College is a place of self-discovery, where many young people try to find what their passion is, who they are attracted to, what kind of lifestyle they want to lead, etc.—all while getting a degree of some sort. The average college student is in their early twenties, so college is basically children running around doing what they want with no supervision because they’re technically adults. College is a hot bed of experimentation, where people try new things to see what they enjoy and what they don’t.
But college isn’t all fun and games. Whether you’re in a simple undergrad program or you’ve been admitted to med school, college still requires quite a bit of academic focus. Movies that show college life tend to focus on the experimentation side of college. Showing the rowdy parties and the spotty drug use because these are things that happen at college. Here are the best movies that perfectly capture college life.
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8 The Paper Chase
While many College films have the Academic side of College life more in the background, The Paper Chase is no such film. Following James Hart during his first year as a Harvard Law student, James finds himself in a relationship with his professor’s daughter. James struggles with the balance between his academic life and social life as he believes that failing is the worst thing that can happen to him. The Paper Chase also brings the question of whether College is worth it or not. The Paper Chase won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor thanks to John Houseman’s performance as James’ professor.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
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MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
7 The Graduate
Mike Nichols’ The Graduate is not a college film in the sense that it’s set on a campus and revolves around a group of college students. The Graduate follows new graduate Benjamin Braddock who comes back home. Feeling pressured by those around him to meet certain milestones, Ben begins having an affair with Mrs. Robinson, an old family friend the same age as his mother. When he meets Mrs. Robinson’s daughter Elaine, he falls for her after discovering that they feel the same way about a lot of things. Benjamin This iconic classic shows Dustin Hoffman in one of his best roles as a college kid trying to figure out how to deal with life, something college didn’t teach him.
6 Mona Lisa Smile
Columbia Pictures
Katherine Watson was just hired to teach as a professor of Art at the all-female Wellesley College. Set in the 1950s, Mona Lisa Smile shows the struggles of the female community to even get a college degree. While the women are there for higher education, most of them are still training to become housewives and Katherine is determined to break the mold and show her students their potential. Stirring the pot, Katherine is given a hard time by both her colleagues and students for trying to make a difference for women in the Academic world.
5 22 Jump Street
The sequel to 21 Jump Street, police officers Jenko and Schmidt go undercover once again, but this time as college students to infiltrate and get to the source of the new drug “why-phy." 22 Jump Street perfectly depicts college life with everything from rushing a frat to them unpacking in their dorms with typical college gear like a shower caddy and a pop-up laundry hamper. The crushing reality of how Jenko and Schmidt’s friendship is put to the test as their differences send them in opposite directions. While Jenko and Schmidt are not actually college students, they go through the same levels of growth as college students do.
4 Animal House
National Lampoon’s Animal House or just Animal House is a timeless classic following Freshmen Larry and Kent who pledge Delta and are granted the names Pinto and Flounder, respectively. Delta house is known for its rowdy parties and pranks, one of which goes terribly wrong when they steal a rival’s horse, take it to the Dean’s office and give it a heart attack after shooting a gun with blanks. While Animal House is over 40 years old, the messages and activities seen throughout the film are still applicable today. Starring the hilarious John Belushi as Bluto and Tim Matheson as the Delta leader Otter, Animal House was and still is a perfect college movie that any student would get a good laugh out of.
3 Dear White People
Dear White People, the film which was later turned into a Netflix series, focuses on racial tensions between the black and white community at an Ivy League college. Dear White People elaborates on the black perspective of college life. Dear White People is an informative look into the struggles that black students face when becoming successful in a White majority world. The pressure to succeed is tenfold, not to mention the effort to break stereotypes and having to work harder just to be on the same level as a White student.
2 The Social Network
Based on the true story of Mark Zukerberg, creator of Facebook and his journey, The Social Network follows Mark Zukerberg, how Facebook came around and how he handled the lawsuits that soon followed after his success in creating the site. As a young Harvard undergrad eager to prove himself, he creates Facebook and becomes a billionaire. While the whole film is not set during his college years, the time Zurkerberg spent in College was enough for the viewers to get a taste into the atmosphere he was working under when he created Facebook. It was nominated in eight categories at the Academy Awards and took home three.
1 Good Will Hunting
Janitor at MIT Will Hunting has a genius IQ and his talents are discovered by Professor Gerald Lambau. The Professor is determined to help Will realize his potential but after Will is arrested for assaulting a police officer, he seeks the help of therapist Sean Maguire, played by Robin Williams. Good Will Hunting is praised for the performances, especially of Robbins who is known for his comedic role taking on this change into a serious role. The therapy sessions open Will up to the deeper issues he is facing, both within himself and in his relationships. This is the ultimate symbolism for what college does for most students. College forces us to face ourselves and sometimes things need to change in order to get better.
