Movies About People Whose Lives Are Way Worse Than Yours

When times are bad, lots of people go to the movies to escape their troubles. But you’re having a horrible, terrible, no good, very bad day, there are a few movies that will make you think that your life isn’t really all that bad.

Always Watching blog got a list of 8 of such movies. For example:

THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY

His problem: Suffered an unpredicted stroke, resulting in complete paralysis except for his left eye, and died two years later.

Your problem: Alone on Valentine’s Day.

By all accounts, French journalist Jean-Dominique Bauby led a pretty great life. He had found success and fame as the editor of Elle magazine, was a father to two kids, and certainly wasn’t lacking in female companionship. Wealth, family and romance – the rest of us could only be so lucky. But on December 8th, 1995, Jean-Do had a debilitating stroke, leaving him with someone called “locked in syndrome.” Paralyzed everywhere except for his left eye, he could still see and hear but was totally unable to reply to his surroundings in any way.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is a very subdued film about hope and inspiration, in that it doesn’t go for the typical “do your best!” platitudes, but instead subjects you to very difficult circumstances and allows the main character to accomplish incredible things in them. The movie is shot primarily in first person, which does a superb job at making you feel really fucking frustrated for Jean-Do as he lolls around without an ounce of control of his own body. The aforementioned inspiration comes from that, even in this state, he managed to write a book by blinking it out one letter at a time. And now he’s got a pretty damn good film about him, too. Kind of makes you feel unaccomplished, huh?

Link