Check Out These Must Watch Movies About Middle Aged Women Protagonists

Here's a must watch list of movies about middle aged women protagonists, from India and outside, giving you varied perspectives on life.

Here’s a must watch list of movies about middle aged women protagonists, from India and outside, giving you varied perspectives on life.

Movies are events in different times. It enables one view to different perspectives which opens one’s imagination to a whole new world. One rarely comes across movies being made with middle aged women as protagonists.

Why are these movies important? When it comes to movies about middle aged women, one is able to understand and witness reality which makes it relatable to many individuals. It is essential because it portrays middle aged women in a less sexist manner and gives them a prominent role in the society which every individual watching should aspire to.

This article deals with movies about middle aged women, that aid in encouraging individuals to witness the importance of these middle aged women in society and their issues – because all mainstream movies depict young women as protagonists, apart from few exceptions.

Watching movies about middle aged women assists in breaking stereotypes that are always associated with these women. These movies may be set at different time zones but the common aspects in each of these movies are women’s roles in breaking barriers.

Here’s presenting ten movies about middle aged women which represent women in different and motivating roles.

JULIE & JULIA

Set at two different times, the movie describes Julia Child’s story of the beginning of her cooking career which is entangled with Julie Powell’s challenge to cook all the recipes in Julia Child’s first recipe book. Though not completely a feminist movie, it brings a sense of passion and the strength to follow ones dreams, despite all the challenges.

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Both the protagonists in the movie portray their struggles and the way they comprehend the true meaning of their life. This movie is very motivating as it revolves around understanding oneself and, at the same time, trying to empower themselves.

EAT, PRAY, LOVE

Based on the best-selling memoir by Elizabeth Gilbert, ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ unfolds the story of a middle aged woman who is confused and lost despite having everything in life. Her search for her real purpose in life starts with this realization.

She steps out of her comfort zones by risking everything in her life and travelling around the world searching for her true self. The movie is able to inspire women to seek their individual voices without being shunned by society.

CHALK N DUSTER

This remarkable Hindi movie describes the commercialization of the education system and how it has become more of a business rather than a platform to enhance one’s knowledge.

Both the characters in the movie are able to grab the attention of the audiences because of their emotional bonding, which is very sensitively depicted in the movie. Their fight for justice and their efforts, in order to provide ‘good education’ for their students, is what the movie represents.

THE COLOUR PURPLE

A sisterhood of women, all standing together against the racism and sexism that they face and coming out on top.”

The movie is based on the life of Celie who tries to break away from the quandary of the male centred world despite the violence that she had to face. Her way of facing her own fears by voicing out her frustration is clearly seen in the movie and it is breath-taking.

The most inspiring aspect of this movie is the way the struggle to survive is communicated to its audiences. It is these kind of movies that enable one to understand the intricacies of the various intersections that play a role in one’s life.

MITR, MY FRIEND

The story of a wife who feels left out in her marriage and seeks friendship on the internet. Her daughter thinks she is having an affair with their neighbour. Interesting much? The movie beautifully shows the loneliness that she goes through and the means by which she tries to cope with her isolation.

The movie revolves around her decision to live a life wherein she wants to identify herself and explore it in many ways. The movie also shows the cultural gap from where the protagonist is born and brought up in. So, in a way, it is more of a cultural perspective that the movie depicts of a woman struggling to find her way through life and her efforts to maintain her relationship with her husband and daughter.

SUFFRAGETTE

This movie is all about the women in the suffragette movement that occurred in early 20th century Britain. It portrays the lives of working class women, their fight for equality and their right to vote.

It is a fantastic movie as it shows the true power of women who strove together to bring about a change. The movie will definitely create an awe moment to its viewers.

ADHE ADHOORE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqyzAR-ySio

This 100 minute movie captures the story of a middle aged woman who aspires to find a sense of fulfilment outside her marriage. She is unhappy within her own family because of various circumstances. This movie is more like a play which depicts a typical traditional Indian family with stereotyped characters.

The female protagonist, Savitri, being the bread winner of the family, tries to find happiness outside the four walls of her house. The movie is enthralling and will keep the audiences occupied all the way through.

9 TO 5

Based on three middle aged women, this movie revolves around them trying to fight their chauvinist and egocentric boss. It clearly shows the amount of work load, the low pay with a high number of working hours, and the sexual harassment that these women have to face daily in their workplace.

All these have been portrayed in a comical sense so as to entertain the audiences but are also able to bring forth a strong message to its viewers.

THE BLIND SIDE

A true story in which a homeless African American teenager is taken in by middle aged women, who give him the various opportunities to progress in life. It also revolves around him becoming an All American football player with her assistance.

The main crux of the story lies within the amount of care and strength that the female protagonist portrays which is energetic, poignant and inspirational too.

ASTITVA

This bold film is all about adultery wherein the female protagonist has an extra-marital affair with a music teacher as she capitulates to the solitude of her marriage. The movie is of grave importance as it shows the existing male chauvinism of her husband and the marital abuse that she faces.

No one questions a man having an affair outside the marriage but when it comes to his wife, there is a lot of hatred in the environment. This dramatic movie is able to capture the essence of womanhood very intensively as well as the existing male dominance in the society.

STILL ALICE

A cognitive psychology professor at Harvard and an expert in linguistics starts to forget words. This is the story of a woman struggling to cope up with early onset Alzheimer’s disease and, at the same time, trying to hold her family together.

The movie is heart wrenching and touching as it portrays the strong point of relationships and the anxieties faced within the family. Julianne Moore gives an outstanding performance and it is a must watch.

SISTERS

This pure entertainment movie is all about two middle aged sisters who throw one last house party before their parents sell it off. It sure is exciting to watch because it breaks the stereotypes of what middle aged women should represent.

A very energetic and dynamic movie, that everyone should lookout for and is definitely going to make their day.

ENGLISH VINGLISH

A woman’s journey where she tries to learn a new language in order to assert her value as a woman, a mother and a wife, is what the movie is all about. It is quite entertaining but, at the same time, the movie is also able to depict her transformation from a withdrawn, timorous woman to a much more confident and contented individual.

The title, in itself, is able to capture the whole essence of the movie. It is definitely an inspiring movie, suitable for all audiences.

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About the Author

Tharayil Aishwarya Gopinath

Doing my Masters in Women Studies in Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. read more...

11 Posts | 44,281 Views

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