Communication is an important part of life and relationships, which is why it's no surprise that many movies focus on themes related to communication.
From unlikely friendships to a speech-language pathologist helping someone overcome a stutter, these films can offer valuable insight into the importance of communication.
Whether it’s about a therapist helping someone learn how to communicate effectively or two people learning how to work through conflicts in their relationship, this list of films can offer valuable insights into the power of communication.
Here's the scoop on a list of movies in the United States that explore different aspects of communication.
1. Dead Poets Society (1989)
Dead Poets Society is a classic 1989 drama starring Robin Williams as the main character, John Keating, an English teacher at the prestigious all-boys academy. The movie also stars Robert Sean Leonard (Neil Perry), and Todd Anderson (Ethan Hawke).
He encourages his students like Knox Overstreet (Josh Charles) to think for themselves and challenge authority by introducing them to poetry and literature that speaks of individualism, nonconformity, and freedom of expression.
Through his teaching methods, he inspires his students to learn how to communicate effectively with each other and express their true feelings without fear or judgment.
Ultimately, they must find their own voices in order to make meaningful connections with others around them. Dead Poets Society is an inspiring tale about the power of communication in relationships and life itself.
2. Babel (2006)
Babel is a 2006 drama about the interconnected lives of people from different cultures. The story follows a deaf Japanese woman Rinko Kikuchi (Chieko Wataya) and her personal problems amid her mother's passing and her father's emotional detachment.
Richard Jones (Brad Pitt) and his wife go on a vacation as they try to work through problems in their relationship. On the other side of the world, a married couple’s Mexican Nanny watches over the children and encounters troubles of their own.
Through these characters’ stories, Babel explores how our differences can both divide us and bring us together as we try to understand each other better through honest dialogue and meaningful connections.
This is one of the best movies on the list about communication that brought the deaf culture to wider audiences in the movie industry.
Babel brings together sensitivity, culture clash, and geography to create a beautiful film worth watching.
3. Nell (1994)
Winning a number of awards for outstanding performance, Nell follows a young woman who has lived in isolation her entire life due to her impaired speech.
A local doctor by the name of Jerome Lovell (Liam Neeson) notices Nell Kellty and teaches her how to look at the world differently despite her disability.
This American drama portrays disabilities beautifully and is based on a true story. Watch now on Amazon Prime!
4. The Interpreter (2005)
The Interpreter takes viewers on a thrilling ride with two award-winning actors including Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn.
Silvia Broome happens to overhear an assassination plot against President Edmond Zuwanie at the United Nations.
Upon alerting the authorities, secret service agents grab onto the case, quickly marking Silvia as a suspect due to her involvement in a previous guerilla group. The Interpreter sticks the audience in a tension-filled story relying on politics and miscommunication.
5. The Terminal (2004)
Directed by Steven Spielberg, The Terminal is a drama and romance that follows Viktor Navorski (Tom Hanks) who takes a trip to New York to find himself stuck in the midst of a war. The drama also stars Stanley Tucci who plays Frank Dixon.
The Department of Homeland Security keeps him trapped in JFK airport. While living inside the airport, Viktor falls for a flight attendant (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and ultimately questions if he will ever have the chance to leave the terminal.
This classic film is partially based on a true story of an 18-year-old who stays at the Paris airport because of his lost passport.
Although audiences won't feel intense sadness, The Terminal ensures viewers that comedy is at the front of the audience.
6. The Lake House (2006)
The Hollywood remake of the South Korean film, Siworae, this romantic tale starring Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves is a masterpiece exploring the powerful love story between a lonely doctor and architect as they communicate through the lakeside house mailbox.
While the heart of the story is about love and effective communication, The Lake House explores time travel as the couple lives two years apart.
7. Arrival (2016)
Adapted from Story of Your Life, Linguistics professor, Louise Banks (Amy Adams) is recruited by an army officer and races against time to uncover an effective communication technique with extraterrestrial visitors.
With Louise Banks' fascination with language and math, only her team can have any chance at saving the world.
The sci-fi genre intertwined with language makes Arrival unique amongst other films introducing absurd symbols with ivy-like branches in the form of communication.
This sci-fi thriller easily pulls audiences in with believable main content while dealing with an unknown species.
8. Lost in Translation (2003)
A drama and romance featuring culture shock and a language barrier, Lost in Translation follows actor, Bob Harris (Bill Murray) and Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) a young wife of a visiting photographer in Japan.
Americans that only speak the English language, Bob and Charlotte feel out of place, often seeking comfort within each other. This unlikely relationship deepens and they must come back to reality with their visit to Japan ending soon.
Lost in Translation not only dives deep into relatable problems that life brings but also explores the beauty of human connection and finding someone who understands you in a foreign place.
9. Finding Dory (2016)
A family adventure from the perspective of the blue tang fish, Dory, this emotional story doesn't fail to tug at the heartstrings of Disney and Finding Nemo lovers.
Ellen Degeneres plays Dory who only manages to remember becoming separated from her family.
Marlin and Nemo decide to join Dory on her quest to reunite with her parents. Even though Finding Dory didn't quite measure up to the success of Finding Nemo, the movie still made a mark at the box office.
10. Youth Without Youth (2007)
Blending a few elements from other communication movies in this list, Youth Without Youth ambitiously combines sci-fi, romance, dreams, war, time, and many others for a classic film that is still very much talked about to this day.
Adapted from Mircea Eliade's novel, Dominic (Tim Roth) comes to a point in his life where he starts to think if life is worth living.
However, a bolt of lightning reduces his age and he is then sent to Switzerland to elude the Nazis in World War II and falls in love. This movie not only takes audiences on a romantic journey but pinpoints the metaphysical exploration of language, life, and reality.
11. The Beaver (2011)
Nominated for best actor and best grown-up love story, The Beaver is about a man who chooses to sleep most of the day instead of working. His behavior starts to drive his family crazy including his wife, Meredith (Jodie Foster).
With no drive to live, Walter Black (Mel Gibson) tries to commit suicide with a beaver puppet but is unsuccessful.
Through the puppet, Walter starts to approach a turning point to rebuild his life as his family begins to try and understand his mental illness.
12. The Accountant (2016)
A movie that did well on TV listings, The Accountant is a hidden gem starring Ben Affleck and Anna Kendrick finding themselves involved in a criminal case with a freelance client.
While this movie is more focused on the consequences of becoming involved with a robotics company, The Accountant sheds light on the autistic and disabled community in the midst of a situation that leads to several dead bodies.
13. The King's Speech (2010)
A drama based on King George VI, The King's Speech is a historical masterpiece that explores the journey of Prince Albert (Colin Firth) as he struggles with a speech impediment.
His wife, Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) reaches out to Lionel Logue to help him overcome his stammer to make room for confident communication skills when ascending the throne.
Through Lionel and Albert's companionship, the two become best friends. The inspiring story is a journey worth watching several times over.
A List of Movies About Communication
While most movies attempt to recycle ideas from popular genres, there are a few good movies that don't always rely on conventional themes to drive the movie's success.
This list of movies about communication makes the effort to bring misrepresented communities to the spotlight with relatable and emotional storylines.
With the latest digital devices and modern browsers, it's now easier than ever for deaf and speech impairment individuals to communicate with unexpected results.
For more scoop, visit these:
- 20 Best Disney Movies from the 90s
- 100 Best Hallmark Mystery Movies
- 60 Passionate Twilight Love Quotes
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Thanks for the support!
Leave a Reply