Best movies like The Cure
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
Dexter, age 11, who has AIDS, and his next door neighbor Eric, a little older and much bigger, become best friends. Eric also becomes closer to Dexter's mother than to his own, who is neglectful and bigoted and violently forbids their friendship upon learning of it. Dexter and Erik start the journey to find "The Cure" they had read about in the local newspaper.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Adventure, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags: sad, touching, tear jerker, inspirational, sincere, realistic, depressing, spiritual, epic, crying
Best tv shows and movies like The Cure (1995):
Similar in 81%
The Climb (1997)
Plot Summary:
Baltimore, 1959. Danny's dad is the only man in the neighborhood who didn't fight in World War II. Danny, who's 12, gets teased and folks make nasty cracks about cowards. An old radio tower on a nearby hill is about to be torn down, and Danny decides to climb it to prove his courage. Help comes from an aging neighbor, Old Man Langer, a former construction foreman who's dying of cancer and wants Danny to help him commit suicide. Langer rigs pulleys and weights to help the lad make the climb. Meanwhile, an aggressive and angry neighbor (an army vet) regularly gets drunk and shoots off his rifle, and Danny's dad must confront him. It all comes to a head one stormy night.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 422
Genere: Drama
Country: France, New Zealand, Canada
Duration: 98 min
Plot tags: uplifting, touching, serious, realistic, independent film
Similar in 77%
And Then I Go (2017)
Plot Summary:
Two teenage outsiders are demoralized daily at school, until an idea for vengeance offers them a terrifying release.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 99 min
Plot tags: suspense, unusual plot structure, psychological, thought provoking, suspenseful, disturbing, independent film, queer cinema
Similar in 88%
In the Gloaming (1997)
Plot Summary:
Danny, dying of Aids, returns home for his last months. Always close to his mother, they share moments of openness that tend to shut out Danny's father and his sister.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 67 min
Plot tags: sentimental, sincere, touching, serious, emotional, realistic, contemplative, gloomy, queer cinema
Similar in 79%
The Giants (2011)
Plot Summary:
Brothers Danny and Zak, 15 and 13 & 3/4 are spending the summer in their deceased grandfather's house, waiting in vain for their mother, who is otherwise busy, and running low on cash. To make some money they decide to rent out the house to a local drug dealer, but things don't go exactly as planned.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Adventure, Drama
Country: Belgium, France, Luxembourg
Duration: 84 min
Plot tags: sentimental, touching, humorous, feel good, realistic, semi serious
Similar in 76%
Under the Same Moon (2007)
Plot Summary:
Tells the parallel stories of nine-year-old Carlitos and his mother, Rosario. In the hopes of providing a better life for her son, Rosario works illegally in the U.S. while her mother cares for Carlitos back in Mexico.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 7000
Genere: Adventure, Drama
Country: Mexico, USA
Duration: 106 min
Plot tags: sentimental, touching, emotional, sweet, sincere, sad, controversial, serious, realistic, light
Similar in 80%
Ways to Live Forever (2010)
Plot Summary:
Sam loves facts. He wants to know about UFOs and horror movies and airships and ghosts and scientists, and how it feels to kiss a girl. And because he has leukemia he wants to know the facts about dying. Sam needs answers to the questions nobody will answer.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Drama, Family
Country: UK, Spain
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: sincere, emotional, touching, serious, realistic, sad
Similar in 89%
King Jack (2015)
Plot Summary:
Growing up in a rural town filled with violent delinquents, Jack has learned to do what it takes to survive, despite having an oblivious mother and no father. After his aunt falls ill and a younger cousin comes to stay with him, the hardened 15-year-old discovers the importance of friendship, family, and looking for happiness even in the most desolate of circumstances.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Adventure, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 81 min
Plot tags: touching, serious, realistic, independent film
Similar in 89%
War of the Buttons (1994)
Plot Summary:
The children of Ballydowse and Carrickdowse engage in battles where they cut of the buttons, shoe-laces and underwear of their captured opponents. This is to get the boys in trouble with their parents. They go to battle in mass groups of dozens, throwing stones and cutting off their opponents buttons etc. And sometimes they go to battle completely naked and exposed. In one such scene about 30 boys return from a battle to celebrate victory at a barn-house only to find some girls waiting for them and they get very embarrassed at losing their privacy.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Adventure, Drama, Family
Country: UK, France, Japan, USA
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: sentimental, touching, realistic, epic, sincere, serious, contemplative, light, romantic, sexy
Similar in 78%
Mud (2012)
Plot Summary:
Two teenage boys encounter a fugitive and make a pact to help him escape from an island in the Mississippi.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 187000
Genere: Adventure, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 130 min
Plot tags: emotional, suspense, atmospheric, touching, suspenseful, realistic, southern gothic, independent film, tense, enigmatic
Similar in 81%
Close (2022)
Plot Summary:
Two thirteen year-olds have always been incredibly close but they drift apart after the intimacy of their relationship is questioned by schoolmates. An emotionally transformative and unforgettable portrait of the intersection of friendship and love, identity and independence, and heartbreak and healing.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 31000
