5 movies to watch if you liked Netflix's Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet premiered on Netflix on October 11, 2024. The romantic drama stars Laura Dern, Liam Hemsworth, Diana Silvers, and others. Directed by Susannah Grant, the movie follows Katherine Loewe (Dern), a famous novelist struggling to write after separating from her long-term partner.
While on a writer’s retreat in Morocco, Katherine meets Owen Brophy (Chris), who is there with his girlfriend and struggling with problems of his own. During the retreat, Katherine and Owen soon become close and develop a special relationship.
Set against stunning backdrops, the movie is about a woman’s longing for happiness, meaning, and love. For viewers who enjoy romantic movies that focus on self-reflection and are set in scenic landscapes, the list below offers some similar recommendations.
Eat Pray Love, Leap Year, and other movies like Lonely Planet
1) Under the Tuscan Sun (Amazon Prime Video)
Under the Tuscan Sun, starring Diane Lane and based on Frances Mayes's memoir, is a romantic comedy directed by Audrey Wells. The movie centers on Frances (Lane), a writer whose life takes a turn when she learns that her husband is cheating on her.
After losing her house in alimony, she decides to accept her friend’s suggestion and travels to Italy for some change. While in Tuscany, she buys a villa on a whim and finds her writer’s block going away, due to the tranquil escape. The movie is similar to Lonely Planet in various ways, as both movies focus on the self-discovery of a female writer.
2) Eat Pray Love (Amazon Prime Video)
Based on Elizabeth Gilbert’s memoir of the same name, Eat Pray Love is a biographical romantic drama starring Julia Roberts in the titular role and directed by Ryan Murphy. The movie revolves around Elizabeth (Roberts), who divorces her husband after feeling lost in life.
Free from responsibility, she decides to find meaning by traveling to different countries, trying various cuisines, and imbibing different cultures. She begins to indulge in simple joys and finds self-nourishment. Like Lonely Planet, the movie has stunning backdrops and is about a woman’s search for finding true happiness.
3) The Lost Daughter (Netflix)
A more serious film in tone, The Lost Daughter is a drama written and directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, based on a novel by Elena Ferrante. Starring Olivia Colman, the movie follows Lede (Colman), a professor and translator who is on holiday in Greece. She starts reminiscing about her past after encountering a mother-daughter duo.
The movie looks into the heavy toll motherhood takes and how it affects women’s ambitions. Even though the plot is different than Lonely Planet, the two films share a few similarities. Both movies investigate the effect of relationships on women and revolve around a female writer’s path to self-knowing.
4) Leap Year (Amazon Prime Video)
Starring Amy Adams and Matthew Goode, Leap Year is a romantic comedy directed by Anand Tucker. The film revolves around Anna (Adams), a real estate stager who is frustrated that her long-term boyfriend has not yet proposed to her.
She decides to travel to Dublin, where her boyfriend is stationed, to propose to him on a leap day, which allows women to propose to men, according to Irish tradition. But problems arise when she is unable to reach Dublin and falls for a charming stranger instead. Like Lonely Planet, the movie is about finding the true meaning of love and has beautiful scenery.
5) Midnight in Paris (Amazon Prime Video)
Written and directed by Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris stars Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, and others. This fantasy romantic movie follows Gil (Wilson), a screenwriter who realizes the difference between his and his fiancée’s values after a mysterious trip in time.
Set in Paris, the movie mixes fantasy and reality to create a beautiful backdrop that covers present-day Paris and the 1920s era. Like Lonely Planet, the movie is about a writer struggling to write and grappling with his personal struggles, but eventually finding love and true meaning.
Viewers who enjoyed Lonely Planet can go through the list and choose a movie of their liking.
