Some of the most beautiful films I’ve ever seen revolve around the trope of wasted potential. I often find myself inexplicably drawn to media that explores the space between passion and obsession, brilliance and burnout.
Does that say something about me? Maybe, but that’s not the topic right now.
Without spoiling too much plot, I’ve put together a short list of my favorite movies (and one musical) featuring the haunting theme. The following films are for all the oldest daughters, the perfectionists, the ones with something to prove, and for those who lie awake wondering if they’ve done enough. While they have very different moods, all these recommendations tell stories of people who could’ve been great — should’ve been great — but found their lives unraveling from their own ambition. Featuring A-list actors and impeccable soundtracks, these films capture the ache of desiring impossible goals and flying too close to the sun in the process.
5. The Greatest Showman
At its surface, The Greatest Showman seems like just a glittery musical complete with catchy songs and intricate dance numbers. But beyond the circus flair, it is also a story about a man’s obsession with his legacy.
We meet Hugh Jackman as P.T. Barnum, a poor dreamer determined to prove himself to the world through building a circus. However, as the applause grows, so does his hunger for more. No achievement is enough — not approval from the critics, not touring the world, not even performing for the elite. In this mad chase for greatness, Barnum loses sight of his original motives, trading authenticity for fame and risking the very people who helped him rise.
4. Oppenheimer
Based on the real-life story of J. Robert Oppenheimer and the creation of the atomic bomb, Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer explores how relentless scientific ambition can leave more than just physical destruction in its wake.
Played by Cillian Murphy, we explore the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, a theoretical physicist that becomes the driving force behind the top-secret Manhattan Project. He earns fame, influence, and the respect of his peers through pushing scientific boundaries. Driven by ambition and an obsessive pursuit of intellectual legacy, he builds a bomb capable of ending World War II — only to realize too late what he’s unleashed. As the consequences of this achievement unfold, that same legacy begins to haunt him. His brilliance becomes a burden and in the end, it’s not success that lingers, but guilt.
3. Black Swan
Set in the world of professional dance, Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan is a haunting psychological thriller that delves into the mind of a ballerina whose obsession with perfection consumes her.
Natalie Portman stars in this movie as Nina Sayers, a disciplined but delicate ballerina cast as the lead in her company’s production of Swan Lake. She is pushed beyond her limits by her director, her peers, and most of all, herself as she struggles to portray both the innocent white swan and the seductive black swan. When the pressure mounts, Nina’s grip on reality begins to slip and she sacrifices her body and mind to fully embody the role. Black Swan is a visceral and discomforting portrayal of ambition turning into self-destruction — of a dancer achieving success at the cost of everything else.
2. Challengers
Directed by Luca Guadignino, Challengers is a psychosexual drama between three tennis players trapped in a toxic dynamic of obsession with each other and their own faded potential.
Set in the world of professional tennis, we follow Zendaya as Tashi Duncan, a tennis prodigy turned coach as her career was cut short by injury. Once destined for greatness, she now channels her drive and love for the sport into shaping her husband Art’s tennis career — but the line between love and manipulation quickly blurs. Linked by rivalry and regret, the pair are caught in a tense love triangle with Patrick, Art’s former doubles partner and Tashi’s ex-boyfriend. This complicated relationship culminates in a confusing, yet triumphant ending where the men rediscover their true passions and Tashi gets what she wanted the whole time, “to watch some good f*cking tennis”. Challengers isn’t just a movie about love triangles and athletic ability — it’s about control, obsession, and the unraveling of people who can’t stop competing, even when the game is already lost.
1. Whiplash
Starring Miles Teller, Whiplash follows Andrew Neiman, a young jazz drummer desperate to rise to the top of his prestigious music conservatory and become “one of the greats” in music history. Andrew falls under the tutelage of the demanding and merciless Terence Fletcher, portrayed by J.K. Simmons. Fletcher’s brutal, often abusive methods of teaching push Andrew to his limits, testing not only his talent but also his mental stability.
Despite being shot in just 19 days, Whiplash is remarkably focused and precise. Every shot, every scene, and every musical sequence has a purpose, creating a tense push and pull that highlights the strain of Andrew’s ambition on his well being. The rapid-fire pacing mirrors his tunnel vision and disregard of the costs of chasing greatness. Beyond its technical excellence, it’s the moral ambiguity that makes Whiplash so compelling. Fletcher is undeniably instrumental (pun intended) in pushing Andrew towards his breakthrough, but his cruelty leaves irreparable physical and emotional damage on the young musician.
What makes Whiplash stand out is how it deviates from conventional movie structures. By ending at the climax, the film refuses to offer a neat conclusion. The height of Andrew’s performance is clearly a moment of triumph, yet it’s also deeply unsettling. As the screen fades to black, it leaves just the haunting question of whether the ends justify the means. Whiplash is a film about perfection, obsession, and the human cost of genius. And it dares to ask what place morality has in creating art.