21 Movies About Writers That Are A Must Watch

Movies about writers are not a common genre when it comes to cinema. There are only a few filmmakers who went on to showcase the struggle of a writer on one’s desk with a pen and paper. Though many still believe that a few written texts and emotions related to it cannot be expressed on screen, but some of the movies about writers have turned out to be gems.

Some filmmakers have managed to portray the struggle, passion, and eventual relapse of a writer’s life. Movies about writers mentioned on our list manage are the best ones that deserve a watch.

Here are some of the best movies about writers that shouldn’t be missed:

1. Before Sunset (2004)

Richard Linklater’s 2nd part of the Before Trilogy brings mature insights into the midlife romance. Jesse being a writer brings a newer and fresher storyline. The two leads Julie Delpy & Ethane Hawke are the real deal, their very real interaction is what makes it so relatable and real. Among the movies about writers, this one can be called the midlife romance of a writer’s life.

IMDb Rating: 8.1/10

Watch on: Amazon Prime Video

2. Adaptation (2002)

Spike Jonze’s Adaptation is a movie about writers that can serve as the biggest achievement of a writer. Just like the popular saying that you can’t write or adapt something without putting yourself or a part of yourself into it. Charlie Kaufman makes the plot about the struggles of a screenwriter. It is one of the movies about writers and authors.

IMDb Rating: 7.7/10

Watch on: Amazon Prime Video

3. Midnight In Paris (2011)

Midnight In Paris is a charming literary fantasy. This Woody Allen film is perceived as a tribute to the City of Love. It is about a writer struggling to procure his great romance on paper.

IMDb Rating: 7.7/10

Watch on: Netflix

4. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007)

Julian Schnabel’s The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is about a journalist who suffers from a severe stroke and ends up with locked-in syndrome. The film revolves around the life of a writer coping with these unexpected circumstances with Imagination.

IMDb Rating: 8.0/10

Watch on: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video

5. Misery (1990)

This Stephen Kings adaptation is thrilling to watch. It is a movie about writers and one of the strangest, most daring works by Kathy Bates. Misery is a Rob Reiner film about an obsessive fan and a writer having a tassel for creation. Among movies about writers on amazon prime, Misery is one of the best.

IMDb Rating: 7.8/10

Watch on: Amazon Prime Video

6. Little Women (2019)

Greta Gerwig’s 2019 adaptation portrayed the coming-of-age arc in the best possible way. Shown through the eyes of an aspiring writer Joe March played by the stunning Saoirse Ronan. The film is all about her life with her sisters and her struggle to make a name for herself in a world dominated by men.

IMDb Rating: 7.8/10

Watch on: Amazon Prime Video

7. The Hours (2002)

The Hours interconnects the lives of three women who are in search of something that will give their livelihood some kind of meaning. In this Stephen Daldry’s film, Nicole Kidman plays the infamous writer Virginia Woolf. She is portrayed as a sad, lonely woman who is unable to fight the demons in her head. The feeling of being dejected and sad in spite of having everything in one’s life is shown with powerful words and themes.

IMDb Rating: 7.5/10

Watch on: Amazon Prime Video

8. Martin Eden (2019)

Pietro Marcello’s movie features the handsome Luca Marinelli as the lead who is a writer. The movie showcases his struggle to self-learn and become a recognized name in the literary elite. Following the life of the rebellious man, as he withstands his economic disparity to become one of the most thought-out heroes of Darwinist ideologies, Martin Eden is a sprawling epic that captures how difficult it was to become a writer.

IMDb Rating: 7.0/10

Watch on: YouTube

9. Finding Neverland (2004)

Johnny Depp plays the author J.M. Barrie whose charming account of a period in his life is revealed in this movie. The plot follows Barrie who develops a platonic relationship with the widowed Sylvia played by Kate Winslet and her four sons. He is motivated to write a play about a group of children who don’t want to grow up. His work becomes a hit and winds up bringing Barrie and the children together.

IMDb Rating: 7.7/10

Watch on: Amazon Prime Video

10. The Ghost Writer (2010)

The Ghost played by Ewan McGregor, a successful ghostwriter, agrees to finish the memoirs of Adam Long (Pierce Brosnan). But, he begins to uncover evidence that suggests his late predecessor knew a dark secret about Lang and may have been murdered to prevent it from coming to light.

