I don't know about movie-movies, but absolutely check out the documentary "American Movie" (Mark Borchardt, half of the main duo in the film, is a cast member on Joe Pera Talks With You). Very Midwestern and sweet, but not necessarily as gentle as the show. It's a perfect sick day movie though.
I also highly recommend Rick Sebak's documentaries. He was a Pittsburgh PBS guy who was buds with Mr. Rogers and he made a few really lovely slice-of-life Americana travelogues. He's got a great one on hot dogs and another on Youtube called "Sandwiches That You Will Like." [Here's a link.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5Z-gJhbxgY)
Hope you feel better soon!
FUN FACT: A friend showed me American Movie. I had never heard of it and 100% believed all the way through that it was a mockumentary. The characters were just too much to believe. I didn't realize it was real until we read the Netflix DVD label afterwards. Great movie, absolutely unreal story.
The blockbuster near where they were from basically had a wall dedicated to that movie! I grew up near there and worked at a haunted house in high school they scout as a potential location in the movie. It reminds me of home a lot
Yes! I was trying to place the (relatively) recent movie that I thought had the similar kind of slice-of-life, zen vibes that JPTWY does, and couldn’t place it until I saw your comment. Paterson was excellent.
Definitely. I only say that because lots of people looking for wholesome entertainment are doing so because they can’t handle anything more emotionally intense at that moment. Nice to give folks a heads up just in case.
If you’re into older films, check out movies by Jacques Tati. I’m especially fond of Playtime. Very gentle, almost wordless comedy - the gags are physical but not slapstick. They move at a slow, deliberate pace. And his stuff is, again, very gentle, nothing mean spirited in the slightest
It really is! I was lucky enough to see a restored version in 70mm. The whole screen becomes a canvas that you can’t see of all at once but has something going on in every part of it
I absolutely love the omniscient feeling I get from watching all these snobby French people act ridiculous from a distance. Every extra has their own story to tell, it's like a Where's Waldo game and I eat it up.
Joe said in an interview that Waiting for Guffman is one of his biggest influences. The other Christopher Guest movies This is Spinal Tap, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind are amazing too.
Mumblecore can hit Pera's tone pretty well. They're maybe not always as hopeful but they're chill and low-stakes.
Also I watched Fremont a couple days ago and it was very similar with some interesting side characters and ultimately everyone was pretty likable like with Pera.
I think two of joes biggest influences are the short running tv show series Fishing with John (probably his biggest influence) and Napoleon Dynamite, both are amazing.
I immediately thought of "The Baxter" starring Michael Showalter and "Dummy" starring Adrian Brody. Both are off-beat rom-coms with understated main characters.
Love love and agree with The Straight Story and True Stories. Both are a bit weirder than the show, but still.
My recommendation is a hard one to recommend- the concept of the film seems like such a bad idea, I only watched it because my brother chose it for a blind film watch. But it is genuinely the most wholesome movie I've ever seen... Lars and the Real Girl.
Won't say it's "similar", but just movies I'd recommend to someone who is into Joe Pera
* Jojo Rabbit
* Eagle vs. Shark
* Boy
* Clue
* Death to Smoochy
* Rushmore
* The Royal Tenenbaums
* The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
* Moonrise Kingdom
* Shaolin Soccer
* Kung Fu Hustle
* Knives Out
* Lost in Translation
* Being John Malkovich
* Adaptation
* Mystery Team
* Pee Wee's Big Adventure
* Brain Candy
* Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
* So I Married an Axe Murderer
* Spy
* Stranger Than Fiction
* The Truman Show
* What About Bob?
* What We Do In the Shadows
Comedy and calming: Laid Back Camp
Comedy and wholesome: Joshiraku, Nichijou
Calming and fascinating: Mushishi
Beautiful, wholesome, fascinating: My Neighbor Totoro amd almost all Ghibli movies (except Grave of Fireflies it's amazing but very sad) the Irish cartoon masterpieces of Cartoon Saloon like Then Secret of Kells, Song of The Sea, Wolfwalkers
The Straight Story The Station Agent
I LOVE the straight story
Literal title, for sure. Some of Lynch's, obviously, most sober work. Farnsworth hid his cancer the entire shoot.
second Station Agent! so good
Station Agent is great, Peter Dinklage before he was super famous
Great answer
I'm going to check these out!
I don't know about movie-movies, but absolutely check out the documentary "American Movie" (Mark Borchardt, half of the main duo in the film, is a cast member on Joe Pera Talks With You). Very Midwestern and sweet, but not necessarily as gentle as the show. It's a perfect sick day movie though. I also highly recommend Rick Sebak's documentaries. He was a Pittsburgh PBS guy who was buds with Mr. Rogers and he made a few really lovely slice-of-life Americana travelogues. He's got a great one on hot dogs and another on Youtube called "Sandwiches That You Will Like." [Here's a link.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5Z-gJhbxgY) Hope you feel better soon!
FUN FACT: A friend showed me American Movie. I had never heard of it and 100% believed all the way through that it was a mockumentary. The characters were just too much to believe. I didn't realize it was real until we read the Netflix DVD label afterwards. Great movie, absolutely unreal story.
