12. Fisherman’s Friends (2019)
Big Hollywood studios aren’t known for signing on small British a capella choirs, but believe it or not, it actually happened in this instance—Fisherman’s Friendsis based on a true story. (Even if, technically speaking, their contract was originally intended as a prank.)
The Cornish band from Port Isaac are exactly what they say on the tin: a bunch of fisherman friends who sing sea shanties together.
Coarsened by ocean salt and early dawns, most of the members are averse to the American world of fame and fortune, but their local popularity (and a grumpy London exec) teach the old dogs some new tricks.
Related:The Best Movies About Musicians, Bands, and Singers
11. The Entertainer (1960)
Kitchen sink dramas were all the rage in 1950s Britain. They were tonally drab slices of domestic realism, usually featuring working-class characters and “angry young men” (a nickname for cynical English writers during the decade).
One of these angry men was John Osborne, who wroteThe Entertainer. Laurence Olivier—the 20th century equivalent of Kenneth Branagh—starred in both the stage and cinema versions as Archie Rice.
The British music hall era coincided with the British seaside boom (think Punch and Judy, rock candy, and bandstands). By the following century, both had dwindled, leaving Archie to perform to thinning crowds at a Lancashire seaside resort.
Related:The Best Movies Set in the 1950s (Nifty Fifties)
10. Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging (2008)
The titleAngus, Thongs and Perfect Snoggingsums up everything about this film: the tone, the subject matter, and the age bracket.
Whereas American cinema in the 2000s had the likes ofMean GirlsandShe’s the Man, Britain had this sarcastic gem that was based on the YA novel by Louise Rennison.
Georgia Nicolson (played by Georgia Groome) navigates the world of push-up bras, crushes, and kissing lessons in her coastal hometown of Eastbourne, where the beach is the perfect first-date location.
Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snoggingis a specific kind of throwback to being a teenage girl in Y2K England.
Related:The Best Girlhood Movies About Being a Teenage Girl
9. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (2018)
Also calledGuernseyfor those who hate mouthfuls,The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Societyis a quintessential British charmer.
Directed by Mike Newell, the romance drama is bursting with cute cottages and sandy beaches just off the coast of Normandy. It’s just a shame about the World War going on.
Set in the 1940s, a London-based author (played by Lily James) visits the island after exchanging letters with one of its residents.
Based on Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows' 2008 novel,Guernseyis perfect for any history lover.
Related:The Best Movies Set in the 1940s, Ranked
8. What We Did on Our Holiday (2014)
If you’re wondering what a British family vacation looks like, look no further thanWhat We Did on Our Holiday.
Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin’s comedy is a funny, honest, and heartwarming look into everyday British life, inspired by the BBC sitcomOutnumbered.
David Tennant, Rosamund Pike, and Billy Connolly star as a family visiting the picturesque Scottish Highlands. Despite trying to leave their domestic troubles at home, the kids aren’t exactly good at keeping secrets.
A sprinkling of dark themes givesWhat We Did On Our Holidaysome depth, but it’s otherwise an easy and witty watch.
Related:The Best Family Vacation Movies of All Time, Ranked
7. Brighton Rock (1948)
Brighton is one of the best seaside resorts in Britain, offering a bustling city center that’s right beside the refreshing sea air.
Granted,Brighton Rockisn’t exactly a sea breeze to watch, but it’s still a great movie based on Graham Greene’s 1938 novel.
John Boulting’s gangster flick adaptation is a classic example of film noir, with shadowy characters moving around shadowed settings.
A baby-faced Richard Attenborough stars as the Brighton-based gangster Pinkie Brown, who murders a rival gang and becomes enveloped by guilt.
Related:The Best British Gangster Movies of All Time, Ranked
6. On Chesil Beach (2017)
Florence (played by Saoirse Ronan) and Edward (played by Billy Howle) are two virgins who make a botch job of their first time together.
Set in the Swinging Sixties,On Chesil Beachcenters on the two as they’re supposed to be enjoying their seaside honeymoon together but are both anxious about their inevitable consummation.
Step onto the scenic coast of Dorset, where Dominic Cooke offers his quaint directorial debut. The delightful drama was adapted by Ian McEwan from his own novel, which was nominated for a Booker Prize.
Related:The Best Movies Set in the 1960s (Swinging Sixties)
5. Ammonite (2020)
Saoirse Ronan once again takes a dip into the chilly seas of Dorset, this time during the 1840s.
Inspired by the speculated romance between real-life paleontologists Mary Anning and Charlotte Murchison,Ammonitetakes place on the vintage coast of Lyme Regis.
When a wealthy geologist visits Mary’s little village store, she ends up tending to his sick wife who’s depressed and frozen to the bone.
Francis Lee’s romance drama is as passionate as it is stunning, telling a tender story of secret love.
Related:The Best Period Piece Drama Movies
4. Calvary (2014)
Okay, we’re cheating a little by including this Irish movie, but it’s not far off! The beaches inCalvaryare more like the stormy, gray shorelines of Britain than they are any other beaches in the world.
Brendan Gleeson stars alongside a sparse cast of famous British and Irish faces, all populating a parse west-coast Irish town. It’s a place where the sea sprays feel biting and fresh rather than like a sunny vacation.
Father James is measured, calm, a little depressed, and far too smart for his little parish. But is he smart enough to figure out the killer’s identity before it’s too late?
Related:The Best Movies About Forgiveness and Mercy, Ranked
3. About Time (2013)
About Timecould easily have been a standard romantic comedy set along the sweeping cliffs of Cornwall. However, Richard Curtis added a little twist that made all the difference: time travel.
When Tim Lake (played by Domhnall Gleeson) turns 21, his father decides it’s time to give him the big news: all the men in his family can travel back in time, but only to places they’ve been before.
About Timeis a humorous and uplifting tale that’s perfect for hopeless romantics. It also stars Rachel McAdams, Bill Nighy, Tom Hollander, and Margot Robbie, who all put in some fantastic performances.
Related:The Most Inspirational Movies That Celebrate Life and Joy
2. Quadrophenia (1979)
Technically, half ofQuadropheniadoesn’t actually take place on the beach, but the most important part of it does!
A cult classic film that perfectly embodies the 1960s counterculture scene,Quadropheniafollows Jimmy Cooper’s coming-of-age journey from London to Brighton.
Played by Phil Daniels, Jimmy is a Mod who’s disillusioned by his boring life in London. The gang embarks on a scooter rally to the buzzing hub of Brighton, where a riot breaks out against the Rockers.
Loosely based on The Who’s 1973 rock opera and directed by Franc Roddam,Quadropheniais a debut of staggering influence.
Related:The Best Counterculture Movies That Marked New Generations
1. Bait (2019)
Baitdefinitely isn’t a film for everyone, but it did achieve universal acclaim as one of the best indie films to come out of 2019.
Directed by Mark Jenkin,Baittakes place in an amiable little Cornish fishing village that’s corrupted by poverty and gentrification.
Filmed on a vintage hand-cranked Bolex camera, the 16mm film is an art student’s aesthetic dream. Hand-processed in black and white,Baitis a visual treat akin to Robert Eggers’sThe Lighthouse.
Read next:The Best Modern Black & White Movies (2000 and Later)
