe with his day-to-day activities, the two learn to appreciate and understand each other, finding joy in the little things. Along the way, the two teach each other valuable lessons about life, friendship, and overcoming adversity.

From Sam Mendes, starring Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch, Wes Bentley
Rated R

American Beauty is a 1999 drama film directed by Sam Mendes and written by Alan Ball. The film follows the life of Lester Burnham, a middle-aged advertising executive played by Kevin Spacey, as he struggles through a midlife crisis. As Lester begins to take control of his life, his wife Carolyn (Annette Bening) and daughter (Thora Birch) seem to resent him more and more. Meanwhile, Lester befriends his daughter's teenaged friend Ricky (Wes Bentley), who is trying to come to terms with his own issues. As Lester's life begins to turn around, he begins to realize that beauty is everywhere and must be appreciated. The film ends with him having a newfound appreciation for life. American Beauty received five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Spacey. It was well-received by critics and is considered a classic of modern American cinema.

From Michel Gondry, starring Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Tom Wilkinson, Gerry Robert Byrne
Rated R

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a 2004 romantic sci-fi comedy-drama film written by Charlie Kaufman and directed by Michel Gondry. The film stars Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet as Joel and Clementine, a couple who have had an on-again-off-again relationship. After a painful breakup, they each undergo a procedure to erase each other from their memories. The film follows their experiences of the erasure process, which leads to a deeper understanding of their relationship. As they recall their past together, they find out that they still have feelings for each other and try to figure out how to make it work. This leads to a humorous, heart-wrenching, and ultimately hopeful story about the power of love and why it's worth fighting for.

From Michael Haneke, starring Jean-Louis Trintignant, Emmanuelle Riva, Isabelle Huppert, Alexandre Tharaud
Rated PG-13

Amour is a 2012 French-language romantic drama film written and directed by Michael Haneke, starring Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva. It tells the story of an elderly couple, Georges and Anne, who are retired music teachers. After Anne suffers a stroke, Georges becomes her caretaker and eventually becomes overwhelmed by his arduous task. The film explores the physical and emotional hardships of aging and end-of-life care, as Georges struggles to maintain his wife’s dignity in the face of her deteriorating health. Amour was met with widespread critical acclaim, and went on to win the Palme d’Or at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, as well as the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2013.

From Pedro Almodóvar, starring Rosario Flores, Javier Cámara, Darío Grandinetti, Leonor Watling
Rated R

Talk to Her tells the story of two men who become unlikely friends as they care for two women in comas. Benigno, a nurse, has been caring for Alicia, a dancer, since the accident that put her in a coma four years ago. Marco, a journalist, finds himself drawn to Lydia, a bullfighter, who has recently been in a coma after a violent incident. As Benigno and Marco find comfort in each other's company, they also look for ways to reach out to their respective comatose patients. Through a series of flashbacks, the audience discovers the stories of the two women, their relationship with the men caring for them, and the secrets that have been revealed in the process. As the story unfolds, the men must find the courage to confront their own feelings and make the difficult decisions that will affect their lives forever.

From James L. Brooks, starring Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, Greg Kinnear, Cuba Gooding Jr.
Rated PG-13

As Good as It Gets is a romantic comedy-drama directed by James L. Brooks and starring Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt and Greg Kinnear. It follows the story of Melvin Udall (Nicholson), a misanthropic, obsessive-compulsive novelist who finds himself developing an unlikely friendship with single mother Carol Connelly (Hunt) and gay artist Simon Bishop (Kinnear). Through their relationships, Melvin learns to overcome his misanthropic ways and his OCD, and ultimately finds happiness. The film was a success with both critics and audiences, and went on to receive seven Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Nicholson.

From Jessie Nelson, starring Sean Penn, Michelle Pfeiffer, Dakota Fanning, Dianne Wiest
Rated PG-13

I Am Sam is a 2001 American drama film directed by Jessie Nelson and starring Sean Penn as Sam Dawson, a father with a developmental disability trying to raise his daughter Lucy, played by Dakota Fanning. Sam's struggle to retain custody of Lucy brings him into contact with other people who help him learn to be a better father, and his determination and love for his daughter ultimately help him to succeed. Along the way, he forms a strong bond with a young lawyer, Rita Harrison (Michelle Pfeiffer), who also helps him learn more about himself and become a better parent. I Am Sam tells a heartwarming story of father-daughter love, acceptance, and understanding.

From Alejandro G. Iñárritu, starring Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Gael García Bernal, Mohamed Akhzam
Rated R

Babel is a 2006 drama film directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, and written by Guillermo Arriaga. It stars Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Gael García Bernal, Kôji Yakusho and Adriana Barraza. The film is an interlocking story of four different families, their cultures, and their connections, spanning from the Moroccan desert to Tokyo, Japan, to the U.S. - Mexico border and California. Through their lives and stories, we explore issues of language, identity, and cultural differences. The film follows the lives of two Moroccan children who accidentally shoot a tourist with a gun, the Japanese teen who is struggling with her identity, a Mexican nanny who is trying to make a better life for her family across the border, and an American couple who are dealing with a tragedy. In the end, all four stories intertwine to create a powerful and complex story about the interconnectedness of people and cultures.

From Directors: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne, starring Thomas Doret, Cécile de France, Jérémie Renier, Fabrizio Rongione
Rated PG-13

From Nuri Bilge Ceylan, starring Yavuz Bingöl, Hatice Aslan, Ahmet Rifat Sungar, Ercan Kesal
Rated Not Rated

From Sam Mendes, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Christopher Fitzgerald, Jonathan Roumie
Rated R

From Derek Cianfrance, starring Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams, John Doman, Faith Wladyka
Rated R

From Steve McQueen, starring Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan, James Badge Dale, Lucy Walters
Rated NC-17

From Mike Nichols, starring Natalie Portman, Jude Law, Clive Owen, Julia Roberts
Rated R

From Michael Haneke, starring Juliette Binoche, Thierry Neuvic, Josef Bierbichler, Alexandre Hamidi
Rated Not Rated

From Roman Polanski, starring Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz, John C. Reilly
Rated R

From Jim Jarmusch, starring Bill Murray, Tom Waits, Roberto Benigni, RZA
Rated R