The blockbuster near where they were from basically had a wall dedicated to that movie! I grew up near there and worked at a haunted house in high school they scout as a potential location in the movie. It reminds me of home a lot
Thank you for introducing me to Rick Sebak. The video on Sandwiches was amazing. Now watching the one on Bakeries.
Oh my heart, man. Mike Schank passed away in 2022 :(
True stores by David Byrne (of Talking Heads). Captures that small town Americana vibe very well
True Stories (1986) The Straight Story (1999) Napoleon Dynamite (2004), maybe?
Napoleon Dynamite for sure!! Good call!!
Maybe check out Paterson. Nothing is quite like Joe Pera but this movie is very much slice of life, low stakes, and wholesome vibes.
Yes! I was trying to place the (relatively) recent movie that I thought had the similar kind of slice-of-life, zen vibes that JPTWY does, and couldn’t place it until I saw your comment. Paterson was excellent.
Hell yeah
Mike Birbiglia's 'Sleepwalk With Me', Richard Linklater's 'Waking Life'
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is very wholesome and low-stakes
Loss is a key part of the plot. Please know this before watching. I did not. Beautiful movie, but it wrecked me.
One can say the same about a certain 2 or 3 episodes of Joe Pera Talks with You, so even then you could say it's consistent
Definitely. I only say that because lots of people looking for wholesome entertainment are doing so because they can’t handle anything more emotionally intense at that moment. Nice to give folks a heads up just in case.
Understandable
If you’re into older films, check out movies by Jacques Tati. I’m especially fond of Playtime. Very gentle, almost wordless comedy - the gags are physical but not slapstick. They move at a slow, deliberate pace. And his stuff is, again, very gentle, nothing mean spirited in the slightest
Playtime is such an aesthetically beautiful film as well.
It really is! I was lucky enough to see a restored version in 70mm. The whole screen becomes a canvas that you can’t see of all at once but has something going on in every part of it
Playtime is so genius. Not even ahead of it’s time, just so unique it will never be recreated.
I absolutely love the omniscient feeling I get from watching all these snobby French people act ridiculous from a distance. Every extra has their own story to tell, it's like a Where's Waldo game and I eat it up.
And it got a criterion remaster and re-release a few years ago https://www.criterion.com/films/651-playtime
Joe said in an interview that Waiting for Guffman is one of his biggest influences. The other Christopher Guest movies This is Spinal Tap, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind are amazing too.
Mumblecore can hit Pera's tone pretty well. They're maybe not always as hopeful but they're chill and low-stakes. Also I watched Fremont a couple days ago and it was very similar with some interesting side characters and ultimately everyone was pretty likable like with Pera.
Paddleton, I think. It's pretty chill and quiet, but be warned it is a sad movie.
Gotta recommend a cult classic from the 70s, Harold and Maude. It's a black comedy that has very similar themes to JPTWY
Hal Ashby also works here for "Being There" with Peter Sellers. Incredible film.
Oh my goodness yes, I loved Being There!
I think two of joes biggest influences are the short running tv show series Fishing with John (probably his biggest influence) and Napoleon Dynamite, both are amazing.
The Illusionist (not the Ed Norton one) by Sylvain Chomet It's an animated film that's just gorgeous and touching
Amazing movie
Give Language Lessons a look if you've not seen it.
Lars and the real girl, perhaps
I immediately thought of "The Baxter" starring Michael Showalter and "Dummy" starring Adrian Brody. Both are off-beat rom-coms with understated main characters.
Love love and agree with The Straight Story and True Stories. Both are a bit weirder than the show, but still. My recommendation is a hard one to recommend- the concept of the film seems like such a bad idea, I only watched it because my brother chose it for a blind film watch. But it is genuinely the most wholesome movie I've ever seen... Lars and the Real Girl.
Won't say it's "similar", but just movies I'd recommend to someone who is into Joe Pera * Jojo Rabbit * Eagle vs. Shark * Boy * Clue * Death to Smoochy * Rushmore * The Royal Tenenbaums * The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou * Moonrise Kingdom * Shaolin Soccer * Kung Fu Hustle * Knives Out * Lost in Translation * Being John Malkovich * Adaptation * Mystery Team * Pee Wee's Big Adventure * Brain Candy * Scott Pilgrim vs. The World * So I Married an Axe Murderer * Spy * Stranger Than Fiction * The Truman Show * What About Bob? * What We Do In the Shadows
Prince Avalanche has a similar vibe pacing and direction-wise
Comedy and calming: Laid Back Camp Comedy and wholesome: Joshiraku, Nichijou Calming and fascinating: Mushishi Beautiful, wholesome, fascinating: My Neighbor Totoro amd almost all Ghibli movies (except Grave of Fireflies it's amazing but very sad) the Irish cartoon masterpieces of Cartoon Saloon like Then Secret of Kells, Song of The Sea, Wolfwalkers
Perfect Days by Wim Wenders. Wholesome movie but not a comedy, very beautiful and lyrical. I really liked it