IMDb Rating: 7.2/10

Watch on: Netflix

11. The Wild Pear Tree (2018)

It is about Sinan, an aspiring young writer who has just finished college and is in search of a local publisher. He returns to his hometown in Can. The rest of the film revolves around Sinan’s relationship with himself and his father. It’s all about how it defines him as a person and as a writer.

IMDb Rating: 8.0/10

Watch on: Amazon Prime Video

12. Sunset Boulevard (1950)

Billy Wilder’s movie about writers is a noir gem. It is the story of Gloria Swanson’s iconic silent film star Norma Desmond. William Holden is hired as the screenwriter to help her reclaim her relevance in the age of “talkies.” Holden’s Joe Gillis is a disturbing portrait of a working writer who ultimately turns up facedown in the swimming pool.

IMDb Rating: 8.4/10

Watch on: Amazon Prime Video

13. Ruby Sparks (2012)

Ruby Sparks is a rare romantic comedy that is charming. This is one of those movies about writers that show how sometimes stories seem more real than they actually are. Performed by a promising Paul Dano and Zoe Kazan, it is a must-watch.

IMDb Rating: 7.2/10

Watch on: Amazon Prime Video

14. The Secret Window (2004)

During an ugly divorce from his wife (Maria Bello), writer Mort Rainey (Johnny Depp) relocates to his remote cabin in upstate New York for seclusion. Rainey is found by John Shooter (John Turturro) who is a farmer in an attempt to recover from his mental health, who claims Rainey plagiarized his work. Things take a different turn after that.

IMDb Rating: 6.5/10

Watch on: Amazon Prime Video

15. Miss Potter (2006)

It is based on the life of early 20th-century author Beatrix Potter who is the creator of Peter Rabbit. Potter, as a young woman, goes against her parent’s wishes for her to marry and settle down. Rather, she continues to write about and draw the animals she has loved since childhood. Her attempts to find a publisher for her children’s stories are unsuccessful at first, but she ultimately turns into a literary phenomenon. Listed among the movies about writers, this movie features Renée Zellweger, Ewan McGregor, and Emily Watson.

IMDb Rating: 7.0/10

Watch on: Amazon Prime Video

16. Certified Copy (2010)

Abbas Kiarostami’s Certified Copy is about a writer and an art dealer taking a stroll and talking about life and relationship in general. This movie is a true piece of art that varies depending on a person’s perception.

IMDb Rating: 7.2/10

Watch on: Amazon Prime Video

17. Hannah Arendt (2012)

Hannah Ardent recounts the life of Hannah Arendt who was a writer, political theorist, and German-Jewish philosopher, the movie showcases how fierce ideas can really be. It is one of those movies about writers that should be watched at least once.

IMDb Rating: 7.1/10

Watch on: Amazon Prime Video, YouTube

18. The End of The Tour (2015)

The End of the Tour is a character study that operates both, on the mind of a writer and an interviewer. This movie is a fitting tribute to the endless mind of a depressed soul and a prodigy who is unable to comprehend the way the minds of a female, a male, and a cartoon should be represented on a personal wall. It is one of those few good movies about writers on Netflix.

IMDb Rating: 7.2/10

Watch on: Amazon Prime Video

19. Impromptu (1991)

It is one writer movie where Judy Davis plays George Sand, the 19th-century novelist who left her husband and kids and moved to Paris. Hugh Grant plays Chopin, the movie also features Julian Sands, Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters, and Emma Thompson.

IMDb Rating: 6.8/10

Watch on: Amazon Prime Video

20. Reprise (2006)

Reprise is Joachim Trier’s directional debut. It is an engaging drama about two aspiring 20-something writers. The movie displays what happens when you make it big in the writing world.

IMDb Rating: 7.3/10

Watch on: Amazon Prime Video

21. Bright Star (2009)

The second Jane Campion film is one of the romance movies about writers. Bright Star is a beautiful, and tragic story about John Keats and his shinning light Fanny Brawne that will break your heart. Featuring the star performer Abbie Cornish, the film has loads of inspiring words.

IMDb Rating: 6.9/10

Watch on: Netflix