'Ordinary people' movies where nothing much happens?

[penguinwithasuitcase]

Most of my favourite movies are the slow, 'study of everyday life' type, about very ordinary people, where not a lot happens but the nothing-muchness is beautiful.

For example:

Paterson (Jim Jarmusch),
Tokyo Story,
Sideways,
Land Ho
Another Year (Mike Leigh)...

What other films of this type can you think of?

Hunting for things to add to the list that I haven't seen...

Can't believe no one has mentioned Amelie yet (Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain). It's in French, subtitled. Lovely film.

Finding Your Feet (Imelda Staunton, Celia Imrie)
Husbands and Wives (if you can cope with Woody Allen, it's one of his best)
Carrington (Emma Thompson, Jonathan Price)
Ray & Liz
The Long Day Closes
Secrets and Lies
The Mother (Anne Reid, Daniel Craig)
Intimate Relations (Julie Walters, Rupert Graves)
The Unbearable Lightness of Being (Daniel Day Lewis)
The Lives of Others (German)
Tatie Danielle (French)
Career Girls
The Mudge Boy
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Café
Damage (Juliette Binoche, Jeremy Irons)
Enchanted April (Miranda Richardson, Joan Plowright)
Wetherby (Vanessa Redgrave)
The Clothes in the Wardrobe (Julie Walters, Jeanne Moreau)
The Dressmaker (1988, Jane Horrocks, not the Kate Winslet one)

Will remember more tomorrow!

It's not that most (if not all) of the films I listed are uneventful, more that they generally have a kind of naturalism and interesting character studies.

Etre et Avoir

@Scarby9 love that film, had forgotten all about it! 😃

@Changecountetextraordinaire

Perking, A Month in the Country is one of my favourite books - an absolute jewel of a book that says nothing and everything.

Oh, nice to meet other JL Carr fans! I’ve never dared read another word of his In case of disappointment. It also sparked off an abiding interest in medieval wall paintings that has led me to drag my husband about obscure churches where getting the key always involves a quest…

I was going to suggest Frances Ha, but it’s already been said.

And yes, definitely French film — lots of Rohmer and Agnès Varda, Michael Hanneke’s Caché, quite a few ofCedric Klapisch’s, Claire Denis’ Beau Travail. The Three Colours trilogy?

Days of the Bagnold Summer. It's so gentle and lovely.
Someone upthread said Locke was shit but it's really not.

@musicalfrog

This Year's Love. Forgotten 90s British film.

I loved that film when it came out. And the David Grey song.

@baroqueandblue
It's true, isn't it, that nothing much happens in Etre et Avoir?
I can watch the 4/5 year olds silently fighting over the eraser for hoiurs, for example.
And yet huge life events and growing up take place before you.
Great film. I do love a good French film. Don't get me started on Un Homme et une Femme or Jean de Florette.

Le Quattro Volte. Never been so enthralled by goats before! It's lovely.

Great thread 👏🏽

Another who says French films. TheThree Colours TRILOGY is beautiful

Hideous Kinky
Mr Turner
Life Is Sweet
Career Girls

Hope Gap

After Love starring Joanna Scanlan. Beautifully filmed, beautifully acted but nothing much happens. Available on BFI.

Life is sweet also by Mike Leigh

Broken Flowers - has a sizeable Hollywood cast and very enjoyable film - but not much happen.

Another Year is a great one too.

Another vote for Before Sunrise Trilogy
Try Boyhood too

Linklater generally, some Woody Allen

Good shouts for Local hero and Thiyear’s Love

Old Joy is really good too

A lot of Mike Leigh films on here, so any film by Mike Leigh

August Osage County

Into The Wild (get tissues ready)

@user333334

Juliette Naked This Is Where I Leave You The Squid and the Whale Marriage Story Maggie's Plan (warning - Woody Allen, so might be triggery/conflicted) Hannah and Her Sisters

Oh, I love Maggie’s Plan! I love those ‘Greta Gerwig playing someone kooky in NYC’ films — and Julianne Moore is hilarious in it.

Bombon el perro. An older unemployed man is given a pedigree dog after doing a good deed. Nothing really happens in terms of excitement, but it's just a sweet film about how a good deed leads to a better life.

@saraclara did you know that Byambasuren Davaa (the director of Cave and Weeping Camel) is a woman? I was THRILLED when I realised - it made so much sense.

@ButtonSister - yes absolutely, Mike Leigh is a bit of a master at this, as are Jim Jarmusch and Martha Stephens...

What an amazing list of recommendations to get into! I'm going to be digging into these for YEARS!

Red Dog is a film about an ordinary dog and ordinary Australian miners - beware - it's a weepy!

The truffle hunters is lovely. I saw that recently