10 Films To Watch If You Liked Shiva Baby

From Booksmart to August: Osage County, these coming-of-age comedies and frenzied family dramas are perfect follow-ups to Shiva Baby.

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Earning raves from critics and audiences alike, Shiva Baby subverted coming-of-age tropes with witty deadpan tension and a horror-like atmosphere. The film takes place in the course of one ‘shiva’ (a Jewish period of mourning after a funeral) as Rachel Sennott’s Danielle confronts old and present lovers. Filled with anxiety-inducing scenes, the aimless heroine is further continuously interrogated about her life choices by one annoying relative after the other.

In addition to redefining its genre, Shiva Baby has also been praised for its authentic and sensitive portrayal of its Jewish bisexual protagonist. The realistic nature of the situational humor definitely makes debutant writer-director Emma Seligman a talent to watch out for. For fans who finish this film seeking for similar entertainment, they’ll be in luck, as this tone is replicated in a number of other recent titles.

11 The Diary Of A Teenage Girl (2015) – Starz

Based on the novel of the same name, The Diary Of A Teenage Girl tells the story of a 15-year-old girl (played Bel Powley) who shares a strained relationship with her mother (played by Kristen Wiig). This bond only worsens after she ends up getting sexually active with her mother’s boyfriend (played by Alexander Skarsgard).

The film attempts to explore such a sensitive situation from the eyes of its naive heroine. Even though she struggles with several insecurities, the titular “teenage girl” triumphantly ends up finding the meaning of her life.

10 Booksmart (2019) – Hulu

Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut Booksmart stars Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever as two academically bright students who decide to have one first and last night of “breaking rules” as they graduate from high school. As they let loose to have the time of their lives, an unexpected trail of misadventures is set in motion.

Booksmart seems to walk in the footsteps of previous mature teenage comedies like Superbad but it has enough freshness to stand on its own. The grounded performances of its aforementioned leads further add a sense of authenticity to their characters.

9 August: Osage County (2013) – Netflix

August: Osage County makes for a perfect watch for all those who are interested in dysfunctional family dramas. Featuring a top-class ensemble led by Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts, the tragicomedy opens with the disappearance of a family patriarch. The tragic event compels the rest of the extended family to grieve together. But driving back to the familial house brings back traumatic memories and chaos ensues for all of the members, old and young.

Bolstered by Tracy Letts’ sharp dialogue, the film is a bittersweet tribute to old age and troubled family relationships. The emphasis on realistic drama makes the film amusingly funny in one scene and painfully mellow in the other.

8 Eighth Grade (2018) – Showtime

Written and directed by comedian Bo Burnham, Eighth Grade offers insights into the trials and tribulations of adolescence from a post-millennial perspective. In the world of eighth-grader Elsie Fisher’s Kayla, growing up doesn’t just mean fitting in school but also staying relevant on social media.

Eighth Grade relies on teenage drama and satire to convey how technology is making teenagers only more alienated from the real world. Some of Eighth Grade’s sensitive scenes also touch upon Kayla’s relationship with her supportive father as well as her school seniors whom she desperately seeks to impress.

7 Thunder Road (2018) – Kanopy

Thunder Road is a noteworthy one-man effort by Jim Cummings who serves as writer, director, producer, as well as lead actor. The film follows a melancholic premise of a mentally troubled police officer who’s coping with the death of his mother and a recent divorce.

Cummings seems to give his all in his incredibly moving performance with the critically-acclaimed opening scene unleashing his dramatic prowess. His character Jim Arnauld delivers a heartfelt eulogy for his mother while talking about her favorite Bruce Springsteen song (the film’s namesake). It’s a highly engaging opening that instantly draws in audiences from the very beginning.

6 The Half Of It (2020) – Netflix

Paul Munsky (played by Daniel Diemer) is a typical school jock who harbors feelings for his classmate Aster Flores (Alexxis Lemire) in Netflix’s The Half of It. Unable to win her over, he relies on the introverted teen Ellie Chu to write poetic love letters under his name.

As this web of lies is put in place, Aster indeed starts reciprocating to Munsky’s efforts. This is when the plot thickens, as Ellie herself had been secretly in love with the same girl. Through tender and heartfelt characters and situational humor, The Half of It acts as a slightly more nuanced teenage romance compared to similar Netflix originals.

5 Get Out (2017) – FXNow

When it comes to claustrophobic family get-togethers, Get Out should definitely be on the list. The satirical horror features Daniel Kaluuya as a young African-American man who visits the family of his white girlfriend (played by Allison Williams). However, strange observations and an awkward luncheon imply that a larger racial conspiracy is brewing within this household.

Ultimately, the film culminates in a final act filled with unexpected surprises. Subverting many horror tropes at once, Jordan Peele’s debut was noted as a cult favorite by many, establishing Peele as a major force in screenwriting and direction.

4 The Miseducation Of Cameron Post (2018) – Amazon Prime Video

The Miseducation of Cameron Post is a teen drama that seems to follow a more brutally honest approach rather than sugarcoating hard truths. The titular heroine (played by Chloe Grace-Mortez) is a lesbian teenager who is sent to a gay conversion therapy center in the 1990s.

Befriended like-minded rebellious teens, Cameron Post and her friends wait for their eventual freedom. Apart from the usual coming-of-age elements, the film also empathetically explores themes such as loss of innocence and homophobia.

3 The Edge Of Seventeen (2016) – TNT

Earning a Golden Globe nomination for her performance, Hailee Steinfield starred in The Edge of Seventeen as a teenager who’s grieving the death of her father. If this wasn’t enough, she is also stressed by high-school situations like her best friend falling for her older brother. All of this pressure leads to a personal crisis as the protagonist struggles to find mental solace.

The Edge of Seventeen takes inspiration from several predecessors in the “teenage angst” genre and reinterprets it to suit a younger audience. As for Steinfeld, the film is a great indicator of the maturity she has attained as an actress.

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1 The Big Chill (1983) – Hulu

In The Big Chill, a group of old school friends reunites for the funeral of another one of their peers. This leads to a week-look reunion as the adults recount their past and analyze their present. Secrets are unearthed and wounds are opened with the story encapsulating all the ways humans can change with time.

A dialogue-driven drama in its essence, The Big Chill thrives thanks to an ensemble that provides a tragically real look at mid-life crisis while also touching upon a sense of nostalgia.

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