Self discovery movies and TV shows

The list contains the best, new and most relevant self discovery movies ordered by relevance. The recommendation service has sorted out touching, inspirational, realistic, sentimental, feel good and emotional films and TV shows about / with self discovery, hopes, love, friendship, inspiration, love and romance, philosophy, flashback, family relations and life philosophy plots mostly in Drama, Romance and Adventure genres shot in USA, UK, Germany and other countries.
self discovery
 3023
self discovery movies
TOP 10 movies tagged as self discovery: Soul (2020), Wild (2014), Eat Pray Love (2010), Into the Wild (2007), Peaceful Warrior (2006), The Truman Show (1998), One Week (2008), What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993), Samsara (2001), Dances with Wolves (1990).

List of self discovery movies

Watch Trailers From This List to Choose a Movie
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 114 min.
Story: A timid magazine photo manager who lives life vicariously through daydreams embarks on a true-life adventure when a negative goes missing.
Style: feel good, inspirational, motivational, surreal, offbeat ...
Audience: teens, date night, kids, family outing
Plot: self discovery, travel, daydreamer, life changing experience, journey, loneliness, adventurer, photographer, obsessive quest, lifestyle change, disorder, dream ...
Time: year 2013, 2010s, 21st century
Place: iceland, greenland, usa, new york, los angeles ...
Is relevant ?
Hector and the Search for Happiness (2014)
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Country: Germany, Canada, UK, South Africa, USA
Duration: 120 min.
Story: Hector is a quirky psychiatrist who has become increasingly tired of his humdrum life. As he tells his girlfriend, Clara, he feels like a fraud: he hasn’t really tasted life, and yet he’s offering advice to patients who are just not getting any ...
Style: feel good, sentimental, entertaining, emotional, semi serious ...
Audience: girls' night
Plot: travel, self discovery, life, psychiatrist, life philosophy, relationships, existentialism, introspection, happiness, teaching the ways of the world, friendship, loneliness ...
Time: year 2014, 21st century
Place: africa, china, tibet, england, london ...
Is relevant ?
 8.0
 375K
Soul (2020)
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min.
Story: Joe Gardner is a middle school teacher with a love for jazz music. After a successful gig at the Half Note Club, he suddenly gets into an accident that separates his soul from his body and is transported to the You Seminar, a center in which souls ...
Style: 3d animation, touching, philosophical, sincere, captivating ...
Audience: kids, family friendly
Plot: jazz, self discovery, life after death, afterlife, meaning of life, lifestyle change, acceptance, life & death, following a dream, life, teaching the ways of the world, death ...
Time: 2020s, 2010s, future, 21st century
Place: hawaii, tibet, manhattan new york city, new york
Is relevant ?
 7.1
 138K
Wild (2014)
Genre: Adventure, Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 115 min.
Story: A woman with a tragic past decides to start her new life by hiking for one thousand miles on the Pacific Crest Trail.
Style: meditative, road movie, uplifting, inspirational, touching ...
Audience: teens, chick flick, girls' night, adult
Plot: wilderness, self discovery, survival, nature, hiking, grief, female protagonist, starting over, human spirit, death of mother, cheating on husband, traveler ...
Time: year 1995, year 2014, 2010s, 20th century, 90s
Place: california, portland oregon, usa, mojave desert, oregon ...
Is relevant ?
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 5.8
 105K
Eat Pray Love (2010)
Genre: Biography, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 133 min.
Story: Liz Gilbert had everything a modern woman is supposed to dream of having – a husband, a house and a successful career – yet like so many others, she found herself lost, confused and searching for what she really wanted in life. Newly divorced ...
Style: inspirational, romantic, touching, road movie, sentimental ...
Audience: girls' night, family friendly, teens, date night, chick flick
Plot: self discovery, travel, midlife crisis, lifestyle change, love, female protagonist, journey, starting over, introspection, changing lives, life, fall in love ...
Time: 2010s, year 2010, 21st century
Place: italy, india, indonesia, bali, rome italy ...
