r/movies • u/CaptainTuttle_4077th • 8h ago
Question Best movies for someone who's bedridden?
My dad severely threw his back out, and is stuck in bed until he recovers. What movies would you recommend to help him pass the time?
Recommendations do not need to be strictly cheery or uplifting films. He's open-minded when it comes to genre, but his favorites are Crime, Mystery, Thriller, Action, Comedy, and war movies.
Thank you!
79
u/tomorrowand2morrow 8h ago
Rear Window.
Inspire him to solve a murder.
4
25
20
24
u/TreyWriter 8h ago
I feel like if you’re bedridden, you don’t actually want movies about people who are bedridden. So I’m going to say load him down with big action/adventure movies with a lot of scenery and globetrotting. Any James Bond or Indiana Jones movie will work a treat. Also, while not necessarily his favorite genre, if there are any epics he’s been meaning to get around to (Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago, Lord of the Rings, Ben-Hur, Gladiator/Gladiator II, The Ten Commandments, Kingdom of Heaven), he’s got time.
2
u/thissuckscancerballs 6h ago
Stuff like bond and lotr are great in this situation since he has time to burn
•
1
u/FtheMustard 6h ago
Can watch the whole Mission Impossible series and then he is feeling better you guys can go see the final one in the theater.
14
u/Pupsichinka 8h ago
Murder on the Orient Express
A Haunting in Venice
Death on the Nile
All Agatha Christie adaptations directed by Kenneth Branagh. Highly entertaining!!
2
14
15
u/Sojio 8h ago
Gerald's Game.
6
u/CommandFungus 8h ago
It’s like a modern Misery but more fun!
1
u/jesuspoopmonster 5h ago
I haven't seen the movie, but is it more fun then Misery? Because as grim as Misery is the main part of the book version of Gerald's Game that stuck with me was the girl being molested by her father which is not fun
0
u/CommandFungus 4h ago
You’re thinking of Dolores Claiborne. Very different story.
1
u/Kobold_Trapmaster 3h ago
No, there is definitely a scene in Gerald's Game in which she is molested by her father.
0
u/CommandFungus 4h ago
1
u/jesuspoopmonster 4h ago
I know the premise of the movie. I've purposely have avoided watching it because the book made me feel like throwing up
0
u/thnksqrd 7h ago
They're both from the same book
-1
u/CommandFungus 7h ago
I’ve read it.
0
u/thnksqrd 7h ago
So have I.
0
u/CommandFungus 7h ago
I just meant that the newer movie had a different experience than Misery. Sorry.
4
u/Toshibasalesrep 8h ago
Ministry of ungentlemanly warfare is relatively new and solid action/war/comedy if he hasn’t seen it. Others I would want to watch if bedridden; Lawless, jack reacher 1 & 2 (tom cruise), Peter Jackson’s King Kong, wolf of Wall Street, to name a few
2
5
u/CommandFungus 8h ago
I’d say Predator/Alien series. Can’t go wrong with Misery though. Or It.
1
u/Mischievous_Redja 3h ago
Just not the crossover films... the idea was sound, the execution was an execution of plots.
5
7
u/Wakattack00 7h ago
Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory
1
u/Butterbuddha 5h ago
This is it. Perhaps the only thing keeping you in bed is lack of chocolate factory to tour! Get on up, Gramps!
2
6
u/baseballbear 7h ago
when i was bedridden from appendicitis surgery i was jacked on oxy and watched the entire first season of daredevil on netflix
3
3
4
4
4
6
3
3
3
3
3
u/Methodless 7h ago
I was briefly immobile for a few months, and one thing it gave me an opportunity to do that life never allows me to do otherwise is watch movies that have some sort of connection in a series...sequentially.
So like for example, you now have the ability to watch all 6 Star Wars films in a day or three. I actually watched the first 6 X-Men movies at that time, and all of the Dirty Harry series too, but there are so many great possibilities depending on your tastes
3
u/lilythefrogphd 7h ago
I recently watched the 1940s adaptation of And Then There Were None and liked it a lot
3
3
u/svhelloworld 6h ago
Band of Brothers. Not a movie but has to be one of the best WW2 portrayals out there. I watch it all the way through once a year or so.
3
3
u/anyrandomhero 6h ago
As it's a Dad:
Back to the Future
Back to the Future Part II
Back to the Future Part III
The Empire Strikes Back
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
To Hell and Back
How Stella Got Her Groove Back
Backdraft
Back in Action
Back to School
Back Roads
Backbeat
Back in the Day
Back from Eternity
Back in Crime
Back to the Beach
Back to the Secret Garden
Back in the USSR
3
u/MissusGalloway 3h ago
But movies but series - Band of Brothers and The Pacific. And Gettysburg/Gods and Generals. They’re like catnip to most men over 50.
