Exam season is upon us. The main library is packed, your caffeine intake is concerning, and the idea of writing just one more essay feels physically painful. But what if we leaned into the chaos? Instead of viewing finals as pure suffering, let’s make it cinematic. Everyone knows the classics like Good Will Hunting (1997) and The Social Network (2010), but if you’re looking for something a little different, here are some underrated gems to get you through this last push at uni.
If you’ve ever been in a philosophy class where someone is taking Nietzsche far too seriously, Rope (1948) is a must-watch. It follows two university students who are a bit too obsessed with their own intelligence, leading to dire consequences. Their professor, played by James Stewart, starts to piece things together, and what follows is an intense, slow-burn battle of wits. It’s dramatic, and a perfect reminder that maybe—just maybe—overanalysing theories at 2 a.m. isn’t always a great idea.
This next one is a classic, but it’s impossible not to include it. Dead Poets Society (1989) is perhaps the ultimate romanticisation of studying. Robin Williams, as Professor Keating, makes you want to ditch finals, start a secret society, and read poetry under the stars. If you’re feeling burnt out, this film is the perfect reminder that learning is more than grades and deadlines—it’s about passion, curiosity, and the occasional dramatic desk-standing moment.
If you’re in STEM and finals have you questioning whether you even like your field, Gifted (2017) might resonate. It follows a young maths prodigy, Mary, whose genius sparks a custody battle over whether she should be pushed into academia or allowed to live a normal childhood. It’s a heartfelt film about intelligence, ambition, and what it really means to succeed. A good watch when you need some perspective—because hey, at least no one is dragging you to court over your grades.
If all the deadlines have left you feeling a little unhinged, Cruel Intentions (1999) is the perfect guilty pleasure watch. Set in an elite private school, this film is packed with manipulation, mind games, and some of the most dramatic academic scheming ever put on screen. Think Gossip Girl, but with more literary references and morally questionable debates. At its core, it’s about power, privilege, and how dangerously smart, and bored, some students can be. Plus, the soundtrack is peak ’90s perfection—ideal for drowning out any stress.
Wes Anderson’s Rushmore (1998) is one for us students who juggle way too many societies and other extracurriculars. It follows Max Fischer, a student who is very enthusiastic about everything except his actual schoolwork. It’s quirky, funny, and a reminder that sometimes, trying to do everything can backfire.
Spring may finally have arrived, but if finals have you feeling stuck in an endless academic grind, The Holdovers (2023) is the perfect reminder that even the longest seasons come to an end. Set in the ’70s, it follows a grumpy professor (Paul Giamatti) forced to stay at a boarding school over winter break to supervise the handful of students with nowhere to go. What starts as a miserable, snowed-in experience slowly turns into an unexpectedly heartfelt story about unlikely friendships, second chances, and the quiet beauty of academia in its loneliest moments. If you’re drowning in deadlines and need a film that understands your academic fatigue, this one is worth the watch.
So, when finals season starts feeling never-ending, take a study break, throw on one of these films, and remind yourself that academia can be cinematic. Now, back to studying (or at least pretending to).
Photo by Patrick Robert Doyle on Unsplash