What are some good movies about a writer overcoming writer's block?

February 5, 2015 5:42 PM

I'm looking for movies about a depressed/blocked writer who breaks through and regains his or her creative spark! (Preferably not through hokey means like hooking up with a manic pixie dream girl/boy.) Can also be any type of creative person, not necessarily a writer. Any suggestions appreciated!
posted by Enemy of Joy to Writing & Language (22 answers total)

The Shining
posted by mr_roboto at 5:47 PM on February 5, 2015 [8 favorites]

Adaptation?
posted by TWinbrook8 at 5:49 PM on February 5, 2015 [11 favorites]

Stranger Than Fiction might fit in this category
posted by shortyJBot at 6:00 PM on February 5, 2015 [3 favorites]

there is one kinda like wonder boys, is it dutch, same time period, a young boy a student and a mentor writer
posted by cheetahchick at 6:10 PM on February 5, 2015

whoops dutch is not the right title
posted by cheetahchick at 6:11 PM on February 5, 2015

I think it is wonder boys!
posted by cheetahchick at 6:12 PM on February 5, 2015

Barton Fink, sort of.
posted by juv3nal at 6:40 PM on February 5, 2015 [6 favorites]

Only half joking here: Misery.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 7:51 PM on February 5, 2015 [1 favorite]

Stephen King often mines this territory. Secret Window, with Johnny Depp. The miniseries Bag of Bones.

There's also the comedy Skin Deep with John Ritter.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 7:59 PM on February 5, 2015

I also came in here to say Barton Fink, sort of.
posted by BlahLaLa at 8:38 PM on February 5, 2015

Throw Mama From the Train.

(The night was...)
posted by Ursula Hitler at 10:52 PM on February 5, 2015 [1 favorite]

There's a bit of this in "Topsy-Turvy", based on real-life events (not exactly a writer's block, but a rut where the author is writing the same kind of thing over and over until his principal collaborator is about to give up on him.)

I've heard "Ask the Dust", which I haven't seen, is about this, but also that it's not a very good film.
posted by kyrademon at 4:36 AM on February 6, 2015

The Inner Life of Martin Frost
posted by jbickers at 5:45 AM on February 6, 2015

Limitless.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 6:18 AM on February 6, 2015

Preferably not through hokey means like hooking up with a manic pixie dream girl/boy.

Understandable, but if adhered to too strictly you'd miss out on Ruby Sparks, one of the more trenchant and troubling films about writer's block out there.
posted by Beardman at 7:16 AM on February 6, 2015

I wouldn't call The Words a GOOD movie exactly, but the stuff about writing was entertaining.
posted by BibiRose at 7:26 AM on February 6, 2015

Fellini's 8 1/2 about film director's block?

I would also say Ruby Sparks which I thought was good, though it does border on manic pixie dream girl territory.
posted by Shadow Boxer at 8:18 AM on February 6, 2015

One of the episodes of The Slap is about a woman writer deciding to focus on her work after making a big life decision.
posted by spunweb at 8:46 AM on February 6, 2015

Finding Forester.
posted by sk8ingdom at 11:06 AM on February 6, 2015 [1 favorite]

Julie and Julia
posted by to recite so charmingly at 11:38 AM on February 6, 2015

I'm not sure whether it's exactly what you're looking for, but I thought the film Listen Up Phillip was fantastic and it was the first film that came to mind.
posted by kinddieserzeit at 3:46 AM on February 7, 2015

Sideways might qualify.
posted by Perodicticus potto at 7:00 AM on February 7, 2015