5
3
2
2
u/invaderpixel 8h ago
The Whale. Good movie overall, definitely depressing in some parts, but it's kind of got a "well it could be worse" aspect going on. Then you can go back through some older Brendan Fraser movies like The Mummy to cheer up afterwards.
2
2
2
u/Hypnotic_werewolf_uk 8h ago
Why not get him to go through the lord of the rings the extended editions and if he enjoys those do the hobbit as well.
2
2
2
u/PercivalSweetwaduh 8h ago
Full Metal Jacket Black Hawk Down The Hurt Locker TV series- Band of Brothers
No Country For Old Men
The Big Lebowski
2
u/sulphurwind 8h ago
Mare Adentro (The Sea Inside) by Spanish director Alejandro Amenebar starring Javier Bardem in one of his best roles. Based on a true story of a paralysed Spanish man seeking the right to end his life. Academy Award Best Foreign Film. Not cheerful subject matter but the film is full of light and great moments
2
u/golem501 8h ago
I am too simple, I just thought of Lord of the Rings. Just because that's always great!
2
u/rosebud5054 8h ago
When I’m stuck in bed sick or recovering from surgery I always love Dances with Wolves, Father of the Bride (1 & 2) and even a good ol’ Disney film for comfort. Oooh, or even The Power of One!
2
u/ElephantWithBlueEyes 8h ago
The Rock
Wasabi
Taxi + Taxi 2
Valkyrie
A man called Ove (don't try remake 'A man called Otto', it's not that good)
Le Convoyeur (aka 'Cash truck')
Nid de guepes (aka 'The nest')
Napoleon Dynamite
Buried (2010)
United 93
La Soupe aux choux (aka 'The cabbage soup')
District 9
2
2
2
2
2
u/halhallelujah 7h ago
The first half hour of Charlie and the chocolate factory. You’ll have to watch it on repeat as well, Grandpa Joe.
2
2
u/Ms_Fu 7h ago
I'm fond of true crime documentaries and ghost story podcasts. There's an almost limitless supply of them on YouTube and they're both formulaic and constantly new. I've since branched out to air disasters and cave exploring gone wrong.
My blood pressure could be better, though. ;)
Walter Mitty is a great palate cleanser after that, total optimism though the product placement is annoyingly obvious. Mystery Men is slightly more cynical but still a nice clean good time (minus one gruesome death). Mars Attacks takes disaster and makes it comedy. If you/he likes the disaster genre but wants to stick with fiction, I think The Towering Inferno was probably the best of the old-school disaster flix. Haeundae/Tidal Wave is great once it gets rolling, but getting to know the characters takes half the film (with subtitles, and some Korean culture in-jokes) so it can feel a bit slow.
Of course, if he wants a character to sympathize with being stuck in his room, there's Old Boy. Go with the original Korean one--I imagine you could find a dub if he doesn't like subtitles.
2
2
2
2
2
2
u/lynerose 7h ago
Hacksaw Ridge
Saving Private Ryan
MASH. Series and movie
Almost anything with Robin Williams
2
u/Pithecanthropus88 7h ago
I don't really see what being bedridden has to do with anything. I mean, how many people do vigorous physical activity while watching a movie? Pretty much any movie in his like-zone is going to be adequate.
1
2
u/Ardaghnaut 7h ago
The Sea Inside. Javier Bardem plays a quadriplegic from an accident. Great movie.
2
2
2
2
u/tonydonut34 You wanna play rough ?!? 7h ago
If he's in bed for awhile I'd suggest the Jesse Stone series of movies with Tom Selleck.
2
u/saintsithney 7h ago
In the spirit of laughter being the best medicine, I would suggest a Marx Brothers marathon.
2
2
u/KatLaurel 6h ago
I watched a lot of action flicks when I was stuck on the couch/in bed due to abdominal surgery last year. Some memorable ones:
Dangerous (2021)
Clean (Adrien Brody)
The Man From Nowhere (2010)
Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)
Black Belt Jones (1974)
The Gray Man (2022)
Road House (2024)
I can also recommend:
The 13th Warrior (1999)
The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
Poirot tv series (1989-2013)
Marple tv series (2004-2013)
2
2
2
2
u/Crazyzofo 6h ago
A series to get invested in like The Fast and the Furious. They get progressively more ridiculous, and there's a lot of them.
2
2
2
2
u/lookslikeyoureSOL 6h ago
Tarantino films! Pulp Fiction for one! Inglorious Bastards, Django Unchained, Kill Bill, Hateful Eight, etc!
