Shubhabrata Dutta
Love is an extremely complicated emotion. Even the lover fails to understand when, where, or why he/she has fallen in love in the first place. Of course, there are societal norms or restrictions which tend to prevent emotions from transgressing certain boundaries. However, on most occasions, one cannot exactly quantify why we fall in love with a certain person.
The mutual attraction between humans can be sexual or romantic, anywhere on the sex/gender spectrum, and even with people beyond one’s age group. The relationships where there is a massive age gap tend to be looked down upon in society. The dynamics of such relationships have been explored in movies in different forms, and Netflix has some of the best movies that deal with this subject.
10. A Family Affair (2024)
In this romantic comedy, Nicole Kidman’s Brooke, a single mother, gets romantically involved with a much younger man, Zac Efron’s Chris Cole, a Hollywood star. Brooke’s daughter Zara, 24, played by Joey King, has been Chris’ personal assistant and had to quit due to his narcissistic attitude. Now, when she finds out that her mother is involved with the guy, she is at her wit’s end. She knows the womanizer that Chris is and his penchant for breaking hearts, and she doesn’t want that to happen to her mother. Directed by Richard LaGravenese, ‘A Family Affair’ doesn’t take itself seriously despite pretending that it does, and this shows, especially in the acting. If you have nothing to do and are looking for a rom-com to binge, ‘A Family Affair’ serves the purpose of passing the time more than as a rom-com. You can watch it here.
9. Lonely Planet (2024)
Directed by Susannah Grant, ‘Lonely Planet’ centers on single novelist Katherine Loewe (Laura Dern), who finds love in a much younger man, Owen Brophy (Liam Hemsworth), at a Moroccan writers’ retreat. While the feeling is mutual, all sorts of hindrances push them apart, ranging from disrespect to personal loss. The matter of choice takes center stage as the two people question their feelings while clearly wanting to stay together. Can they do it? ‘Lonely Planet’ is yet another addition to Netflix’s long line of original romances that are sweet and binge-worthy. You can watch it here.
8. No Hard Feelings (2023)
A coming-of-age sex comedy directed by Gene Stupnitsky, ‘No Hard Feelings’ follows 32-year-old Maddie Barker (Jennifer Lawrence), who is on the verge of bankruptcy and, as a result, is about to lose her house. Her job as an Uber driver goes down the drain after her car is repossessed due to unpaid property taxes. Now, she needs a job that pays well. Parallelly, we have wealthy parents, Allison (Laura Benanti) and Laird Becker (Matthew Broderick), who are looking for a woman who can help their 19-year-old son Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman) come out of his shell (interact with girls, get drunk, and maybe get laid and stuff) before he attends college. Their posting on Craigslist is found by Maddie who agrees to the job. The exploits of Maddie and Percy, as the former tries to get the latter to be more congenial and fun, are what make for the rest of the movie. A fun take on coming-of-age and the rush of mixed feelings and emotions it constitutes, ‘No Hard Feelings’ is an entertaining watch. You can stream it here.
7. MILF (2018)
‘MILF’ is a French comedy film directed by Axelle Laffont, which explores the intriguing dynamics of older woman-younger man relationships. The story centers around three close friends, Sonia (Marie-Josée Croze), Cécile (Virginie Ledoyen), and Elise (Axelle Laffont), who embark on a vacation in the South of France, seeking rejuvenation and adventure. Unexpectedly, they each become romantically entangled with much younger men, and as their passionate encounters unfold, the film delves into the complexities of love, desire, and societal expectations. With a humorous yet thought-provoking approach, ‘MILF’ offers a fresh perspective on age-gap relationships, challenging stereotypes and highlighting the universal nature of human connection. You can watch the movie here.
6. The Perfect Find (2023)
Forty-year-old Jenna Jones (Gabrielle Union) falls for twenty-five-year-old Eric (Keith Powers) in Numa Perrier’s romantic drama. She meets him during a night out and kisses him, only to find out later on that he is the son of her new boss, Darcy (Gina Torres). While Eric also has feelings for her, dating the son of her frenemy (Darcy) is risky for Jenna as it poses a threat to her career. How will Jenna deal with the situation? A binge-worthy romantic drama inclined towards the more serious side, ‘The Perfect Find’ is based on the book by Tia Williams. It can be streamed right here.