Is relevant ?
 8.1
 655K
Into the Wild (2007)
Genre: Adventure, Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 148 min.
Story: The true story of top student and athlete, Christopher McCandless, who after graduating from Emory University in 1992, abandoned his possessions, gave his entire $24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhiked to Alaska to live in the wilderness.
Style: road movie, philosophical, melancholic, inspirational, reflective ...
Audience: teens, date night, teen drama, adult
Plot: road trip, wilderness, survival, self discovery, freedom, journey, solitude, life philosophy, isolation, travel, lifestyle change, beautiful scenery ...
Time: 2000s, year 2007, 20th century, year 1990, year 1991 ...
Place: alaska, los angeles, america, astoria oregon, seattle ...
Is relevant ?
Peaceful Warrior (2006)
Genre: Drama, Romance, Sport
Country: USA, Germany
Duration: 120 min.
Story: A chance encounter with a stranger changes the life of a college gymnast.
Style: inspirational, philosophical, spiritual, thought provoking, sincere ...
Audience: teens
Plot: self discovery, mentor, teaching the ways of the world, wisdom of life, enlightenment, wise man, philosophy, human spirit, life philosophy, gymnastics, athlete and trainer, coach ...
Time: year 2006, 21st century
Place: tibet, california, usa
Is relevant ?
 8.2
 1.2M
The Truman Show (1998)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 103 min.
Story: Truman Burbank is the star of "The Truman Show", a 24-hour-a-day "reality" TV show that broadcasts every aspect of his life -- live and in color -- without his knowledge. His entire life has been an unending soap opera for ...
Style: philosophical, thought provoking, psychological, surreal, touching ...
Audience: teens, family outing, teen drama
Plot: self discovery, simulated reality, alternate reality, freedom, video surveillance, small town, fictional reality show, hidden camera, utopia, dystopia, paranoia, god complex ...
Time: 90s, 20th century, year 1998, future
Place: florida, persia, america, usa
Is relevant ?
 7.0
 12K
One Week (2008)
Genre: Adventure, Drama
Country: Canada
Duration: 94 min.
Story: Ben Tyler (Joshua Jackson) has been diagnosed with cancer. With a grim chance of survival in the best case scenario even if he immediately begins treatment, he instead decides to take a motorcycle trip from Toronto through the Canadian prairies to ...
Style: road movie, realistic, meditative, bad ending, philosophical ...
Audience: teens
Plot: motorcycle, road trip, travel, self discovery, terminal illness, cancer, on the road, solitude, depression, beautiful scenery, coming of age, love story ...
Time: 21st century
Place: canada, ontario canada, pacific ocean, british columbia, toronto ontario canada
Is relevant ?
What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 118 min.
Story: Gilbert has to care for his brother Arnie and his obese mother, which gets in the way when love walks into his life.
Style: melancholic, touching, emotional, depressing, sad ...
Audience: teens, chick flick, teen drama
Plot: dysfunctional family, disability, self discovery, mental illness, small town, mentally challenged, responsibility, life philosophy, brothers, coming of age, family drama, family problems ...
Time: 90s, 20th century, year 1993, 60s, 70s
Place: iowa, texas, usa
Is relevant ?
 7.7
 8K
Samsara (2001)
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Romance
Country: India, Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland
Duration: 145 min.
Story: A love story situated in the Himalayas. A Buddhist monk can't choose between life and the way of the Buddha.
Style: philosophical, atmospheric, spiritual, captivating, serious ...
Audience: adult
Plot: buddhism, self discovery, monk, zen, buddha, human nature, buddhist monk, culture clash, buddhist, social differences, lifestyle, humanity ...
Time: year 2001
Place: tibet, asia, himalaya
Is relevant ?
Dances with Wolves (1990)
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Western
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 181 min.
Story: Wounded Civil War soldier, John Dunbar tries to commit suicide – and becomes a hero instead. As a reward, he's assigned to his dream post, a remote junction on the Western frontier, and soon makes unlikely friends with the local Sioux tribe.
