Movies to Watch When You Need a Lift

Published: FEB 3, 2026

THE INTOUCHABLES (2011)

A quadriplegic aristocrat and his caretaker from the projects form a friendship that’s messy, hilarious, and ultimately transformative.

RATATOUILLE (2007)

More than a rat in a kitchen, Ratatouille is a manifesto for dreamers, funny, mouthwatering, and unexpectedly moving, thanks to Ego’s monologue.

50 FIRST DATES (2004)

50 First Dates turns a strange premise into sweet rom-com gold: Sandler’s tenderness, Barrymore’s glow, and a banger soundtrack.

YOU'VE GOT MAIL (1998)

You’ve Got Mail is peak Hanks & Ryan, tiny bookstores, and dial-up nostalgia, rom-com like a warm cup of nostalgia bottled up in late-90s New York to sip whenever we need it.

THE INTERN (2015)

Nancy Meyers pairs Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway in a cliché-free friendship that’s about respect, patience, and the quiet magic of being seen.

ABOUT TIME (2013)

Domhnall Gleeson charms, Rachel McAdams glows, and Bill Nighy tugs at your heart in About Time, a rom-com turned tender life lesson.

UP (2009)

A grumpy old man, a wide-eyed kid, a talking dog, together they remind us that even when life derails, there’s still joy to be found in the detours.

CHEF (2014)

Favreau leaves Marvel behind for Chef: food porn, fatherhood, rebuilding, and joy, with salsa, Cuban sandwiches, and a grilled cheese masterpiece.

I LOVE YOU, MAN (2009)

Paul Rudd is searching for a best man and stumbles into bromance with Jason Segel’s gloriously weird Sydney. It’s a sweet little ode to the importance of platonic love.

SCHOOL OF ROCK (2003)

Jack Black was born for School of Rock: loud, funny, chaotic, and oddly moving as anxious kids find confidence through rock ’n’ roll.

THE PROPOSAL (2009)

Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds banter their way through a sham engagement in this goofy, predictable plot, but it’s carried by the fact that both leads are ridiculously charming.