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The Best Movies About Life in the South

Updated May 12, 2020 1.5k votes 276 voters 3.2k views25 items

List RulesVote up the greatest movies in which the Southern setting is so prevalent, it's almost a character of its own.

Close-knit families, Southern hospitality, and a whole lot of good food make the American South a great place to spend some time in real life and in movies. The best Southern movies feature classic characters doing everything in their power to succeed. This is a list of the top movies set in the South including everything from Gone with the Wind to The Blind Side to Driving Miss Daisy.

What films will you find on this list of the best movies about the South? The globe-trotting crowd-pleaser Forrest Gump begins during the title character's childhood in Alabama. Though Forrest (Tom Hanks) traveled all over the world, he always returned home, especially to visit his mama. No Country For Old Men is another good film set in the South. New York lawyer Vincent Gambini was a fish out of water when he traveled past the Mason-Dixon Line to defend his cousin in the 1992 movie My Cousin Vinny. Other good films found on this roundup of the best movies about the South include Sweet Home Alabama, Walk the Line, and Django Unchained.

Which Southern-set movie is your favorite? Give the best films a thumbs up and please add any good features that are missing.

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Forrest Gump
Tom Hanks, Sally Field
Released: 1994
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
Forrest Gump is a 1994 American epic romantic-comedy-drama film based on the 1986 novel of the... more on Wikipedia
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Fried Green Tomatoes
Kathy Bates, Mary-Louise Parker
Released: 1991
Directed by: Jon Avnet
Fried Green Tomatoes is a 1991 comedy-drama film based on the novel Fried Green Tomatoes at... more on Wikipedia
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Steel Magnolias
Sally Field, Dolly Parton
Released: 1989
Directed by: Herbert Ross
Steel Magnolias is a 1989 American comedy-drama film directed by Herbert Ross, based on the... more on Wikipedia
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Gone with the Wind
Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh
Released: 1939
Directed by: Sam Wood, George Cukor, Victor Fleming
Gone with the Wind is a 1939 American epic historical romance film adapted from Margaret... more on Wikipedia
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Walk the Line
Reese Witherspoon, Joaquin Phoenix
Released: 2005
Directed by: James Mangold
Walk the Line is a 2005 American biographical drama film directed by James Mangold and based... more on Wikipedia
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O Brother, Where Art Thou?
George Clooney, John Goodman
Released: 2000
Directed by: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
O Brother, Where Art Thou? is a 2000 adventure comedy film written, produced, edited, and... more on Wikipedia
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Sweet Home Alabama
Reese Witherspoon, Matthew McConaughey
Released: 2002
Directed by: Andy Tennant
Sweet Home Alabama is a 2002 American romantic comedy film directed by Andy Tennant. A young... more on Wikipedia

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Driving Miss Daisy
Morgan Freeman, Dan Aykroyd
Released: 1989
Directed by: Bruce Beresford
Driving Miss Daisy is a 1989 American comedy-drama film directed by Bruce Beresford and... more on Wikipedia
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Tuscaloosa
Natalia Dyer, Tate Donovan
Released: 2020
Directed by: Philip Harder
Tuscaloosa is a 2020 American drama film directed by Philip Harder and is based on the novel... more on Wikipedia
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Cold Mountain
Natalie Portman, Nicole Kidman
Released: 2003
Directed by: Anthony Minghella
Cold Mountain is a 2003 epic drama film written and directed by Anthony Minghella. The film is... more on Wikipedia
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The Client
Susan Sarandon, Tommy Lee Jones
Released: 1994
Directed by: Joel Schumacher
The Client is a 1994 American legal thriller film directed by Joel Schumacher, based on the... more on Wikipedia
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No Country for Old Men
Javier Bardem, Tommy Lee Jones
Released: 2007
Directed by: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
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Big Fish
Miley Cyrus, Ewan McGregor
Released: 2003
Directed by: Tim Burton
Big Fish is a 2003 American fantasy drama film based on the 1998 novel of the same name by... more on Wikipedia
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The Blind Side
Sandra Bullock, Lily Collins
Released: 2009
Directed by: John Lee Hancock
The Blind Side is a 2009 American semi-biographical sports drama film. It was written and... more on Wikipedia
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What's Eating Gilbert Grape
Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio
Released: 1993
Directed by: Lasse Hallström
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Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Kevin Spacey, Jude Law
Released: 1997
Directed by: Clint Eastwood
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is a 1997 American drama film directed by Clint... more on Wikipedia
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My Cousin Vinny
Marisa Tomei, Joe Pesci
Released: 1992
Directed by: Jonathan Lynn
My Cousin Vinny is a 1992 American comedy film written by Dale Launer and directed by Jonathan... more on Wikipedia
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The Firm
Tom Cruise, Gene Hackman
Released: 1993
Directed by: Sydney Pollack
The Firm is a 1993 American legal thriller film directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Tom... more on Wikipedia
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Selma
Oprah Winfrey, Common
Released: 2014
Directed by: Ava DuVernay
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Eve's Bayou
Samuel L. Jackson, Meagan Good
Released: 1997
Directed by: Kasi Lemmons
Eve's Bayou is a 1997 American drama film written and directed by Kasi Lemmons, who made her... more on Wikipedia
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Django Unchained
Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington
Released: 2012
Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Django Unchained is a 2012 American revisionist Western film directed by Quentin Tarantino.... more on Wikipedia
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Hustle & Flow
Taraji P. Henson, Ludacris
Released: 2005
Directed by: Craig Brewer
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Elizabethtown
Jessica Biel, Kirsten Dunst
Released: 2005
Directed by: Cameron Crowe
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The Death of Dick Long
Michael Abbott Jr., Virginia Newcomb
Released: 2019
Directed by: Daniel Scheinert
The Death of Dick Long is a 2019 black comedy-drama film directed and produced by Daniel... more on Wikipedia
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Arkansas
Vince Vaughn, John Malkovich
Released: 2020
Directed by: Clark Duke
Arkansas is a 2020 American crime-drama film directed by Clark Duke. Kyle (Liam Hemsworth) and... more on Wikipedia