There are days when the world seems grey and all you truly need is a hug—a gentle reminder that love hasn’t vanished, but waits in the many cherished relationships we sometimes neglect. This is why I believe the ‘Slow Life’ isn’t about boredom, but about absorbing the joy of life and every experience to its optimum limit.

From family dramas to adventures, OTT offers so much choice for ringing in moments full of joy. These series and movies are curated for those days when you need the sunshine to break into little stars:

1. A Man on the Inside (2024– )
2. Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris (2022)
3. Outhouse (2024)
4. Agni (2024)
5. The Mehta Boys (2025)
6. Jumanji: The Next Level (2019)
7. My Spy: The Eternal City (2024)

A Man on the Inside (2024– )

• Creator: Michael Schur
• Cast: Ted Danson, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Lilah Richcreek Estrada
• Plot: A retired professor goes undercover in a retirement home to solve a theft, rediscovering purpose and joy. It is based on the 2020 documentary film The Mole Agent by Maite Alberdi.
• Where to Watch: Netflix (2 seasons, 16 episodes available)

Old might be slow, but it doesn’t have to boring. This cosy crime investigation encourages you to keep a coffee and cake by your side, proving that espionage isn’t only about nuclear warfare and bombs—it’s often about loneliness and finding connection.

Retirement doesn’t mean stagnancy. Professor Charles Nieuwendyk is an endearing retired professor-turned-amateur private investigator goes snooping around senior citizen home and a liberal arts college. Crimes like a missing necklace and a laptop hold meaning.

Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris (2022)

• Director: Anthony Fabian
• Cast: Lesley Manville, Isabelle Huppert, Jason Isaacs, Lucas Bravo
• Plot: A widowed cleaning lady’s dream of owning a Dior gown takes her to Paris, where kindness and optimism transform lives.
• Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV

I list this among the most charming movies that beautifully captures the power of an unwavering dream and life lived empathetically. The adventure takes the widowed cleaning lady to Paris and into a snobby society—even the Dior house initially dismisses her working-class status. But her inherent gentleness and kindness manage to charm and subtly change everyone she meets, proving that dreams belong to all.

Outhouse (2024)

• Director: Sunil Sukthankar
• Cast: Sharmila Tagore, Mohan Agashe, Sonali Kulkarni, Neeraj Kabi
• Plot: A grandmother, her grandson, and a lost dog bring unexpected companionship to a reclusive neighbour.
• Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video

Sharmila Tagore looks so angelic as a grandmom who is also a digital graphic illustrator. Tired of violent illustrations, she is invited by the editor to create a graphic book without violence, yet bookshelf-worthy. This coincides with her grandson’s visit and his dog, Pablo. The dog escapes on the first day as the grandmom doesn’t like him in the house. The movie moves slowly around relationships between people and the dog. Pablo becomes the centre of attention, loved by his finder, Mohan Agashe, and renamed Sugar. It brings out so many layers of relatable moments and our relationship with each other and animals.

Agni (2024)

• Director: Rahul Dholakia
• Cast: Pratik Gandhi, Divyenndu, Saiyami Kher, Jitendra Joshi
• Plot: Firefighters and police unite against a rising crisis in Mumbai, highlighting brotherhood and sacrifice.
• Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video

I loved how this film shines a light on the subject of firefighters, an area often neglected. The principle they propagate to prevent disaster—PAGAL (Paani, Gas, and Light)—is a small, powerful life lesson.

The movie excels by showing the quiet dedication of the firefighter (Pratik Gandhi) versus the spotlight-loving police hero (Divyenndu), perfectly capturing the disparity in media attention and reward.

There’s a shadow on the son-father relationship as the son is entranced by the uncle’s police uniform, until there comes a moment when the son sees the father in action.

The Mehta Boys (2025)

• Director: Boman Irani (his debut)
• Cast: Boman Irani, Avinash Tiwary, Shreya Chaudhry, Puja Sarup
• Plot: A father and son must reconcile their differences over 48 hours, blending humour with emotional depth.
• Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video

I hadn’t really expected anything from this movie, but it proved me wrong. Boman Irani’s directorial debut is a deeply emotional, often humorous exploration of a troubled father-son relationship. It’s a classic story of finding common ground despite generations of misunderstanding, reminding us that love often requires vulnerability.

Jumanji: The Next Level (2019)

• Directors: Joe Johnston (1995), Jake Kasdan (2017, 2019)
• Cast: Robin Williams, Kirsten Dunst (1995); Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Karen Gillan (modern films)
• Plot: A magical board game unleashes jungle chaos, teaching courage and teamwork.
• Where to Watch: Netflix, Prime Video, and SonyLIV depending on region

This franchise, from the classic Robin Williams film to the new adventures, is pure, unadulterated escapism. It’s also a powerful reminder that courage is often found not just in facing the unexpected, but in the joy of working together—because teamwork is truly the only way to win the grand game of life. Moreover, there’s Nick Jonas playing a small role in ‘The Next Level’.

My Spy: The Eternal City (2024)

• Director: Peter Segal
• Cast: Dave Bautista, Chloe Coleman, Kristen Schaal, Anna Faris, Flula Borg
• Plot: A sequel to the hit action-comedy My Spy, this film takes JJ (Dave Bautista) and Sophie (Chloe Coleman) to Italy, where they stumble into a high-stakes CIA mission.
• Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video  

I came across this movie while browsing and well worth my time. Amid the chaos of espionage, the film balances laugh-out-loud humour with heartfelt moments of trust, family, and courage. The movie is about the trust shared between family. The laughs and the warmth between JJ and Sophie were so cute.

Collectively, what draws me to these films is their foundation in emotional bonds. It proves that no matter where you are in the world—be it Paris, Mumbai, or Italy—we all share the same dreams, hopes, and secrets. No matter how high you fly, there is always the profound need for a warm hearth and a loving heart to return to.

So, which of these “Heartwarming Heroes” will you invite into your cozy weekend to practice the art of Slow Life?

This post was created for the Blogaberry Creative (Monthly) Challenge with theme word ‘JOY’.