aimlessness and delayed adulthood

His films like 'Slacker' and 'Before' trilogy capture the philosophical wandering and extended adolescence of characters drifting through life without clear direction.

Her work, particularly 'Nights and Weekends' and 'Lady Bird', intimately explores young adults navigating uncertainty, stunted maturation, and the friction between ambition and aimlessness.

His films obsessively examine middle-aged characters stuck in repetitive patterns of desire and indecision, exploring how adulthood can be perpetually postponed through wandering and self-deception.