5 Movies To Learn About Retirement And Later Life

Retirement is defined as “leaving one’s job or ceasing to work.” But it involves so much more than that. As I wrote in “Retirement As A Death,” leaving one’s job is an emotional and psychological roller coaster, particularly when one is not prepared.

In order to retire successfully, it is important to realize what is happening and how to transition into a new life role. Research indicates it is critical to find a reason to get up in the morning—purpose and meaning. According to Dr. Becca Levy, author of Breaking the Age Code: How Your Beliefs About Aging Determine How Long & Well You Live, people who have a purpose live seven and a half years longer. Staying relevant. Being engaged in life. Continuing to learn and especially intergenerational learning. All of this helps us live longer and healthier lives.

One way to learn how to retire and the issues that can accompany it is to watch the experiences of others. Roger Ebert, American film critic and authority, often said that film was an "empathy machine," a way to step into someone else's shoes or experience a perspective that the real world could never allow.

According to Valerie Kalfrin, contributor to RogerEbert.com, movies, indeed, are empathy machines, but they’re also therapy. “As much as they open our minds to new experiences, sometimes we need their help to restore us, to tap into those places we’re otherwise not ready to go.”

Several organizations compose lists of movies targeted toward people in the second half of life. AARP hosts their annual Movies for Grownups Awards, which is one place you can look for movie reviews. For other movie recommendations, check out a list here, here, and here. We can learn how to prepare for this life transition from watching others tackle the journey before us.

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As a person who loves movies, I have many other movies I can recommend. The movies I am highlighting are five of my favorites that illustrate the necessary challenge of letting go in order to move onto what’s next.

Warren Schmidt (Jack Nicholson) has just retired from his management position at an insurance firm and he has lost his identity and purpose in life. There is a classic scene at his retirement party where the celebratory toast is made by the young person taking over Warren’s job. The movie takes us on a journey for Warren to find his new purpose for living. This is a great movie to watch if you are struggling to let go of your career, or if you have and aren’t sure what to do next.

Ben Whittaker (Robert Di Nero) is a 70-year-old former executive and a widower looking for something to do to fill his time. So, he applies to be an intern at a web start-up where his boss and colleagues are all much younger. The movie challenges the assumptions that different generations make about each other and illustrates how much we can learn from each other. I recommend this movie to people because of the intergenerational mentoring taking place. It is also relevant because many people are working past 65 either out of choice or necessity. They are either postponing retirement if possible or engaging in an encore career.

Based on a true story and book by the same title, journalist Mitch Albom discovers his favorite college professor has been diagnosed with ALS. Even though they lost touch, Albom is determined to visit Morrie. He learns so much from Morrie that Albom decides to visit him every Tuesday and record each conversation. While the topics they discuss are relevant to all ages and stages of life, they are particularly significant to people anticipating retirement.

Seven British travelers accept an invitation to a newly opened hotel in India. Each character has challenges, makes assumptions, holds stereotypes, and has preferences. Sometimes they are in agreement and often they are not. The movie illustrates how it is necessary to get out of one’s comfort zone in order to grow in interesting ways.

This is a documentary about the Young@Heart Chorus in Northhampton, Massachusetts. The chorus is comprised of seniors who perform popular rock music by artists such as Coldplay. The documentary shows them performing at public venues and at prisons. The power of the film comes from getting to know the members and witnessing how they deal with the challenges of getting older.

A story about Young@Heart. After reading a review of this documentary, I was determined to see it while it was in town. Documentaries don’t stay at the theater for long. My 19-year-old son happened to be home from college for the summer and surprised me by saying he would go to the movie with me. I explained that it was a movie about older people in a singing group and he may not enjoy it. I explained that the movie was not going to involve action, romance, or comedy and was likely to be slow. He went with me anyway.

Interestingly, the documentary included action as in performance, romance in terms of a caring community, and comedy because it shows how valuable a sense of humor can be when facing challenges. While I loved the film because it reflected how elders were enjoying their lives through music, creativity, and community, I was curious as to what my son thought. “I really liked the movie,” he said. “It shows older people having fun, loving life, and caring for each other. It gives me hope.”

When we learn how to retire successfully, we can be role models and give other people hope that there are benefits to growing older and with wisdom.