Shine Kapoor
Movies can teach us as much about life as life itself because at the end of the day movies are nothing but someone’s life — fictional or otherwise — shown on-screen. And movies do have a lot to offer – a narration that can leave us in a state where we are all charged up to get back on track. Here is the list of best films that teach life lessons and some takeaways. Read on:
1. The Shawshank Redemption
Andy Dufresne (played by Tim Robbins) a young investment banker faces life imprisonment for the murder of his wife and her lover. It is about a bond of friendship between Red (played by Morgan Freeman) inside a prison. A story line spread over 40 years revolves around hope.
Life Lesson: Do not let those who love you, drift away from you. And never let your hope die. As long as hope lives inside you, it will keep you inspired to live.
Andy Dufresne: “She was beautiful. God I loved her. I just didn’t know how to show it, that’s all. I killed her, Red. I didn’t pull the trigger, but I drove her away. And that’s why she died, because of me.”
2. Dead Poets Society
John Keating (played by Robin Williams), a literature teacher pushes his students to seize the day, make life extraordinary, find a voice, challenge status quo, dream on…. The magic of a movie is when the audience become the part of a classroom and the narration of these purists in Dead Poets Society is beyond explanation in words.
Life Lesson: Seize the moment. Take control of your life. Laziness will not get you anywhere !
“So avoid using the word ‘very’ because it’s lazy. A man is not very tired, he is exhausted. Don’t use very sad, use morose. Language was invented for one reason, boys – to woo women – and, in that endeavor, laziness will not do. It also won’t do in your essays.”
3. The Pursuit of Happyness
It is a biographical drama based on Christopher Paul (Chris) Gardner, an American entrepreneur, investor, stockbroker, motivational speaker, author, and philanthropist. It is a story of Chris Gardner (played by Will Smith) a struggling salesman reaching for a life-changing professional endeavor. He never gives up on his dreams, even if, those dreams were surrounded with uncertainty.
Life Lesson: If you want something from life, go get it. Period.
Christ Gardner: Hey. Don’t ever let somebody tell you… You can’t do something. Not even me. All right?
Christopher: All right.
Christ Gardner: You got a dream… You gotta protect it. People can’t do somethin’ themselves, they wanna tell you can’t do it. If you want somethin’, go get it. Period.
4. Good Will Hunting
One is capable of solving all the problems in one’s life, except the one that is cornered in the tiny space in one’s mind. ‘Good Will Hunting’ happened because a gifted mathematician should not be wasted. A young man named Will Hunting (played by Matt Damon) is forced to find an aim of his life and gets acquainted to Sean Maguire (played by Robin Williams) who plays the part of a psychologist.
Life Lesson: Knowledge, education, enlightenment can come from anywhere. We are all trying to find our purpose (passion) in life, while some take longer – it is a lifelong process, so do not give up on finding it.
Sean: I just slid my ticket across the table, and I said, “Sorry, guys; I gotta see about a girl.”
Will: I gotta go see about a girl?
Sean: Yeah.
Will: That’s what you said? And they let you get away with that?
Sean: Oh, yeah. They saw in my eyes that I meant it.
5. Erin Brockovich
A biographical film based on the true story of Erin Brockovich (portrayed by Julia Roberts) that spreads across corporate, personal life and ethics (in business). An unemployed single mother of three without any formal education gets employed with a Law firm and sought justice backed with daring investigation of environmental poisoning caused by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). While it ends with a hefty monetary cheque, through the course, the protagonist demands to be treated fair in not-so-fair (impression-based) corporate world.
Life Lesson: Selflessly chase the truth because ultimately, it is the truth that is going to win.
“If you follow your heart, if you listen to your gut, and if you extend your hand to help another, not for any agenda, but for the sake of humanity, you are going to find the truth.”
