I have always been partial to
Bull Durham, Prime, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, The English Teacher, The Reader, Y tu Mama Tambien

But sorry I think that The Graduate is problematic and that Good luck LG is too, especially it’s considered alongside it. I haven’t seen the others mentioned but I’m going to have a look

So the in The Graduate Mrs Robinson is portrayed in a negative light - she (selfishly, is the sub text) seduces the younger man, who is shown in general throughout to make poor decisions, she is sexually aggressive and “hunts” him because of her own unhappy marriage. He then falls for her daughter and the end of the film is that he - (in this narrative) - does the right thing, leaving with the daughter. Mrs Robinson is left alone and bitter in her unhappy marriage, the implication being that this is a well deserved fate. If anyone ever alludes that I’m their Mrs Robinson I run a mile.

So then compare that to Good luck LG. This is less problematic on the surface and has a more positive message. The older woman is sexually repressed and has never had an orgasm, she explores her sexuality in the film and eventually manages to do so, forming a friendship along the way with the male escort she hired. It’s nice to watch and pretty wholesome. She was never going to end up with him in this context and they part friends, her alone (albeit in a better place than Mrs R, being positively impacted by the experience - but alone none the less)

So in the 60 or so years between the two films where we have got to, if this is taken as a reflection of society’s views on the subject, is that is now, in 2022 it is at least acceptable for older women to explore their sexuality and that this may be with a younger person, rather than being vilified for it. However we are still stuck in the same trope of the woman being alone at the end. The two lovers can now be viewed in a positive light and have been changed for the better by the experience but God forbid that the happy ending was anything other than younger person went off to live their life unfettered and the older woman returned to contemplating her solitary existence.

Now I’m sure that’s what happens in real life a lot, judging by comments on this community and indeed my own experience. The right thing is seen for the young person to move on to what lies ahead of them and the older person to gracefully let them go with her blessing and love. But, and I haven’t seen all the other films listed and I am definitely going to look, isn’t it about time the alternative was explored? In film I mean, because it certainly sounds as if there is a “happy ever after” for some people that post here. Until it is by the media and more widely so, it’s just the same constant message we have to fight about women becoming invisible at a certain age.

Because personally I am a hell of a lot better and more important than just a temporary pit stop.

Sorry, it just gets right on my nerves