Films of Endearment

“A lovely and loving book.”—Will Schwalbe, New York Times bestselling author of The End of Your Life Book Club

A poignant memoir of family, grief, and resilience about a young man, his dynamic mother, and the 80s movies they shared together

Michael Koresky’s most formative memories were simple ones. A movie rental. A mug of tea. And a few shared hours with his mother. Years later and now a successful film critic, Koresky set out on a journey with his mother to discover more about their shared cinematic past. They rewatched ten films that she first introduced to him as a child, one from every year of the 80s, each featuring women leads.

Together, films as divergent as 9 to 5, Terms of Endearment, The Color Purple, and Aliens form the story of an era that Koresky argues should rightly be called “the Decade of the Actress.”

Films of Endearment is a reappraisal of the most important and popular female-driven films of that time, a profound meditation on loss and resilience, and a celebration of the special bond between mothers and their sons.