Style: scenic, touching, sentimental, epic, breathtaking ...
Plot: native american, american civil war, self discovery, culture clash, friendship, native, tribe, courage, pride and honor, native american white relationships, wolf, indians ...
Time: 19th century, 90s, victorian era, 20th century, 1800s ...
Place: kansas, south dakota, tennessee, america, usa ...
Is relevant ?
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The Last Samurai (2003)
Genre: Action, Drama
Country: USA, New Zealand, Japan
Duration: 154 min.
Story: Nathan Algren is an American hired to instruct the Japanese army in the ways of modern warfare, which finds him learning to respect the samurai and the honorable principles that rule them. Pressed to destroy the samurai's way of life in the ...
Style: epic, breathtaking, serious, exciting, captivating ...
Audience: girls' night, manly, adult
Plot: samurai, sword fight, military, battles, war, japanese history, courage, warrior, katana, self discovery, pride and honor, human spirit ...
Time: 19th century, year 2003, victorian era, 1800s, middle ages ...
Place: japan, asia, africa, san francisco, tokyo ...
Is relevant ?
10 Items or Less (2006)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 82 min.
Story: An actor who is considering the role of a supermarket manager arrives at a grocery store on the outskirts of Los Angeles to do some field research. He subsequently becomes stranded, without a car or cell phone, and accepts a ride home with Scarlet, ...
Style: feel good, road movie, humorous, touching, clever ...
Plot: self discovery, friendship, introspection, road trip, research, on the road, movie star, job interview, mentor, friends, stranger, actor's life ...
Time: 20th century, year 2006
Place: los angeles, california, usa
Is relevant ?
The Fisher King (1991)
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Country: USA
Duration: 137 min.
Story: Two troubled men face their terrible destinies and events of their past as they join together on a mission to find the Holy Grail and thus to save themselves.
Style: psychological, touching, compassionate, inspirational, disturbing ...
Audience: chick flick
Plot: self discovery, friendship, insanity, mental illness, redemption, transformation, homelessness, holy grail, tragic event, radio, guilty conscience, medical ...
Time: 90s, year 1991, 20th century
Place: new york, usa, manhattan new york city, grand central station manhattan new york city
Is relevant ?
 7.7
 10K
Being Erica (2009)
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Country: Canada
Duration: 45 min.
TV show
Story: Being Erica is a Canadian comedy-drama television series that aired on CBC from January 5, 2009 to December 12, 2011. Created by Jana Sinyor, the series was originally announced by the CBC as The Session, but was retitled Being Erica before ...
Style: sentimental, captivating, witty, clever, semi serious ...
Audience: girls' night
Plot: time travel, self discovery, therapy, thirtysomething life, haunted by the past, road not taken, changing the past or future, destiny, lifestyle, introspection, hopes, loss of sibling ...
Time: 21st century
Place: toronto ontario canada, canada
Is relevant ?
The Motorcycle Diaries (2004)
Genre: Adventure, Biography, Drama
Country: UK, USA, France, Argentina, Peru, Chile, Germany
Duration: 126 min.
Story: "The Motorcycle Diaries" is based on the journals of Che Guevara, leader of the Cuban Revolution. In his memoirs, Guevara recounts adventures he, and best friend Alberto Granado, had while crossing South America by motorcycle in the early ...
Style: road movie, touching, inspirational, political, breathtaking ...
Plot: self discovery, motorcycle, travel, freedom, on the road, revolutionary, poverty, revolution, road trip, journey, traveler, biopic ...
Time: 20th century, year 2004, 50s, y2k, 2000s ...
Place: latin america, chile, cuba, south america, argentina ...
Is relevant ?
Like Stars on Earth (2007)
Genre: Drama, Family
Country: India
Duration: 162 min.
Story: Ishaan Awasthi is an eight-year-old whose world is filled with wonders that no one else seems to appreciate. Colours, fish, dogs, and kites don't seem important to the adults, who are much more interested in things like homework, marks, and ...
