“The Last Picture Show”, 1971
Director: Peter Bogdanovich
Directed by Peter Bogdanovich, this coming-of-age drama is set in the declining small town of Anarene, Texas, during the early 1950s. It follows a group of high school seniors navigating the transition to adulthood in a place where opportunities are scarce.
Starring: Timothy Bottoms, Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepherd, Ben Johnson, Cloris Leachman, Ellen Burstyn, Eileen Brennan, Clu Gulager, Sam Bottoms, Sharon Ullrick;
Production year: 1971;
Genre: drama, melodrama;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 118 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8;
More information about the film “The Last Picture Show” on the website imdb.com
“American Graffiti”, 1973
Director: George Lucas
Directed by George Lucas, this film captures one summer night in 1962 from the perspective of a group of teenagers in Modesto, California. It's a nostalgic look at youth, cruising culture, and the music of the time, as the characters face the impending changes in their lives.
Starring: Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat, Charles Martin Smith, Cindy Williams, Candy Clark, Mackenzie Phillips, Harrison Ford, Wolfman Jack, Bo Hopkins;
Production year: 1973;
Genre: drama, comedy;
MPAA rating: pg;
Duration: 110 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,4;
More information about the film “American Graffiti” on the website imdb.com
“Footloose”, 2011
Director: Craig Brewer
This musical drama directed by Herbert Ross is about a big-city teenager, Ren McCormack, who moves to a small town where dancing and rock music have been banned. He sets out to overturn the restrictive laws and shake up the conservative local community.
Starring: Kenny Wormald, Julianne Hough, Dennis Quaid, Andie MacDowell, Miles Teller, Ray McKinnon, Patrick Flueger, Kim Dickens, Ziah Colon, Ser'Darius Blain;
Production year: 2011;
Genre: drama, melodrama, comedy, music;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 113 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 5,8;
More information about the film “Footloose” on the website imdb.com
“Mystic Pizza”, 1988
Director: Donald Petrie
Set in Mystic, Connecticut, this romantic comedy-drama follows the lives and loves of three young waitresses. Directed by Donald Petrie, it delves into the personal challenges and aspirations of its characters against the backdrop of a small-town pizzeria.
Starring: Annabeth Gish, Julia Roberts, Lili Taylor, Vincent D'Onofrio, William R. Moses, Adam Storke, Conchata Ferrell, Joanna Merlin, Porscha Radcliffe, Bucky Walsh;
Production year: 1988;
Genre: drama, melodrama, comedy;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 104 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,3;
More information about the film “Mystic Pizza” on the website imdb.com
“Doc Hollywood”, 1991
Director: Michael Caton-Jones
Michael Caton-Jones directs this romantic comedy about a young, big-city doctor who crashes his car in a small South Carolina town and is sentenced to work at the local hospital. As he becomes a part of the community, he reevaluates his life and priorities.
Starring: Michael J. Fox, Julie Warner, Barnard Hughes, Woody Harrelson, Bridget Fonda, Frances Sternhagen, George Hamilton, David Ogden Stiers, Mel Winkler, Helen Martin;
Production year: 1991;
Genre: drama, melodrama, comedy;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 103 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,3;
More information about the film “Doc Hollywood” on the website imdb.com
“What's Eating Gilbert Grape”, 1993
Director: Lasse Hallström
A drama directed by Lasse Hallström, starring Johnny Depp as Gilbert Grape, a young man struggling with family responsibilities and personal desires in the fictional town of Endora, Iowa. The film focuses on his relationship with his brother, who has a developmental disability, and his quest for his own happiness.
Starring: Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Juliette Lewis, Mary Steenburgen, Darlene Cates, Laura Harrington, Mary Kate Schellhardt, Kevin Tighe, John C. Reilly, Crispin Glover;
Production year: 1993;
Genre: drama;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 118 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,7;
“Fargo”, 2014
Director: Noah Hawley, Michael Uppendahl, Dana Gonzales, Keith Gordon
This Coen Brothers' dark comedy-crime film is famously set in the upper Midwest, mainly in the small town of Brainerd, Minnesota. It combines stark violence with quirky humor as it tells the story of a botched extortion scheme.
Starring: Martin Freeman, Billy Bob Thornton, Allison Tolman, Colin Hanks, Patrick Wilson, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, Ewan McGregor, Carrie Coon, Mary Elizabeth Winstead;
Production year: 2014;
Genre: thriller, drama, crime;
Age: 18+;
Rating: IMDB: 8,9;
More information about the film “Fargo” on the website imdb.com
“Pleasantville”, 1998
Director: Gary Ross
Directed by Gary Ross, this fantasy comedy-drama uses a fictional 1950s sitcom town as a metaphor for the changes and social progress in America. Two 1990s teenagers are magically transported into the black-and-white world of “Pleasantville,” bringing color and shaking up the town's simple existence.
Starring: Tobey Maguire, Reese Witherspoon, William H. Macy, Joan Allen, Jeff Daniels, Don Knotts, Paul Walker, J.T. Walsh, Jane Kaczmarek, Marley Shelton;
Production year: 1998;
Genre: fantasy, drama, comedy;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 124 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,5;
More information about the film “Pleasantville” on the website imdb.com
“October Sky”, 1999
Director: Joe Johnston
Joe Johnston directs this biographical film about a coal miner's son in a small town in West Virginia who is inspired by the first Sputnik launch to take up rocketry against his father's wishes.
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Laura Dern, Chris Cooper, Chris Owen, William Lee Scott, Chad Lindberg, Natalie Canerday, Scott Thomas, Randy Stripling, Chris Ellis;
Production year: 1999;
Genre: drama, family, biography;
MPAA rating: pg;
Duration: 108 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,8;
More information about the film “October Sky” on the website imdb.com
“The Station Agent”, 2003
Director: Tom McCarthy
Thomas McCarthy's film is a poignant story of a man with dwarfism who, through inheritance, ends up in rural New Jersey and forms an unlikely friendship with the local residents.
Starring: Peter Dinklage, Patricia Clarkson, Bobby Cannavale, Michelle Williams, Raven Goodwin, Paul Benjamin, John Slattery, Jayce Bartok, Joe Lo Truglio, Lynn Cohen;
Production year: 2003;
Genre: drama, comedy;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 89 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,6;
More information about the film “The Station Agent” on the website imdb.com
These films, among many others, encapsulate various narratives of small town life in America, showcasing everything from nostalgia to nuanced portrayals of community dynamics.
In conclusion, films about small town America offer an intimate tapestry of narratives that reflect the multifaceted nature of life away from the bustling metropolises. Whether by exploring the quiet desperation underlying picturesque facades in “American Beauty,” the nostalgic embrace of community and tradition in “The Last Picture Show,” or the resilience and reinvention faced by fading local industries in “October Sky,” these films deliver a poignant commentary on the human condition. They highlight the universal themes of aspiration, conflict, and kinship, all while painting an evocative portrait of the American heartland. Through their authentic storytelling and rich characterization, these films do not merely entertain; they resonate deeply with our own experiences, challenge our perceptions, and leave an enduring impact on the cultural landscape.
