When you think of the best movies about helping others, you probably think of feel-good films like Up and The Blind Side. These are great movies that show how people can help each other out in a big way. But there are also some really dramatic films on this list like Life is Beautiful that will make you rethink your definition of “helping.” Other's are very straight forward like Pay It Forward and really show how being kind to people can change the world for the better. So help out other users by voting up the movies you love and vote down the ones that you think other fans should skip.
What is the best movie about helping others? This list includes some old favorites and modern dramas. Vote up your favorite films about helping others below. Then be sure to check back as upcoming and new movies about helping others are added to the list once they're released.
Forrest Gump is a heartwarming story about a simple man who goes through life helping others. He never looks for recognition or reward, but his acts of kindness touch the lives of everyone he meets. Forrest's story is an inspiration to us all to be more compassionate and to always lend a helping hand.
Actors: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson, Sally Field
The movie Pay It Forward is about a young boy who comes up with the idea of paying good deeds forward instead of just returning them. He starts by helping out a classmate, and then his teacher. As word gets out, more and more people start to get involved in the pay it forward movement, and it eventually catches on around the world. The movie is inspiring and heartwarming, and it shows the power of one person to make a difference in the world.
Actors: Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt, Haley Joel Osment, Jay Mohr, Jim Caviezel
Carl Fredricksen (Ed Asner), a 78-year-old balloon salesman, is about to fulfill a lifelong dream. Tying thousands of balloons to his house, he flies away to the South American wilderness. But curmudgeonly Carl's worst nightmare comes true when he discovers a little boy named Russell is a stowaway aboard the balloon-powered house.
Actors: Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, Bob Peterson, Delroy Lindo
After struggling with depression in a mental hospital, Hunter "Patch" Adams (Robin Williams) decides he wants to become a doctor. He enrolls at Virginia Medical University but is disillusioned by the school's clinical perspective on patient care. With the aid of a wealthy friend, Adams opens his own medical clinic for those without insurance. He forms a deep bond with fellow medical student Carin Fisher (Monica Potter) before a tragedy causes Adams to re-evaluate his approach.
Actors: Robin Williams, Daniel London, Monica Potter, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bob Gunton
The Shawshank Redemption is a 1994 American drama film written and directed by Frank Darabont, based on the Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. The film tells the story of Andy Dufresne, a banker who is sentenced to life in Shawshank State Penitentiary for the murder of his wife and her lover, despite his claims of innocence. Over the course of his time at the prison, Andy befriends a fellow inmate, Red and finds ways to help people during his imprisonment.
Actors: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton, William Sadler, Clancy Brown
The Green Mile is a 1999 American fantasy crime drama film written and directed by Frank Darabont and adapted from the 1996 Stephen King novel of the same name. The film tells the story of Paul Edgecomb, a death row corrections officer in 1935, who witnesses supernatural events that occur after the arrival of John Coffey, a new inmate. John Coffey is able to help others in the most unexpected ways.
Actors: Tom Hanks, David Morse, Michael Clarke Duncan, Bonnie Hunt, James Cromwell
