Stories Link Copied 09.19.24

30 Feel-Good Movies People Swear By For Your Next Bad Day

Sure, therapy is great. But have you seen "The Princess Bride?" ByAnna Borges

Wondermind

While I’ve got plenty of coping skills up my sleeve, I can’t lie: Some days call for the undeniable comfort only my favorite feel-good movies can bring. Don’t get me wrong—comfort shows can get the job, too. But unlike hyper-bingeable TV episodes that can suck me into a day of bed rotting, films provide a more contained escape. With feel-good movies especially, I’m usually gonna get a full emotional arc and a happy ending in just a few hours—exactly what I need to feel like I’ve hit a reset button on my mood instead of the snooze on reality.

Of course, we’ve all got different definitions of “feel-good movies.” For some, it’s a laugh-out-loud comedy that leaves you feeling lighter; for others, it might be an inspiring story of triumph that makes your chest just swell. Or maybe your idea of a cozy flick is a rom-com you can quote by heart, or even a tear-jerker that leads to all the catharsis. 

Whatever your flavor and whatever you’re dealing with, the best feel-good movies are the ones that speak to you personally, offering just the right kind of relief when you need it most. In other words, you’ll know it when you watch—and feel—it. Not sure where to start? Here’s a huge list of recs that other people swear by when they need a pick-me-up: 

1. The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

“To understand the allure of The Devil Wears Prada, look no further than Anne Hathaway's makeover scene. No matter how many times I see the movie, I'm mesmerized by the montage of all of the outfits, the triumph over the mean girls, and the glory of the Chanel Boots. And to make matters better, what spurs this whole situation is when Hathaway's character gets chewed out by the oft-memed cerulean speech by Meryl Streep.” —Amanda S., 28

2. The Bob's Burgers Movie (2022)

“A family full of weirdos get wrapped up in a murder plot and try to solve it themselves with hilariously catchy songs?? It's good for the soul. It's peak comedy and I could watch it for hours on end.” —Cass R., 36

3. The Princess Bride (1987)

“It has everything I need when I’m Going Through It™️: fairytale romance, adventure, found family, and so much silliness and joy.” —Isabel R., 29

4. Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

“Sometimes you just need to laugh and I'm convinced Forgetting Sarah Marshall can make anyone laugh out loud. On the surface, it's about a difficult breakup but it's really about someone finding themselves and realizing that they can both work on becoming a better person while also pursuing their dreams. You'll come away from it with a smile on your face and this feeling of satisfaction. Plus the one-liners are endlessly quotable—you'll be chuckling to yourself for days to come!” —Vanessa D., 34 

5. The Lego Batman Movie (2017)

“It’s a cartoon that upends the self-serious signifiers of the superhero genre to tell a hero’s journey story about finally letting other people love you.” —Tyson B., 29 

6. Mamma Mia (2008)

“It is a silly goofy movie with good music and a happy ending. Nothing too serious about it, just a lighthearted fun film to ease the burden for a while.” —Suzza S., 43 

7. Miss Pettigrew Lives For The Day (2008)

“This movie has everything: Frances McDormand getting a 1940s makeover, Amy Adams in beautiful gowns, Lee Pace as a pianist just out of prison, and Ciaran Hinds as a sensitive lingerie designer. It's sad enough to allow you a good cry if you need one, silly enough to remind you not to take yourself too seriously, and sweet enough to leave you feeling like you're floating on a cloud. A movie made in a lab to be watched when you have a cold or just got dumped.” —Morgan L., 31 

8. My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

“Totoro was one of like ten VHSs we had growing up so it got a lot of babysitter-night replay. The sibling dynamic reminds my sister and me of us, there’s drama but it’s small and contained, and everyone and everything is cute and magical. And the dust bunnies are adorable. The cat bus is so cool.” —Benji W., 32 

9. The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-2003)

“So the trick is, you gotta do all three extended editions for maximum ‘putting brain on rice’ time. The whole thing is about finding light in the dark—there are so many brilliant moments of hope and friendship. Look to the east? Beacons of Gondor? Everyone jumping on Frodo's bed at the end? Unbeatable. Plus if all else fails, there's Viggo Mortensen pushin’ them doors open.” —Christina O., 35

10. Dazed and Confused (1993)

“Just feels like hanging with your brain buds.” —Kevin H., 28

11. Paddington 2 (2017)

“Obviously Paddington Bear is extremely wholesome, and the first movie is a delight, but there's something about Hugh Grant in his campy villain era that adds an extra sparkle to help me forget whatever it is that I'm going through. It also provides such a beautiful found family narrative and the ending always manages to wrench a good cathartic happy cry out of me.” —Mary H., 33

12. When Harry Met Sally (1989)

“Two completely neurotic people talk themselves into love. It silences the mean movies in my head.” —Karin P., 30

13. The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

“For me, a feel-good movie needs to be beautiful, and Robin Hood clears that bar: everyone is gorgeous, the costumes are breathtaking, and the technicolor is so saturated that you feel like you're in a different, more romantic world. The brotherhood between Robin Hood and his men is so lived-in and affectionate, and the love story is somehow both swooning and true. And in the end, all is made right. It makes my heart sing a little louder every time, no matter what I'm going through.” —Emily S., 34

14. Imagine Me & You (2005)

“It’s gay and it’s got Lena Headey in it. Need I say more?” —Meryl W., 34

15. Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar (2021)