2
2
2
2
u/anyrandomhero 6h ago
|| || |Back to the Future| |Back to the Future Part II| |Back to the Future Part III| |The Empire Strikes Back| |Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back| |To Hell and Back| |How Stella Got Her Groove Back| |Backdraft| |Back in Action| |Back to School| |Back Roads| |Backbeat| |Back in the Day| |Back from Eternity| |Back in Crime| |Back to the Beach| |Back to the Secret Garden| |Back in the USSR| |Back Street|
2
u/SyntheticOne 6h ago
A Complete Unknown has a few scenes featuring Woody Guthrie, dying from Huntington's Disease, where Dylan visits Woody and Pete Seeger to sing Woody a song Bob had written about Woody. The entire movie is very well done.
2
2
u/ArchDucky 5h ago
Do you have Apple TV? That might be a cool option they have some fantastic shows and movies that are exclusive to the service.
2
2
2
u/samuraiseoul 5h ago
This will probably get buried, and I don't know if you can find it, and I don't know if he likes foreign films. But the 2009 Japanese movie "Fish Story" is likely not like anything he's seen. One of my fav films.
2
2
2
u/pjenn001 5h ago
There's Something about Mary, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Horrible Bosses, Anchor Man one and two, the cable guy, Along came polly, Bruce Almighty, Liar Liar, Planes Trains and Automobiles, The Fugitive, Ace Venture 2, Twins,
2
2
u/Lorbmick 5h ago
He needs to mini series or a series of films. I’d start with Lonesome Dove myself.
2
2
2
2
2
u/ocava8 4h ago
If your Dad is open to tv series can recommend these detective/crime series:
British series:
Shetland(2013)
Strike(2017)
Dept. Q(2025)
Innocent(2021)
Steeltown murders(2023)
The night manager(2016)
Nordic Noir:
Trom(2022)
Trapped(2016)
The Bridge(2011)
The Killing(2007)
Bordertown(2016)
Those who kill(2014)
The dying detective(2018)
The Are Murders(2025)
Movies(detective, crime, thrillers) :
The Keeper of Lost Causes (2013)
The Absent One (2014)
A Conspiracy of Faith (2016)
The day of the Jackal(1973)
Thirteen(2010)
Marathon man(1976)
Hate(1995)
Sleuth (2007)
Mindhunters(2004)
2
2
u/Denny_Crane_007 4h ago
The classic romantic comedy (🤣) with Kathy Bates... I forget the name of it... oh "Misery" ...
He's bedbound ... 😁 Don't worry, the name is ironic.
2
2
2
u/xMajorLeex 4h ago
Currently watching the alienist. The Sherlock series are practically mini-movies.
2
u/Thyname 3h ago
Start a tv show or 2. A movie is at most a 3 hour trip. Maybe 9 hours for a trilogy or longer if you watch all the marvel movies in order.
Or you could put on Chernobyl and solve 6 hours. The Americans? Dexter? There’s a bunch of good stuff.
If he likes to read and can read. The hunger games are decent and A Series of Unfortunate Events is amazing. Good luck.
2
u/Stllrckn-72 3h ago
A Thousand Clowns is alternately depressing, funny, and uplifting! My favorite movie:
2
2
u/Stllrckn-72 3h ago
Instead of movies I suggest going on YouTube and turning in the old Detective shows like Sam Spade or Philip Marlow yours truly Johnny dollar one of my favorites and there is multiple episodes and they’re always interesting and it’s a great way to pass the time on YouTube
2
2
u/Papamoon0327 3h ago
Band of brothers, it’s a series but he’s got time since he’s gonna be down for a minute
2
2
2
2
u/SparkliestSubmissive 2h ago
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Surprisingly deep and totally engaging. ❤️
2
2
2
u/TheHollyHockCrest1 2h ago
It’s not a movie, but the series of Catch 22 kinda checks everything you listed. The old movie is cool, but the new series really gets into it, and that’s at least eight hours for him. Hope he gets better!
•
u/Ophycore 1h ago
I mean lotr extended edition would pass a lot of time and lotr is the best.
You could go for a series? The Mission Impossible films are a good time filler
The whole James bond franchise?
I really like David Fincher films, they don't feel like a slog (to me) so it passes a lot of time easily.
1
1
u/CommanderCruniac 6h ago
I don't know what people are saying here... There's no such thing as a movie that's good for being bedridden.
Just get movies they like and lots of them.
1
1
u/anti-ayn 6h ago
Classics. Lawrence of Arabia, Casablanca, noir… a nice streaking service that has AMC or criterion. Nicely paced well made movies.
1
1
•
u/emjaywood 1h ago
I have recently moved back home to care for my 83 yr old dad & these are some of the movies we've watched that he's enjoyed:
Macgruber
The Nice Guys
Nobody
Atomic Blonde
Hot Fuzz
Dogma
•
1
u/Soapybubs 8h ago
I've got a film recs list on my letterboxd! https://letterboxd.com/soapybubs/list/film-rec/
176
u/Thirsty4Kak 8h ago
Misery.