9 Unexpected Movies on Netflix That Will Inspire You to Live Your Best Life in 2017
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As the new year begins, people everywhere are looking to improve themselves. Resolutions can entail anything from hitting the gym more and eating healthier, to saving more money or learning a new language. Sometimes, however, even though we know exactly what we want to achieve, we need a little push to reach our goals — a spark of inspiration, if you will. Check out the list below to discover a few movies you can stream on Netflix that will inspire you to live your best life in 2017.
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Under the Tuscan Sun
Diane Lane stars as Frances Mayes, a writer living in San Fransisco. When she finds out that her husband has been having an affair and is expecting a child with his mistress, her friends encourage her to take a vacation to Tuscany. Once she arrives, she uproots her life and, on a whim, buys a broken-down villa. Although she struggles to adjust initially, Frances remodels her fixer-upper into her dream home, makes new friends, and looks for love in Under the Tuscan Sun.
Will inspire you to: Start from scratch.
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Good Will Hunting
In this 1993 drama, Matt Damon stars as Will Hunting, a blue-collar 20-year-old living in South Boston. As a punishment for assaulting a police officer, Will finds himself working as a janitor at MIT. One night, a professor catches Will completing a near-impossible math equation and discovers that he's a self-taught genius. Robin Williams plays a therapist that meets with Will and encourages him to rise to his potential and embrace his abilities. Ben Affleck, Stellan Skarsgard, Minnie Driver, and Casey Affleck also star in the award-winning film, Good Will Hunting.
Will inspire you to: Believe in yourself.
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Begin Again
Dan Mulligan (Mark Ruffalo) and Gretta James (Keira Knightley) are two strangers with a lot in common: they're both passionate about music and have both hit rough patches in their lives. Not only has Dan been fired from his executive job at a record label, but he's also estranged from his wife. Gretta, on the other hand, is a struggling singer-songwriter whose boyfriend (played by Adam Levine) cheated on her and used their material to become famous. When Dan and Gretta cross paths, they inspire one another and use their past heartbreak and new hope to create beautiful music. 2013 musical dramedy, Begin Again, also stars James Corden, Hailee Steinfeld, Mos Def, and Cee Lo Green.
Will inspire you to: Follow your passion.
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Last Holiday
In the 2006 rom-com, Last Holiday, Queen Latifah portrays Georgia Byrd, a hard-working department store employee living in New Orleans. Georgia leads a very modest life: she saves all of her money, goes to church every Sunday, and only eats frozen dinners despite being a talented chef. After a work accident leads to a bump on the head, Georgia goes to a doctor where they perform a CAT scan and find several brain tumors. With only a few weeks to live, Georgia quits her job, takes all of her money out of the bank, and travels to the Czech Republic for a luxurious stay at the Grandhotel Pupp. She spends her savings on expensive clothes, eats everything on the restaurant menu, and takes adventurous risks (like skydiving and skiing a Black Diamond). Only with death looming over her does Georgia finally begin to live.
Will inspire you to: Live every day like your last.
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The Rebound
The Rebound centers on Catherine Zeta Jones as Sandy, a stay-at-home mother of two living in an East Coast suburb. After discovering that her husband has been cheating on her, Sandy and her kids move to New York City. Now, for the first time in years, Sandy can do whatever she wants to do. She pursues a career, makes new friends, and explores the thriving life of the city. As for her children, she hires a manny, Aram Finklestein (Justin Bartha), to look after them. Aram and Sandy begin to spend a lot of time with each other and strike up a relationship — despite Aram being 15 years her junior. What began as a casual, passionate fling quickly becomes much more, forcing Sandy to stop and figure out what she truly wants.
Will inspire you to: Focus on yourself.
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Mona Lisa Smile
In 1953, Katherine Ann Watson (Julia Roberts) takes a teaching position in the Art History department at the conservative all-women's Wellesley College. Almost immediately after she arrives she's at risk of being fired, as she strays from the mandated texts and syllabi, and instead, challenges her class of women to discover Modern Art and question what they know, including the enigma of the Mona Lisa's smile. Katherine builds a relationship with a handful of girls and encourages them to seek a unique path for their future, rather than follow the societal norm of getting married and raising a family. Kristen Dunst, Ginnifer Goodwin, Julia Stiles, and Maggie Gyllenhaal also star in the 2003 drama, Mona Lisa Smile.
Will inspire you to: Defy expectations.
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Bridget Jones's Diary
In 2001, Bridget Jones became everyone's favorite hot mess. Based off the 1996 novel of the same name, Bridget Jones's Diary follows Bridget (Renée Zellweger), a 32-year-old perpetually-single girl who overindulges in food, alcohol, and cigarettes. Furthermore, she talks too much, tends to embarrass herself in public, and always says the wrong thing. One New Year's Eve, she resolves to expel bad habits and get her life on track. She starts hitting the gym, changes careers, and even finds herself at the center of a love triangle reminiscent of Pride and Prejudice. However, it isn't until she learns to truly love herself that Bridget finds happiness.
Will inspire you to: Accept your faults.
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Sliding Doors
Sliding Doors is a British-American romantic comedy that follows Helen Quilley (Gwyneth Paltrow) through two parallel universes. In both scenarios, her boyfriend cheats her, she loses her job, and discovers that she's pregnant. She also meets a charming, attractive man who may or may not be the love of her life. It's the difference in how and when these events happen that will dictate Helen's future forever. This 1998 film shows how one simple action can impact your life forever. To make the train or to not make the train? That is the question.
Will inspire you to: Believe in fate.
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Working Girl
Tess McGill (Melanie Griffith) is a hard-working, overlooked secretary who works at an investment banking firm in New York City. When Tess's manipulative boss, Katharine (Sigourney Weaver), injures herself on a ski vacation, Tess uses her absence to push one of her own ideas in hopes of landing her dream job — an executive on Wall Street. However, things quickly spiral out of control when Tess inhabits Katharine's life . . . and falls in love with her boyfriend, Jack (Harrison Ford). Joan Cusack, Alec Baldwin, and Kevin Spacey also star in 1988 romanic comedy, Working Girl.
Will inspire you to: Seize opportunity.