6 Philosophical Films About Identity You Should See

Would the famous British director Alfred Hitchcock be right in stating that “Cinema is not a piece of life, but a piece of cake”? As many celluloid fans see, the very existence of the human being and his identity can be seen reflected on the big screen.

In fact, here we dissect 6 philosophical films about identity to find out if he was right as a master of suspense.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Some “privileged brain” decided to translate this great film by Spike Jonze as Forget about me in Spanish. A superb stupidity to sell in our market its main actor, Jim Carrey, as if he were starring in one of his usual comedies. But nothing to do with reality.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind tells the story of a man who is unable to forget a person who lives so deep in his mind that it seems to touch his soul.

The suffering of the protagonist is impressed in this shocking film as if it were a mental maze. Can he be such an important person in our life as to mark personal identity? According to this film, it seems obvious that it is.

Gattaca

Now let’s go to Gattaca , another science fiction masterpiece masterfully directed by Andrew Niccol.  In a future world, genetic predisposition decides what role in life you are going to play, do you think that one day this fact could be a reality?

However, Gattaca’s story shows that dreams and willpower can lead the individual to overcome any obstacle. And another valuable lesson that he leaves us has to do with life seen as a career. Never save anything for the return and put all your will and enthusiasm in what you do.

Memento

Memento was the film that allowed the now famous Christopher Nolan to be the cult director he has become. In this case, a man with a short-term memory must investigate how he got to his present situation.

The movie is told in reverse order, from the end to the beginning. The tattoos that the protagonist makes to try to remember will give a good account of the narrative. Now, do we deceive ourselves to make sense of what we do not understand? Probably yes. Memento is a clear example.

The Matrix, a classic about identity

Now is the turn of the well-known work by the Wachowski brothers starring Keanu Reeves, The Matrix .  Can you imagine that one day you discover that everything you live is a lie? Would it be possible to believe that what surrounds us is virtual and created in our image to cover basic needs?

What if you find out that you are a chosen one? Who are we really? Were we born for some purpose that eludes us? Do we create our identity throughout life, or perhaps we never discover what our true end is in the world?

The last temptation of Christ

The Last Temptation of Christ was Martin Scorsese’s controversial film adaptation of the homonymous novel by Greek Nikos Kazantzakis. The tribulations of a Jesus Christ unable to believe in himself to face his role in history show a man who cannot find his place in the world, losing his identity along the way.

Are we really predestined in life? Does our identity and its development obey a master plan whose lines escape us? Should we follow destiny, even if our dreams say something different?

Excalibur

We finish our review with the John Boorman Excalibur film , which narrates the Arthurian legends surrounding Camelot. Arthur was born with a purpose, to be king and to unify all the lands around Camelot.

Excalibur is full of symbolism related to identity. A round table in which nobody is better than another. A king who is torn between his obligation as a monarch and his private life as a husband, an allegory around friendship and fidelity. The extensive mythology left behind by this film is still worthy of in-depth study.

The people around us, the feeling of belonging, dreams and vital goals or our searches for stability and happiness are captured in these films in a masterful way. Do you think Hitchcock was right?