Movies About Family Relationships

From Tim Burton, starring Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange
Rated PG-13

Big Fish is a 2003 fantasy adventure film directed by Tim Burton. It stars Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange, and Danny DeVito. The story centers around Edward Bloom, a traveling salesman who loves to tell tall tales, and his son Will, an unhappy journalist who seeks to understand his father better. When Edward becomes ill, Will is forced to confront his father's life-long stories and acknowledge the truth behind them. Through a series of flashbacks, Will discovers the fantastical reality of his father's extraordinary life, and ultimately comes to terms with his father's own mortality. Rich with magical imagery, Big Fish is a timeless tale of family, love, and the power of storytelling.

From Woody Allen, starring Mia Farrow, Dianne Wiest, Michael Caine, Barbara Hershey
Rated PG-13

Hannah and Her Sisters is a comedy-drama film directed by Woody Allen and starring Mia Farrow, Michael Caine, Diane Wiest and Barbra Streisand. The story follows three sisters, Hannah (Farrow), Holly (Wiest) and Lee (Streisand), as they navigate through their lives and relationships. Hannah is married to Elliot (Caine) and though their marriage is strong, Elliot finds himself attracted to Lee. Meanwhile, Holly is struggling to find success in her career and a meaningful relationship. The film follows each sister as they journey through the highs and lows of life and ultimately reach a place of understanding and happiness.

From Robert Redford, starring Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Judd Hirsch, Timothy Hutton
Rated R

Ordinary People is a 1980 American drama film directed by Robert Redford, which tells the story of a suburban family in the aftermath of the death of one of their sons. The film stars Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Judd Hirsch, and Timothy Hutton. The film follows the Jarrett family, whose youngest son, Buck, has recently died in a boating accident. His older brother, Conrad, struggles to cope with his death while trying to recover from a previous suicide attempt. His mother, Beth, is torn between her guilt-ridden grief and her need to be a supportive parent to Conrad, while his father, Calvin, is unable to express his feelings and instead withdraws from the family. As Conrad begins to deal with his emotions, his family learns to come to terms with their loss and begin to heal.

From Lasse Hallström, starring Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Juliette Lewis, Mary Steenburgen
Rated PG-13

What's Eating Gilbert Grape is a 1993 drama directed by Lasse Hallström and starring Johnny Depp, Juliette Lewis, and Leonardo DiCaprio. The film follows the story of Gilbert Grape, a young man living in the small town of Endora, Iowa. His life is weighed down by the responsibility of caring for his obese mother, his mentally challenged brother Arnie, and his other siblings. Gilbert's older brother has left home, leaving him to take on the responsibility of caring for the family. He works in a grocery store, but finds himself in a rut. He soon meets Becky, a free-spirited traveler who brings him out of his shell and helps him see the world differently. Through her influence, Gilbert learns to accept his family and life in Endora. In the end, Gilbert is able to break free from his oppressive life and start to live again.

From Wes Anderson, starring Gene Hackman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Anjelica Huston, Ben Stiller
Rated R

The Royal Tenenbaums tells the story of a dysfunctional family of geniuses. Royal Tenenbaum (Gene Hackman) and his wife Etheline (Anjelica Huston) have three exceptionally talented children: Chas (Ben Stiller), Margot (Gwyneth Paltrow), and Richie (Luke Wilson). After the couple divorced and the children grew up, they each pursued their own paths in life. When Royal discovers he is terminally ill, he decides to reunite his family one last time. With the help of his adopted son, Eli Cash (Owen Wilson), he attempts to bring the family back together. Despite the family’s many secrets, secrets, lies, and disappointments, they eventually learn to forgive each other and themselves. Together, they discover the true meaning of family.

From Woody Allen, starring Mia Farrow, Dianne Wiest, Mike Starr, Paul Herman
Rated PG

From Noah Baumbach, starring Owen Kline, Jeff Daniels, Laura Linney, Jesse Eisenberg
Rated R

From Robert Redford, starring Craig Sheffer, Brad Pitt, Tom Skerritt, Brenda Blethyn
Rated PG

From Sam Mendes, starring John Krasinski, Maya Rudolph, Allison Janney, Carmen Ejogo
Rated R

From Lisa Cholodenko, starring Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska
Rated R

From Jay Roach, starring Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, Teri Polo, Blythe Danner
Rated PG-13

From Ron Howard, starring Steve Martin, Mary Steenburgen, Dianne Wiest, Jason Robards
Rated PG-13

From Lasse Hallström, starring Jennifer Lopez, Robert Redford, Morgan Freeman, Josh Lucas
Rated PG-13

From Derick Martini, starring Rory Culkin, Alec Baldwin, Jill Hennessy, Emma Roberts
Rated R

From Peter Hedges, starring Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, Dane Cook, Alison Pill
Rated PG-13

From Christine Jeffs, starring Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, Alan Arkin, Jason Spevack
Rated R

From Mike Binder, starring Joan Allen, Kevin Costner, Erika Christensen, Evan Rachel Wood
Rated R

From Jonathan Demme, starring Anne Hathaway, Rosemarie DeWitt, Debra Winger, Sebastian Stan
Rated R

From Michael Clancy, starring Ray Romano, Jesse Bradford, Hank Azaria, Rip Torn
Rated R

From Charles Shyer, starring Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, Martin Short, Kimberly Williams-Paisley
Rated PG

From Jodie Foster, starring Holly Hunter, Anne Bancroft, Robert Downey Jr., Charles Durning
Rated PG-13

From Thomas Bezucha, starring Dermot Mulroney, Sarah Jessica Parker, Claire Danes, Diane Keaton
Rated PG-13

From Andy Tennant, starring Reese Witherspoon, Patrick Dempsey, Josh Lucas, Candice Bergen
Rated PG-13