When a Movie List Becomes a Legacy

Legacy doesn’t always start with a letter.

For some people, the idea of writing a heartfelt note to their children comes naturally.
But for many, it feels intimidating.

That doesn’t mean they don’t love their family deeply — it just means their way of expressing it looks different.

A Different Kind of Legacy Conversation

We were working with a wealth advisor whose client fell into that second camp.

He wasn’t the emotional letter-writer type. He was a little more reserved, more private.

But there was something he did love: movies.

Movies were how his family connected.
They quoted them. Rewatched them. Shared them over and over again.

So instead of pushing him toward a format that didn’t fit, the advisor asked a different question:

“What movies would you want your kids to see if you couldn’t be here to watch them with them?”

That Changed Everything

The client lit up.

Suddenly, the idea of leaving something behind didn’t feel heavy or forced.
It felt natural.
He created a list — films that carried his humor, his Values, his worldview.

Movies he knew would spark conversations for his kids long after he was gone.

Legacy in Unexpected Places

That story inspired me to make my own list.

It’s not perfect — it’s a work in progress. I’ll keep updating it until one day I can’t.

And that’s legacy, too.

It doesn’t have to be complicated.
Sometimes it’s as simple as the stories, songs, or films that make us who we are.

The Role of the Advisor

For advisors, the takeaway is this:

Legacy isn’t one-size-fits-all.

Your job isn’t to hand clients the “right” way to pass something on.
It’s to help them find their way.

That might be a letter. Or a playlist. Or a movie list.

What matters most is that it’s real — and that it reflects who they are.