Road movies represent freedom, adventures, and sometimes, unexpected friendships, too. Of course, you can never forget the all-time great movies like Thelma & Louise and Into the Wild take the cake over everyone else, but don’t overlook these unsung road movies for 2025!

The Straight Story (1999) – A David Lynch film that is surprisingly good-natured and lacks almost all surrealism.

Wendy and Lucy (2008) – A quietly powerful investigation of struggle and survival.

Queen & Slim (2019) – A couple in the wrong place at the wrong time on a journey of resistance.

Captain Fantastic (2016) – An exploratory diversion into the philosophical weight of being a road movie.

Transamerica (2005) – A trans woman traveling across the continental U.S. with an estranged son.

The Fundamentals of Caring (2016) – An adorable and witty road tale about the healing process.

Kodachrome (2017) – Two men sharing moments bonding over a dying film medium.

American Honey (2016) – Youthfulness, chaos, and capitalism coalescing on the road.

Nebraska (2013) – Stark black and white family dynamics.

Paris, Texas (1984) – Calmingly haunting with imagery that becomes emotional in the landscape.

Y Tu Mamá También (2001) – Sex, politics, and growing up on the road.

The Motorcycle Diaries (2004) – A young Che Guevara learns what it is to travel (and discover Latin America).

Leave No Trace (2018) – A father’s daughter journey learning to live off the grid.

A Perfect World (1993) – The tenuous relationship between a fugitive and a boy.

Little Miss Sunshine (2006) – The epitome of dysfunctional likability.

Tulsa King: The Ride (2024) – Sylvester Stallone in a gritty slow burn.

The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019) – Adventure and improbable friendship.

Tracks (2013) – A woman-making track across the Australian desert.

Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012) – More magical realism than direction, but completely unforgettable.

Hit the Road (2021) – An odyssey of an Iranian family that is both funny and heartbreaking.