Genere: Drama
Country: Belgium, Netherlands, France
Duration: 104 min
Plot tags: sad, teen, crying, iconic
Similar in 84%
Death of a Superhero (2011)
Plot Summary:
A dying 15-year-old boy draws stories of an invincible superhero as he struggles with his mortality.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Drama
Country: Germany, Ireland
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags: touching, serious, emotional, sincere, sad, cult classic, teen, realistic
Similar in 76%
Our Sons (1991)
Plot Summary:
Our Sons is a 1991 made-for-TV movie starring Julie Andrews and Ann-Margret as two mothers of gay sons, one of whom is dying of AIDS. As a small town waitress, Ann-Margret's character must overcome her own homophobia and learn to love her son unconditionally. In the process, she cements a lasting friendship with Andrews's character. The movie was inspired by the 1987 documentary Too Little, Too Late. Andrews' character is secretly homophobic, and Ann-Margret's character is openly homophobic. The dying son is played by Ċ½eljko Ivanek; Hugh Grant plays his partner.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 739
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 96 min
Plot tags: psychological, serious, emotional, sentimental, touching, realistic, sincere, contemplative, gloomy, tear jerker
Similar in 75%
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011)
Plot Summary:
A year after his father's death, Oskar, a troubled young boy, discovers a mysterious key he believes was left for him by his father and embarks on a scavenger hunt to find the matching lock.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 105000
Genere: Adventure, Drama, Mystery
Country: USA
Duration: 129 min
Plot tags: sentimental, touching, poignant, sad, inspirational, thought provoking, heartbreaking, intense, uplifting, emotional
Similar in 88%
The Mighty (1998)
Plot Summary:
This tells the story of a strong friendship between a young boy with Morquio's syndrome and an older boy who is always bullied because of his size. Adapted from the novel, Freak the Mighty, the film explores a building of trust and friendship. Kevin, an intelligent guy helps out Maxwell to improve his reading skills. In return, Kevin wants Maxwell to take him out places since he is not allowed out unauthorized. Being the social outcasts of the town, Kevin and Maxwell come to realize that they are similar to each other and accept that they are "freaks" and nothing will stop them.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 14000
Genere: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: sentimental, emotional, touching, serious, inspirational, tear jerker, independent film, spiritual, sad, epic
Similar in 75%
Stolen Summer (2002)
Plot Summary:
Pete, an eight-year-old Catholic boy growing up in the suburbs of Chicago in the mid-1970s, attends Catholic school, where as classes let out for the summer, he's admonished by a nun to follow the path of the Lord, and not that of the Devil. Perhaps taking this message a bit too seriously, Pete decides it's his goal for the summer to help someone get into heaven; having been told that Catholicism is the only sure path to the kingdom of the Lord, Pete decides to convert a Jew to Catholicism in order to improve their standing in the afterlife. Hoping to find a likely candidate, Pete begins visiting a nearby synagogue, where he gets to know Rabbi Jacobson, who responds to Pete's barrage of questions with good humor. Pete also makes friends with the Rabbi's son, Danny, who is about the same age; when he learns that Danny is seriously ill, he decides Danny would be an excellent choice for conversion.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 91 min
Plot tags: touching, sentimental, sincere, uplifting, cult classic, feel good, serious, realistic, inspirational, dramatic
Similar in 79%
The War (1994)
Plot Summary:
The son of a Vietnam War Veteran must deal with neighborhood bullies as well as his dad's post-traumatic stress disorder while growing up in the deep south in the 1970's.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 13000
Genere: Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 126 min
Plot tags: sentimental, touching, emotional, realistic, epic, dark comedy, cult classic, sincere, serious, tear jerker
Similar in 82%
Now Is Good (2012)
Plot Summary:
A girl dying of leukemia compiles a list of things she'd like to do before passing away. Topping the list is her desire to lose her virginity.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 35000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: UK, France, USA
Duration: 103 min
Plot tags: sad, emotional, romantic, heartbreaking, teen, sentimental, tear jerker, realistic, romantic drama, intense
Similar in 77%
12 and Holding (2005)
Plot Summary:
Three pre-adolescents with virginal and eager-of-signals naivety, hit headlong against monstrous and inhospitable loneliness, in the incandescent fire among the ashes of their own inocence.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 7000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: touching, realistic, emotional, heartbreaking, sad, sentimental, serious, depressing, harsh, art house
Similar in 83%
December Boys (2007)
Plot Summary:
For many years, four teenage orphans at an Australian outback convent have watched their younger comrades find new parents, and realize that they may never be adopted. The Reverend Mother sends the four boys away on a seaside vacation, where they meet Teresa and Fearless, a couple who would make perfect parents. The youths compete with one another to be the one Teresa and Fearless decide to adopt.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 12000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: Australia, Germany, USA
Duration: 105 min
Plot tags: sentimental, touching, emotional, sad, realistic, harsh, stylized, erotic, novela, teen
Similar in 89%
The Fault in Our Stars (2014)
Plot Summary:
Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a patient named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 396000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 126 min
