Relationships with a large age gap aren’t new in film, or in reality, in any way. Many have been depicted on screen, involving people of all genders. From the Oscar-contender drama Carol to the more recent thriller Babygirl, these dynamics have been explored many times through a fictional lens.
One combination of an age-gap romance seems to still get more attention than others, as when an older woman is in a relationship with a younger man, questions are raised. This has been explored with comedic undertones in the American Pie films, taken more seriously in Adore, and by embracing feminine independence, like in Shirley Valentine.
With the recent influx of relevant movies like The Idea of You, the conversation has been brought back to the forefront, which may result in these topics becoming much more normalized in public discourse.
Harold And Maude (1971)
Harold and Maude is a classic romance film that features one of the largest age gaps in any movie. Maude, played by Ruth Gordon, is 79, and she begins a healthy relationship with the 19-year-old Harold. What makes the film so interesting is that Harold has an obsession with death, which plays into their attraction.
This offers a touching story about the 79-year-old woman who is more upbeat and happy to enjoy her life than the 60-year-younger Harold, and this helps him finally appreciate life more fully for the first time. Maude helps Harold discover the joys of life while Harold helps Maude rediscover her youth.
The movie ends in tragedy, which is not unexpected given Maude’s age, but it is also a movie about how the age gap between the two is not a bad thing, and it teaches Harold that life should be enjoyed, not feared.
Bull Durham (1988)
Bull Durham is one of the best baseball movies of all time, and while its main romance is between two people close in age, there is an age gap that plays into the storyline. Susan Sarandon is Annie, a baseball groupie who chooses a new young player each season to have a relationship with.
Her goal is to teach young players about love, Sєx, and life, and hopefully help them improve their lives and their play on the baseball field. In this season, it is a young rookie named Ebby, played by Tim Robbins. However, while this is happening, Annie also falls for the older veteran, played by Kevin Costner.
What is really ironic about this relationship, where there is an age difference of 12 years between Robbins and Sarandon, is that the two ended up getting married in real life the year that this movie was released.
Prime (2005)
In Prime, Uma Thurman plays a 37-year-old Manhattanite who starts seeing a 23-year-old artist (Bryan Greenberg). This romantic comedy focuses on the softer, more fun aspects of such relationships, with both parties getting something positive out of their shared experience.
She discovers a sense of freedom and spontaneity that she’d been missing, and he learns to appreciate the value of hard work and the appeal of a more experienced partner. They have some sweet moments together, the actors having the type of dynamic that was part of that mid-2000s charm.
Through the addition of Meryl Streep as Greenberg’s mother and Thurman’s therapist, the plot thickens with hilarious results. As soon as she discovers that the young man her client is dating is her son, her stance immediately shifts from supportive to combative.
However, as Streep’s character explores this apparent conflict of interest, it casts a very telling light on how a lot of people feel about the topic. However, the three of them help each other in their relationships, and the movie leaves audiences with an uplifting outlook and the feeling that anything’s possible.
The Idea of You (2024)
In the hit rom-com The Idea of You, Anne Hathaway plays a recently divorced, glamorous art gallery owner who begins a relationship with a young pop star (Nicolas Galitzine). The chemistry that the actors share is electric, and the things they bond over are completely believable and relatable.
The film tackles the repercussions on a baseline level. Hathaway’s character’s daughter is the one who is affected the most, while her ex-husband mocks her. The reception to the film was mostly positive, with Hathaway being praised for bringing to life this romantic story, allegedly based on some real-life fan fiction. Of course, there was still some negativity floating around.
The media tried to make the public believe that Hathaway was too unattractive in The Princess Diaries, too overweight in The Devil Wears Prada, and too old in The Idea of You. These notions might seem outlandish, yet it’s what many actresses have to deal with on a daily basis.
Lonely Planet (2024)
Laura Dern sets off for a writer’s getaway in Morocco, nursing a broken heart after a long relationship falls apart, and meets Owen (Liam Hemsworth), who is there with his girlfriend. Although there’s an immediate connection, Katherine (Dern) keeps him at bay for various reasons.
Fate keeps bringing the two together, and he goes through a breakup of his own as the person he traveled to the retreat with ends up cheating on him. Soon after, romance inadvertently blossoms. As feelings grow deeper, Katherine loses the novel she’s been working on for the past couple of years.
