Films and TV shows that feel like California Dreamin' by The Mamas & The Papas

A cold, grey winter day and a longing for the warmth of California: a homesick, wistful daydream of escape and sunshine.

1. Almost Famous (2000): A young dreamer chases the California rock scene of the early 70s with the same romantic ache.
2. Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (2019): Sun-soaked 1969 Los Angeles, with the era's radio hits and the end of the California dream.
3. Forrest Gump (1994): Its 60s soundtrack and wandering journey through the decade echo the song's restless searching.
4. Inherent Vice (2014): A hazy, melancholy tour of late-60s California as the dream starts to fade.
5. Dazed and Confused (1993): Aimless youth and a classic-rock soundtrack capture the restless freedom of the era.
6. Big Little Lies (2017): Misty California coastline and a bittersweet look at the dream life people chase.
7. Mad Men (2007): 1960s America with its yearning for reinvention, culminating in California.
8. Laurel Canyon (2003): Set in the Laurel Canyon music scene where The Mamas & The Papas lived and recorded.