Movies About Step Parenting

From Ridley Scott, starring Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed
Rated R

Gladiator is a 2000 epic historical drama film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe. It tells the story of a Roman general, Maximus Decimus Meridius, who is betrayed when the Emperor's ambitious son, Commodus, murders his father and seizes the throne. Forced into slavery, Maximus becomes a gladiator and rises through the ranks of the gladiatorial arena to avenge the murders of his family and his emperor. Along the way, he forms an unexpected friendship with the emperor's daughter, Lucilla, and finds himself in the fight of his life against the new emperor's gladiatorial might. With its powerful performances, breathtaking visuals, and gripping story, Gladiator is an unforgettable tale of courage and sacrifice.

From Denis Villeneuve, starring Lubna Azabal, Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin, Maxim Gaudette, Mustafa Kamel
Rated R

Incendies tells the story of twins Jeanne and Simon, who travel to their mother's homeland in the Middle East to fulfill her last wishes. As they search for their unknown father and brother, they discover secrets from the past that will challenge everything they thought they knew about their mother and family. In a journey through war-torn landscapes and memory, they uncover a tragedy that will haunt them forever. Along the way, they must confront the country's dark and violent past, and eventually come to terms with their own identity.

From Stephen Chbosky, starring Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Paul Rudd
Rated PG-13

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a coming-of-age drama about a shy, introverted high school freshman named Charlie (Logan Lerman) who finds solace and friendship in a group of misfits. As he navigates the tumultuous waters of teenage life, he discovers the joys of first love, unrequited love, the complexities of friendship, and ultimately, the strength of his own voice. Along the way, he deals with the dark secrets of his past and the guilt that comes with them. With the help of his new friends, he learns to become comfortable in his own skin, giving him the courage to face his fears and to forge his own path.

From Steven Spielberg, starring Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey, Margaret Avery
Rated PG-13

"The Color Purple" is a 1985 American coming-of-age period drama film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Menno Meyjes, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name by Alice Walker. The film tells the story of an African-American woman, Celie (played by Whoopi Goldberg), who struggles to find her identity and independence in early 20th century rural Georgia. Celie faces racism, sexism, domestic abuse, and poverty throughout her journey. With the help of her friends Shug (Margaret Avery) and Sofia (Oprah Winfrey), Celie ultimately overcomes the obstacles she faces and discovers her true self-worth.

From Tony Kaye, starring Adrien Brody, Christina Hendricks, Marcia Gay Harden, Lucy Liu
Rated Not Rated

Detachment is a powerful and thought-provoking drama about a substitute teacher, Henry Barthes (Adrien Brody), struggling to connect with a troubled high school student, Erica (Sami Gayle). Henry's world is further complicated when he meets Sarah (Christina Hendricks), a single mother and former student, whose teenage daughter has run away. As Henry navigates the complex emotions and troubles of his students, he must also confront his own feelings of apathy and alienation, while trying to make a difference in the lives of those around him. Detachment tackles challenging themes of depression, suicide, and the struggle to find purpose in an increasingly disconnected world.

From John Crowley, starring Andrew Garfield, Peter Mullan, Shaun Evans, Siobhan Finneran
Rated R

Boy A is a 2007 British drama film directed by John Crowley based on the novel of the same name by Jonathan Trigell. The film follows Jack, a 24-year-old man who has been released from a juvenile detention center after serving 10 years for the murder of a young girl. Jack, now going by the name of "Eric", is trying to start a new life while still haunted by his past actions. With the help of his supportive social worker Terry, Jack begins to re-enter the world and get used to life outside of prison. As his new identity takes root, Jack must grapple with the weight of his past and struggle to find his place in the world.

From Taylor Hackford, starring Keanu Reeves, Al Pacino, Charlize Theron, Jeffrey Jones
Rated R

The Devil's Advocate is a 1997 American supernatural horror-thriller film starring Al Pacino, Keanu Reeves, and Charlize Theron. The film follows the journey of hotshot lawyer Kevin Lomax (Reeves) as he moves from Florida to New York City to join a powerful law firm run by John Milton (Pacino). Lomax soon discovers that Milton is not who he appears to be and that the firm is a front for the devil himself. Milton reveals that he is actually Satan and has been manipulating Lomax for his own personal gain. With the help of his wife Mary Ann (Theron) and a former priest, Lomax must find a way to save both his soul and his family from the devil's grasp.

From Stephen Daldry, starring Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore, Stephen Dillane
Rated PG-13

The Hours is a 2002 drama film directed by Stephen Daldry and based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name by Michael Cunningham. The film centers around three different women living in three different time periods and explores their struggles to reconcile their internal lives of personal struggles with their external lives of obligations and expectations. In 1923 Virginia Woolf is struggling to write her novel Mrs. Dalloway, in 1951 Laura Brown is preparing for her husband's birthday and in 2001 Clarissa Vaughan is planning a party for her friend and poet, Richard. Each of the characters is facing a crisis of identity, love and fulfillment, and as their stories intertwine and their paths cross, they come to understand their lives in a new and powerful way.

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

From John Wells, starring Meryl Streep, Dermot Mulroney, Julia Roberts, Juliette Lewis
Rated R

From Yorgos Lanthimos, starring Christos Stergioglou, Michele Valley, Angeliki Papoulia, Christos Passalis
Rated Not Rated

From Bernardo Bertolucci, starring Michael Pitt, Louis Garrel, Eva Green, Anna Chancellor
Rated NC-17

From Alex Kurtzman, starring Chris Pine, Elizabeth Banks, Michelle Pfeiffer, Olivia Wilde
Rated PG-13

From Stephen Frears, starring Anjelica Huston, John Cusack, Annette Bening, Jan Munroe
Rated R

From Roger Kumble, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon, Selma Blair
Rated R

From Paul Feig, starring Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding, Andrew Rannells
Rated R

From Directors: Claude Miller, Nathan Miller, starring Vincent Rottiers, Sophie Cattani, Christine Citti, Yves Verhoeven
Rated Not Rated

From Roland Emmerich, starring Rhys Ifans, Vanessa Redgrave, David Thewlis, Sebastian Armesto
Rated PG-13

From Justin Chadwick, starring Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, Eric Bana, Jim Sturgess
Rated PG-13

From Lasse Hallström, starring Kevin Spacey, Julianne Moore, Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett
Rated R

From Justin Kurzel, starring Lucas Pittaway, Daniel Henshall, Louise Harris, Bob Adriaens
Rated Not Rated

From Mark Waters, starring Parker Posey, Josh Hamilton, Tori Spelling, Freddie Prinze Jr.
Rated R

From Jonathan Demme, starring Denzel Washington, Liev Schreiber, Meryl Streep, Kimberly Elise
Rated R

From Guillermo del Toro, starring Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, Tom Hiddleston, Charlie Hunnam
Rated R

From Rebecca Miller, starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Catherine Keener, Camilla Belle, Ryan McDonald
Rated R