This blow throws a spanner in the blossoming relationship, and she deems their infatuation a mere distraction, leading to the two parting ways. Yet it seems this romance was much more than she initially expected, as he becomes the inspiration for her next literary endeavor.
The topic of age was something she treated as a feeling she didn’t want to pay heed to, but it turned out to be the inspiration she needed all along.
Babygirl (2024)
Nicole Kidman delivers an unabashed performance in this sensual thriller co-starring Harris Dickinson. With a focus on female pleasure, the movie takes a look at career dynamics in the workplace.
While she’s no stranger to Sєxually explicit projects, this particular one offers an insightful look at how switching certain stereotypical gender roles can affect interpersonal relationships. With a reception at the Venice Film Festival was as divisive as the subject matter itself, the consensus among viewers was that Kidman and Dickinson’s chemistry was off the chain.
Citing Indecent Proposal and Basic Instinct as influences, this film is certain to leave an impression. Kidman also starred alongside Zac Efron in A Family Affair, another recent movie exploring a romance with a significant age gap.
How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998)
Angela Bᴀsset “did the thing” when she starred in this empowering romantic comedy-drama. It’s the story of a powerful, career-focused mother, who takes some time for herself and embarks on a vacation romance with Winston (Taye Diggs), a man half her age. What starts as a very casual fling during a Jamaican getaway, soon develops into something more.
How Sella Got Her Groove Back does a fine job of having the characters navigate the obstacles that are presented by an age gap such as this. While she finds his immaturity cumbersome, he finds her confidence and straightforwardness controlling. There’s also a lot of conflict with Winston’s mother, who’s only a year older than Stella.
Yet when tragedy strikes, and the two realize that their connection is deeper than just a pᴀssing tryst, they decide to give it a proper go. There’s a lot of heart in this bittersweet film that was seen as mildly shocking at the time. Yet seeing a strong, independent woman find her bliss is always a joy to watch.
Something’s Gotta Give (2003)
Diane Keaton plays the mother of a young woman (Amanda Peet) dating a much older man (Jack Nicholson). As in typical Nancy Myers style, relationships between people overlap, and hilarity ensues. Erica (Keaton) develops a bond with Nicholson’s Harry, but due to their complicated predicament, not much happens at first.
This leaves her to start a relationship with the charming Dr. Julian (Keanu Reeves), imbuing her with a lot of confidence and joie de vivre, which in turn becomes more attractive to Harry. However, the romance with Julian isn’t the main focus of this heartwarming comedy.
It allows Keaton’s character to feel more open and receptive to the advances of someone else, who might seem more suitable. What the film does well is allow for this seemingly mismatched pairing to be important and impactful. Erica’s feeling desired helps her explore her feelings for Harry, which shows how there are many ways a relationship can affect someone.
No Hard Feelings (2023)
Jennifer Lawrence brought charm and charisma to this raunchy comedy. No Hard Feelings was a welcome return, with some well-timed jokes and a surprising amount of sweetness to the story. The age gap in this film isn’t as jarring as in other films of the genre, and Lawrence’s performance has the right amount of immaturity and vulnerability.
Representing a generation of millennial women, Maddie Barker is stuck in a loop of monotony, with no clear purpose in life. When she finds herself in a financial bind, she decides to take on a job that turns out to be more than she bargained for.
As she tries to seduce an awkward and shy Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman) the two form a genuine bond that ends up being the very heart of the movie. It brings a fresh perspective to the conversation, addressing it with clever humor and a lack of inhibitions.
Y Tu Mamá También (2001)
In Y Tu Mamá También, Maribel Verdú takes a wild and spontaneous journey with two younger men, as she deals with heartbreak. Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna play a couple of young best friends who want to seduce a beautiful older woman, but to no avail.
Only when her personal life starts falling apart does she decide to join them on an unplanned road trip through rural Mexico. Pᴀssions flare, and the three explore their Sєxuality — and their jealousy. With the events of the fateful road trip disappearing in the distance, it turns out Luisa (Verdú) has died and knew about her diagnosis.
As her life was coming to an end, and her marriage was falling apart, she wanted to do one more thing just for herself. Additionally, the young men’s friendship turns out to be based on lies and indiscretions, and Luisa’s actions are also a parting gift that exposes the cracks in their immature relationship.