5. Wake Up Sid (2009)
Directed and written by Ayan Mukerji, ‘Wake Up Sid’ is a coming-of-age comedy-drama film that features stand-out performances by Konkana Sen Sharma, Ranbir Kapoor, Anupam Kher, and Supriya Pathak. The movie centers upon Siddharth Mehra, a wealthy and careless college student with no purpose in life. As he continues to take no responsibility seriously, his life takes a radical turn when he meets an aspiring writer named Aisha Bannerjee. The film captures Siddharth’s growth from an irresponsible college student to a compassionate young man who can be relied upon. You may watch the film here.
4. Dil Chahta Hai (2001)
‘Dil Chahta Hai’ is a coming-of-age romance movie that primarily focuses on three inseparable friends. Akash, Sameer, and Sid decide to go to Goa for a trip shortly after their graduation to celebrate the occasion and have a few fun weeks for themselves. They are aware of their responsibilities in the future, and Sid even suspects whether they will remain friends in the future or not. As the story unfolds, the Farhan Akhtar directorial turns its attention towards their romantic affairs and their wildly different approaches to them. Their friendship is also tested in the light of the choices they make as the trio tries to understand each other’s perspective on love and stay together. Feel free to check out the movie here.
3. Haider (2014)
‘Haider,’ starring Shahid Kapoor, Tabu, Irrfan Khan, and Kay Kay Menon, is a Hindi adaptation of William Shakespeare’s play ‘Hamlet.’ ‘Haider’ is the third in a series of films Indian director Vishal Bhardwaj has made on the works of Shakespeare. The film follows the story of a Kashmiri student and poet who returns to his homeland to find out that his father has been taken away by the army. His father’s only guilt was that he was a doctor who agreed to treat a separatist leader.
Though the film is not really about a romantic relationship between a younger man and an older woman, there’s an underlying sexual tension between Haider and his mother, Ghazala. Haider is filled with rage and jealousy upon coming to know that his mother has developed a romantic relationship with his uncle only a few days after his father’s disappearance. The Oedipal references in the film are far too strong to be ignored. Notably, ‘Haider’ is the first Indian film to win the People’s Choice Award at the Rome Film Festival. You can check out the film here.
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2. Black Island (2021)
Directed by Miguel Alexandre, ‘Black Island’ is a German film that tells the story of Jonas, a high school senior living on the titular island in the North Frisian Islands. Following the death of a well-loved educator at the local school, Helena Jung arrives on the island to be the new German teacher. Early in the film, it is implied that she might have ulterior motives. She grows close to Jonas, who aspires to be a writer. Soon, a sordid affair begins between the two. ‘Black Island’ is not a perfect film, but its flaws don’t overshadow the positives. Alexandre is a capable filmmaker and maintains an aura of suspense throughout the film. He is helped in his efforts by performances of Hanns Zischler, Alice Dwyer, and Mercedes Müller. You can watch ‘Black Island’ here.
1. May December (2023)
This intriguing drama explores the relationship between 36-year-old Gracie and her son’s schoolmate, Joe Yoo, who is 13, through the eyes of actress Elizabeth Berry, who will play Gracie in her upcoming independent project. Gracie, currently 60, and Joe, currently 37, eventually got married and even have three kids. Through Elizabeth’s interview with Gracie and others, we find out how things came to be. FYI, Gracie served in prison after getting caught in the middle of a sex act with Joe. ‘May December’ is based on the true story of Mary Kay Letourneau, a teacher who was arrested in 1997 after being found to be in a sexual relationship with her minor student, Vili Fualaau. The film stars Julianne Moore as Gracie, Charles Melton as Joe Yoo, and Natalie Portman as Elizabeth. You can watch it here.