“In addition to being a criminally underrated comedy, Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar has heart. There’s a simple enough premise: Two seemingly unremarkable women are bored with the monotony of everyday life and take a trip to try and change that. Of course, it’s amped up by a wacky villain and spy subplot, but really, it’s a movie about the magic of friendship. Barb and Star just get each other. Their mannerisms, their inside jokes, their culottes; every interaction feels like watching two people who are meant to be together. Their warmth radiates and leaves me feeling warm and fuzzy. And when I’m really Going Through It, I can just sit and laugh at the haircuts and musical numbers and endless jokes. It’s a perfect film.” —Kate M., 25 

16. Shaun the Sheep Movie (2015)

“Literally no dialogue, so it keeps me off my phone. Extremely cute and heartwarming.” —Steven J., 35

17. Birds of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020)

“Women! Found family! Genuinely––and I mean this with utmost sincerity––heartwarming! A perfect cast and one of the tightest, most satisfying scripts I've seen. Delightful production design and effects. Awesome soundtrack. Everyone involved understands the assignment, and most importantly: everything that happens makes me giggle and kick my feet in sheer glee.” —Hannah P., 33

18. The Wedding Singer (1998)

“It’s light and sweet and funny and the music (original and sourced) is good! It feels like a Saturday afternoon.” —Josie R., 45

19. Stick It! (2006)

“Our heroine is also Going Through It (teen angst, sports angst, her parents splitting up) but she makes it through with the help of a stellar mostly-2000s-pop-punk soundtrack, her own determination (and sarcasm), and the tough-love guidance of father figure/coach Jeff Bridges. And then, in the end, the athletes all come together not to fight each other but to fight the broken system! It kicks ass and I cry 100% of the time when the gymnasts all stick up for their wronged teammate as Blink 182's ‘Anthem Part II’ kicks in.” —Emily J., 34

20. Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)

“Low stakes, nothing bad or stressful happens, all about self-empowerment, and a great soundtrack to nap to.” —Kelsey S., 34

21. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

“It’s a movie that feels so warm and comforting to me. It’s well-executed with amazing performances all around, a banger of a soundtrack, and THE aesthetic that everyone associates with Wes Anderson. It’s that beautiful measure of funny, sweet, sad, full of grief, and goofy without ever getting too saccharine. It’s the movie I go to whenever I feel really deep in depression, which I’m realizing is ironic given, uh, that one scene featuring a suicide attempt, but even then…I don’t know, there’s a comfort to seeing that happen and seeing how things still work out better. I will always tear up at the end when Chas says, ‘I’ve had a really rough year, Dad.’ And Royal says, ‘I know, Chas.’” —Alvin P., 36

22. Erin Brockovich (2000)

“I love a good paperwork movie, the outfits are spectacular, all the bad guys are humiliated in fun quotable ways, Julia Roberts is luminous, and the evil polluting corporation has to pay in the end.” —Rachel B., 26

23. Chef (2014)

“Food. Jon Favreau blowing a gasket over molten lava cake. Adorable kid. The making of a pasta dish being treated as a sensual scene.” —Claire K., 31

24. Gosford Park (2001)

“The soundtrack’s piano is soothing and everything feels cozy. Yes, there’s technically a murder but there’s also a dotty detective and very smart women and Maggie Smith being as Maggie Smith as she pleases! Plus the dog gets a happy ending and we always root for that.” —Gina H., 39

25. Moonstruck (1987)

“This movie is so absurd and yet fills me with such love. It’s written as an opera, with all of the drama, but without the singing. It’s young Cher and Nic Cage, and filled with people making bad choices and truly wild proclamations. Something about it always reminds me how much I love being alive. I once heard someone describe it as their cure for when they’re feeling misanthropic and I think that really is true for me.” —Spencer H., 28

26. They Came Together (2014)

“It is a deeply silly movie with about a thousand jokes throughout.  It's so comforting to watch a comedy that is actually laugh-out-loud funny and charming.” —Brian M., 46

27. To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar (1995)

“Listen, you can’t really go wrong with Patrick Swayze, Wesley Snipes, and John Leguizamo channeling true fabulousness in some incredible 90s fashions. Patrick Swayze especially gives a really beautiful and sensitive performance that I just love and is a big reason why I come back to it again and again. It’s a comedy with a lot of sweetness and a lot of bite, and it features all the good hallmarks of a feel-good movie—a fun soundtrack, dance numbers, a great makeover montage, a classic ‘town coming together’ plot, a Robin Williams cameo, and Stockard Channing. It never fails to make me smile.” —Carolyn A., 30

28. Obvious Child (2014)

“It tackles a difficult subject with such warmth and humor that it makes things seem hopeful. It reminds me that while life is messy, it's our relationships that buoy us and can create beautiful moments even in darkness.” —Jen S., 35

29. Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)

“There aren't that many movies where a queer protagonist gets to leave the film with their dignity intact. Melissa McCarthy as Lee Israel remains delightfully unrepentant an asshole to the very end amidst a sea of buffoons. This is also a New York In Winter film, a love letter to a time, place, and climate that can no longer exist.” —Marne L., 38

30. Despicable Me 2 (2013)

“I'm almost 50 and just think it's cute, quotable, silly, and fun.” —Jesus A., 48