If there's a Big Little Lies-shaped hole in your heart, trust me, you're not alone. HBO's smash feminist hit officially aired its final episode, and fans are now forced to face life without Big Little Lies' epic female-centered storylines, gorgeous ocean views, and intense abuse storylines so often ignored in pop culture. Needless to say, the Big Little Lies withdrawal is real. And, because I can't magically make more episodes of Big Little Lies appear on your television screen, I've done the next best thing. Here are 19 movies Big Little Lies fans should watch if you're already missing the show.
Big Little Lies was so enthralling because it captured the complexity of women. Main characters Celeste, Madeline, Jane, and Renata were mothers, career women, friends, and about a million other things we didn't get to see. They held grudges, talked behind each other's backs, but also supported each other and fought for each other. In other words, Big Little Lies was a female empowerment show the likes of which we haven't really seen before. And, even though there's nothing quite like the show, these 19 movies for Big Little Lies fans come pretty damn close. All these films feature strong, three-dimensional women, and some even have murder plots too.
1
'The Women'
The Women has zero men in it, instead focusing on stars Joan Crawford, Rosalind Russell, and Joan Fontaine.
2
'Mona Lisa Smile'
Mona Lisa Smile allows women to question their roles in society, while also giving each other room to follow different paths. Not everyone wants to be a wife, but not everyone wants to be a single art teacher either.
3
'Revolutionary Road'
Be warned: Revolutionary Road, a movie about the crumbling of a marriage, has all of the drama of Big Little Lies and none of the humor.
4
'The First Wives Club'
Give Madeline, Jane, and Celeste a few years and they will be The First Wives Club, a group of three BFFs who decide to get revenge on their ex husbands.
5
'Rosemary's Baby'
Does the domestic life — marriage, kids, a nice home — give you the creeps? Well, Rosemary's Baby will bring all of those fears to life.
6
'Steel Magnolias'
Not unlike Big Little Lies, Steel Magnolias will make you laugh and sob like a baby.
7
'The Help'
If there's one theme that binds The Help and Big Little Lies, it's the solidarity of women helping women.
8
'The Hours'
The Hours isn't so much about female friendship as it is the role of women, and how it evolves over time.
9
'Hidden Figures'
Watching women bond to make their way to the top and send a man into space is pretty great.
10
'We Don't Live Here Anymore'
Get a fill of Renata Klein herself, actor Laura Dern, in the domestic drama We Don't Live Here Anymore.
12
'Evening'
Evening is about mothers and daughters, love and loss. And it takes place in two different times, so, you can still get a bit of that Big Little Lies story structure.
13
'Fences'
Fences explores the themes of family, fatherhood, motherhood, and what it means to be married. And, what it lacks in female friendship (there's basically only one woman in the entire film), it makes up for in the genius performance of Viola Davis.
14
'Bridesmaids'
Bridesmaids is what would happen if Big Little Lies were a comedy, and also not at all about murder or motherhood.
15
'Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants'
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is perfect if you want to enjoy the female friendship of Big Little Lies without all the pesky drama.
16
'Waiting To Exhale'
Waiting to Exhale, with its female cast and fun plot twists, is actually a pretty perfect post-Big Little Lies treat.
17
'Fried Green Tomatoes'
Warning: you will need tissues for Fried Green Tomatoes, which, like Big Little Lies, explores female friendship and abusive relationships.
18
'Boys On The Side'
Whoopi Goldberg, Mary-Louise Parker, and Drew Barrymore star as three unlikely road trip buddies in Boys on the Side, who end up being the love of each other's lives.
19
'Wild'
If the three things you loved most about Big Little Lies were Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, and the direction of Jean-Marc Vallée, then Wild, which has all three, is pretty much a no-brainer.
RIP Big Little Lies, we miss you already.
