Imagine this: it’s the year 2000, and you’re looking for a cliché romcom to watch. You stumble upon a new film about a man who not only avoids commitment but is also terrified of it, and a woman with a terminal heart condition. Their relationship isn’t meant to last, but they decide to enjoy every moment together. Sounds pretty, doesn’t it? Then you take a closer look at the cast and realize that Richard Gere and Winona Ryder are in the movie—but wait… they’re playing romantic partners?
A 26-year age gap separates Will (Richard Gere) and Charlotte (Winona Ryder). Although the movie received criticism beyond the age difference — such as being too predictable — it’s still remembered for the uneasy feeling audiences had watching someone date a much younger partner.
Now, on the 25th anniversary of this rather contradictory film, we’re going to revisit five other films that not only explore age-gap relationships but also, in many ways, show that love can overcome barriers.
Pretty Woman (1990)
Ten years before Autumn in New York, Richard Gere was already playing a man involved with a younger woman. In Pretty Woman, Edward (Richard Gere), a wealthy businessman, hires Vivian (Julia Roberts), a prostitute, to spend one night with him. Slowly, they begin to fall in love and try to overcome not only the 18-year age gap but also the stark differences between their worlds.
Much like Autumn in New York, the film also faced criticism beyond the age difference. Some viewers felt that the portrayal of sex work was problematic and disliked the “rich man saves vulnerable girl” narrative. Still, Pretty Woman remains one of the most iconic romantic comedies of the 1990s and continues to be widely loved by audiences.
Lost in Translation (2003)
Thirty-four years—a whole lifetime. That’s the age gap between Bob (Bill Murray) and Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) in Lost in Translation. Bob is a fading Hollywood star in Tokyo to film a whisky commercial, while Charlotte is a young woman in her twenties accompanying her husband on a work trip. Both are lonely, and they end up meeting over drinks at a hotel bar.
The story of two very different people who connect during a moment of dislocation and form an unexpected bond raised some concerns among audiences. The film premiered in 2003, when Scarlett Johansson was nineteen, but she had actually been only seventeen during filming.
Meanwhile, Bill Murray was already in his early fifties. As a result, attention was drawn not only to the significant age gap between the characters but also to the real-life difference between the actors—something that continues to spark debate, especially among new viewers discovering the film today.
The Graduate (1967)
Benjamin (Dustin Hoffman) is a young, newly graduated man from a wealthy family who becomes romantically involved with an older woman, Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft), a close friend of his parents. The twist comes when, while still entangled with her, he begins to develop feelings for her daughter, Elaine (Katharine Ross). As a free-spirited young man, Benjamin pushes back against the future his parents envision for him.
Although the film never specifies the exact age gap between Benjamin and Mrs. Robinson, it’s clear that she is significantly older. Interestingly, this aspect didn’t seem to trouble audiences much at the time. On the contrary, The Graduate has remained highly acclaimed over the decades and is still considered a cultural landmark that has aged remarkably well.
Call Me by Your Name (2017)
Italy, summer of 1983. Elio (Timothée Chalamet) is a teenager spending his vacation at his family’s villa when he meets Oliver (Armie Hammer), a doctoral student working with Elio’s father. On a journey of self-discovery, Elio and Oliver navigate their growing attraction while trying to make the most of the fleeting time they have together.
While a seven-year difference may not initially seem significant, the context changes once we learn that Elio is only seventeen, making Oliver twenty-four. For many viewers, this raised concerns about a potentially problematic power dynamic. Still, the Oscar-winning film is remembered, nearly a decade after its release, for its sensitive portrayal of sexual awakening and for bringing meaningful queer representation to the screen.
THE IDEA OF YOU (2024)
Who hasn’t imagined what it would be like to date a boyband superstar? Well, Solène (Anne Hathaway) certainly hadn’t. But when she meets Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine), a member of one of the world’s biggest boybands, she unexpectedly finds herself drawn to him. The catch? Hayes is just twenty-four, while Solène has recently turned forty—a sixteen-year age gap that complicates their romance.
The film explores how women are judged differently when they’re the older partner in an age-gap relationship. Although it received criticism for the underdevelopment of its main characters—many viewers felt they were portrayed too superficially—it still offers a sharp reflection on how society continues to reveal its sexist double standards. Together, Solène and Hayes confront the limits imposed on their love and question whether the struggle is worth enduring to be together.
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The article above was edited by Mariana do Patrocínio.
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