Style: motivational, touching, inspirational, captivating, educational ...
Audience: family outing, kids
Plot: dyslexia, teachers and students, teacher, teaching the ways of the world, childhood, self discovery, dedicated educator, young heroes, coming of age, shyness, school, learning disability ...
Time: future, year 2007, 2010s, 21st century
Place: india, middle east, asia, mumbai india
Is relevant ?
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 6.6
 15K
Alice (1990)
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 106 min.
Story: Alice Tate, mother of two, with a marriage of 16 years, finds herself falling for the handsome sax player, Joe. Stricken with a backache, she consults Dr. Yang, an oriental herbalist who realizes that her problems are not related to her back, but in ...
Style: unusual plot structure, melancholic, touching, sentimental, humorous ...
Plot: self discovery, infidelity, magic, invisible man, female protagonist, magic realism, identity crisis, bored housewife, dysfunctional family, relationships, police investigation, life philosophy ...
Time: 80s, 20th century
Place: new york, usa
Is relevant ?
 6.9
 101K
A Good Year (2006)
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 117 min.
Story: Failed London banker Max Skinner inherits his uncle's vineyard in Provence, where he spent many childhood holidays. Upon his arrival, he meets a woman from California who tells Max she is his long-lost cousin and that the property is hers.
Style: feel good, romantic, sentimental, inspirational, romantic comedy ...
Audience: chick flick, date night
Plot: wine, vineyard, fall in love, countryside, character change, love story, love and romance, starting over, doubts and hesitations, workaholic, inheritance, self discovery ...
Time: year 2006, 20th century, 80s, 21st century
Place: provence, france, europe, england, london
Is relevant ?
The Ultimate Gift (2006)
Genre: Drama, Family, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 118 min.
Story: When his wealthy grandfather finally dies, Jason Stevens fully expects to benefit when it comes to the reading of the will. But instead of a sizable inheritance, Jason receives a test, a series of tasks he must complete before he can get any money.
Style: inspirational, touching, sincere, emotional, romantic ...
Audience: kids, family outing, adult
Plot: self discovery, terminal illness, inheritance, christian, lawyer, ranch, life is a bitch, cancer, introspection, youth, friendship, life philosophy ...
Time: year 2006
Place: tibet, south america, ecuador, texas
Is relevant ?
 7.4
 917
Trigger (2018)
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: Russia
Duration: 52 min.
TV show
Story: Fashionable uptown Moscow: psychologist Artem practices "provocative therapy", convinced that the fastest and most effective cure is to brutally confront his patients with their fears. Yet his own life is in chaos after he was sentenced to ...
Style: captivating, thought provoking, disturbing, tense, suspenseful ...
Audience: chick flick
Plot: psychotherapy, entrapment, psychological manipulation, investigation, shock treatment, psychologist, psychotherapist, self discovery, false accusation, father son relationship, uncover truth, life turned upside down ...
Is relevant ?
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
Genre: Drama, Family, Fantasy, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 130 min.
Story: A holiday favourite for generations... George Bailey has spent his entire life giving to the people of Bedford Falls. All that prevents rich skinflint Mr. Potter from taking over the entire town is George's modest building and loan company. ...
Style: inspirational, feel good, touching, sentimental, uplifting ...
Audience: family outing, kids, date night, chick flick, adult
Plot: christmas, holiday, small town, small town life, angel, friendship, depression, life philosophy, snow, life changing experience, self discovery, happy ending ...
Time: 1940s, 20th century, year 1946, year 1945, year 1919 ...
Place: america, new york, new york state, usa
Is relevant ?
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Call Me by Your Name (2017)
Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: Italy, France, USA, Brazil
Duration: 132 min.
Story: Elio Perlman is spending the summer with his family at their vacation home in Lombardy, Italy. When his father hires a handsome doctoral student, the curious 17-year-old finds himself developing a growing attraction to the young man.
Style: touching, lgbt cinema, disturbing, independent film, sincere ...