Plot tags: touching, emotional, romantic, sentimental, tear jerker, sad, sincere, teen, serious, melancholic
Similar in 82%
My Life (1993)
Plot Summary:
It seems that Bob Jones has everything a man could want, namely a fulfilling job and a beautiful, pregnant wife, Gail. But Bob's life is turned upside-down when he is diagnosed with cancer and given four months to live -- not even enough time to see his first child's birth. To cleanse himself of demons in his remaining days, Bob makes a video diary, hoping to pass along some wisdom to his future child. Along the way, he discovers a lot about himself.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 12000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 117 min
Plot tags: sad, emotional, touching, heartbreaking, melancholic, sincere, sentimental, depressing, compassionate, philosophical
Similar in 85%
Then Came You (2018)
Plot Summary:
An American hypochondriac who is working as a baggage handler is forced to confront his fears when a British teenager with a terminal illness enlists him to help her carry out her eccentric bucket list.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 14000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags: touching, captivating, sincere, inspirational, romantic, sad, family comedy, cute, teen, sweet
Similar in 75%
The Kings of Summer (2013)
Plot Summary:
Joe Toy, on the verge of adolescence, finds himself increasingly frustrated by his single father, Frank's attempts to manage his life. Declaring his freedom once and for all, he escapes to a clearing in the woods with his best friend, Patrick, and a strange kid named Biaggio. He announces that they are going to build a house there, free from responsibility and parents. Once their makeshift abode is finished, the three young men find themselves masters of their own destiny, alone in the woods.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 84000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: touching, feel good, sentimental, funny, emotional, humorous, melancholic, teen, indie film, realistic
Similar in 90%
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)
Plot Summary:
A coming-of-age story based on the best-selling novel by Stephen Chbosky, which follows 15-year-old freshman Charlie, an endearing and naive outsider who is taken under the wings of two seniors. A moving tale of love, loss, fear and hope - and the unforgettable friends that help us through life.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 539000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 103 min
Plot tags: touching, sincere, teen, melancholic, romantic, emotional, realistic, feel good, heartbreaking, independent film
Similar in 79%
Stand by Me (1986)
Plot Summary:
After the death of a friend, a writer recounts a boyhood journey to find the body of a missing boy.
IMDB Rating: 8.1
IMDB Votes: 432000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: sentimental, sad, emotional, feel good, atmospheric, cult classic, teen, road movie, inspirational, clever
Similar in 85%
Hearts in Atlantis (2001)
Plot Summary:
A widowed mother and her son change when a mysterious stranger enters their lives.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 41000
Genere: Drama, Mystery
Country: USA
Duration: 101 min
Plot tags: suspense, touching, emotional, sincere, sentimental, atmospheric, enigmatic, melancholic, realistic, spiritual
Similar in 75%
The Man Without a Face (1993)
Plot Summary:
The story of a relationship between a teacher and his troubled pupil. Justin McLeod is a former teacher who lives as a recluse on the edge of town. His face is disfigured from an automobile accident and fire ten years before in which a boy was incinerated and for which he was convicted of involuntary manslaughter. He is also suspected of being a pedophile. He is befriended by Chuck, causing the town's suspicion and hostility to be ignited. McLeod inculcates in his protege a love of justice and freedom from prejudice which sustains him beyond the end of the film.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 31000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 115 min
Plot tags: touching, inspirational, sincere, realistic, melancholic, serious, sentimental, scary, psychological, philosophical
Similar in 82%
I Am Sam (2001)
Plot Summary:
Sam has the mental capacity of a 7-year-old. He has a daughter with a homeless woman who abandons them when they leave the hospital, leaving Sam to raise Lucy on his own. But as Lucy grows up, Sam's limitations start to become a problem and the authorities take her away. Sam shames high-priced lawyer Rita into taking his case pro bono and in turn teaches her the value of love and family.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 154000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 132 min
Plot tags: inspirational, emotional, touching, tear jerker, sad, sentimental, sincere, serious, heartbreaking, sweet
Similar in 84%
Pay It Forward (2000)
Plot Summary:
Like some other kids, 12-year-old Trevor McKinney believed in the goodness of human nature. Like many other kids, he was determined to change the world for the better. Unlike most other kids, he succeeded.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 123000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 123 min
Plot tags: touching, emotional, inspirational, motivational, sentimental, sincere, uplifting, tear jerker, sad, thought provoking
Similar in 78%
The Bucket List (2007)
Plot Summary:
Corporate billionaire Edward Cole and working class mechanic Carter Chambers are worlds apart. At a crossroads in their lives, they share a hospital room and discover they have two things in common: a desire to spend the time they have left doing everything they ever wanted to do and an unrealized need to come to terms with who they are. Together they embark on the road trip of a lifetime, becoming friends along the way and learning to live life to the fullest, with insight and humor.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 257000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags: feel good, inspirational, thought provoking, sentimental, touching, philosophical, sad, emotional, tear jerker, road movie