Audience: teens, chick flick, girls' night, date night, teen drama
Plot: lgbt, gay, summer, love, gay love, homosexual, gay relationship, gay romance, first love, homosexuality, gay couple, gay teenager ...
Time: year 1983, 80s, year 2017, 2010s, 2000s
Place: italy, nebraska, mediterranean sea, europe
Is relevant ?
 7.3
 138K
An Education (2009)
Genre: Drama
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 100 min.
Story: A coming-of-age story about a teenage girl in 1960s suburban London, and how her life changes with the arrival of a playboy nearly twice her age.
Style: realistic, period piece, costume drama, feel good, romantic ...
Audience: date night, teens, chick flick, girls' night, teen drama
Plot: age difference, coming of age, older man younger woman relationship, love affair, lolita, self discovery, teenage girl, betrayal, virginity, teenage life, older man young girl relationship, culture ...
Time: 20th century, year 2009, 1900s, year 1961, 60s
Place: london, france, oxford university, paris france, britain ...
Is relevant ?
Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Family, Fantasy
Country: Japan
Duration: 119 min.
Story: When Sophie, a shy young woman, is cursed with an old body by a spiteful witch, her only chance of breaking the spell lies with a self-indulgent yet insecure young wizard and his companions in his legged, walking home.
Style: anime, fairy tale, atmospheric, touching, captivating ...
Audience: family outing, kids, family friendly, date night, teen drama
Plot: witch, steampunk, magic, supernatural ability, imaginary, fantasy world, self discovery, magical, demon, curses spells and rituals, wizards and magicians, transformation ...
Time: year 2004, year 2005, 20th century, 1900s, 2000s ...
Place: japan, seattle
Is relevant ?
 7.7
 11K
Mind Game (2004)
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Mystery, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 103 min.
Story: The film follows Nishi, a loser who has a crush on his childhood girlfriend. After an encounter with the Japanese mafia, the film follows Nishi as he journeys to heaven and back, and ends up trapped in an even more unlikely place.
Style: anime, surreal, atmospheric, stylized, psychedelic ...
Plot: self discovery, trippy, righting the wronged, family relations, supernatural, danger, hopes, dealing with death, family in danger, couples, imaginary, siblings relations ...
Time: 2000s, year 2004, 21st century
Place: japan, asia
Is relevant ?
The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009)
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 98 min.
Story: The life you love may be your own.... The wife of a much older man finds herself attracted to their neighbour's son, who is closer to her age.
Style: melancholic, stylized, emotional, sweet, sentimental ...
Audience: chick flick
Plot: age difference, self discovery, depression, marriage, older man younger woman relationship, starting over, love and romance, family life, love affair, family problems, parents and children, haunted by the past ...
Time: 70s, 80s, year 2009, 20th century, 2000s ...
Place: new york, usa
Is relevant ?
 8.0
 55K
Departures (2008)
Genre: Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 130 min.
Story: Daigo, a cellist, is laid off from his orchestra and moves with his wife back to his small hometown where the living is cheaper. Thinking he’s applying for a job at a travel agency he finds he’s being interviewed for work with departures of a ...
Style: sad, philosophical, psychological, touching, thought provoking ...
Plot: self discovery, funeral, father son relationship, pregnant wife, workplace, small town, character study, new job, small town life, heartwarming, music, melancholy ...
Time: year 2008, 21st century
Place: japan, asia, tokyo
Is relevant ?
A Perfect Ending (2012)
Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 110 min.
Story: This intimate drama follows Rebecca, a woman who has kept her sexuality a secret from her friends but chooses to reveal it to a stranger. While Rebecca's revelations may not yield the results she expects, a perfect ending is still in reach.
Style: touching, sexy, realistic, serious, sincere ...
Audience: date night
Plot: lesbian, lgbt, lesbian love, lesbian relationship, lesbian romance, self discovery, lesbian interest, couples, lesbian couple, prostitute, first lesbian experience, love affair ...
Time: 21st century
Place: usa
Is relevant ?
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