Best movies like The Son of the Shark
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
Brothers Martin and Simon, not yet teens, are incorrigible vandals; Martin runs away from reform school, Simon from foster homes, and they always find each other in a seacoast town of Lignan, where their destructive behavior is infamous. (It may date to their mother's leaving the family.) Martin is philosophical, romantic, and poetic: he dreams of being the son of a shark; he holds tight to a book about goldfish his mother gave him. In both halting and wild ways, he tries to court Marie, a neighbor girl. Simon, with a pocketknife and an intractable will, seems more dangerous to others. What, on earth, is there for these children-becoming-men?.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 327
Genere: Crime, Drama
Country: Belgium, France, Luxembourg
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: rough, touching, serious, realistic
Best tv shows and movies like The Son of the Shark (1993):
Similar in 89%
Trans (1998)
Plot Summary:
Ryan Kazinski, 16, is in juvenile detention in Fort Myers, Florida. He gets away one day, and the world is all before him: where should he go, what should he do? Should he try to find his mom? Should he head for Colorado, where he's daydreamed about life in the woods. He has a younger brother, so under cover of night, Ryan visits him. At night, Ryan is on the streets where there are other youth at loose ends, including one who wants Ryan to help with a burglary. The police are looking for him as well. Where might a 16-year-old of limited experience, with no money, imagine he could be safe?.
IMDB Rating: 5.8
IMDB Votes: 429
Genere: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 80 min
Plot tags: independent film, atmospheric, serious, realistic, experimental
Similar in 87%
The Stolen Children (1992)
Plot Summary:
Antonio, a policeman (carabiniere), has an order to take two children (Rosetta and her brother Luciano) from Milan to Sicily to an orphanage. Their mother has been arrested for forcing Rosetta (11 years old) to work as a prostitute. First the relation between Antonio and the children is tough, but it relaxes so they become temporary friends.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Crime, Drama
Country: Italy, France, Switzerland
Duration: 114 min
Plot tags: sincere, thought provoking, touching, captivating, road movie, philosophical, spiritual, sad, serious, emotional
Similar in 76%
The Children of Times Square (1986)
Plot Summary:
An alienated teenage boy runs away from home and ventures to New York City where he falls in with a gang of juvenile delinquents working as drug dealers and pickpockets for a shady crime boss.(IMDB).
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 422
Genere: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: rough, bleak, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 87%
Sister (2012)
Plot Summary:
A drama set at a Swiss ski resort and centered on a boy who supports his sister by stealing from wealthy guests.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 7000
Genere: Crime, Drama
Country: Switzerland, France
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags: realistic, serious, atmospheric, captivating, social, action thriller, sincere, gloomy, crying
Similar in 76%
Boulevard Nights (1979)
Plot Summary:
A focus on life in a gang, Boulevard Nights portrays the dangers of street violence. Richard Yniguez plays a young Chicano who tries to get out of the gang, but he keeps finding himself drawn back into it.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 740
Genere: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 102 min
Plot tags: hood, hispanic, crime drama, rough, bleak, serious, realistic, disturbing, biting, suspense
Similar in 86%
Bad Boys (2003)
Plot Summary:
The story bases on four Finnish brothers, nicknamed 'the Eura Daltons' who received nation-wide notoriety for tearing gas pumps apart when they needed cash. The cast is an impressive one: the brothers are portrayed by Peter Franzen, Lauri Nurkse, Niko Saarela and Jasper Pääkkönen while their really evil father is played by Vesa-Matti Loiri, one of the grand old men of Finnish cinema.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Action, Biography, Crime, Drama
Country: Finland
Duration: 126 min
Plot tags: disturbing, sincere, atmospheric, rough, bleak, serious, captivating, realistic, exciting, funny
Similar in 80%
Mondo (1995)
Plot Summary:
Mondo is a homeless young boy, with a big smile, who wanders around Nice looking for food and a place to sleep.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 610
Genere: Drama
Country: France
Duration: 80 min
Plot tags: touching, feel good, serious, realistic
Similar in 79%
A Children's Story (2004)
Plot Summary:
The story focuses on the life of an 11-year old boy surrounded by criminality and poverty in the suburbs of Naples.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 457
Genere: Crime, Drama
Country: Italy
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: disturbing, rough, bleak, serious, realistic
Similar in 79%
Rodents (1999)
Plot Summary:
The world of Salvador, a young and naive petty thief is changed by the arrival of his cousin Angel, an ex-convict in search of easy money, and with a hideout. Salvador gets wrapped up in Angel's twisted dealings in an attempt to escape from his suffocating family, dragging along his family and friends, in his criminal path. Where will this all lead?.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 894
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: Ecuador
Duration: 107 min
Plot tags: tense, rough, bleak, serious, realistic, disturbing, gloomy
Similar in 90%
All the Invisible Children (2005)
Plot Summary:
Seven short films - each one focused on the plight of a different child protagonist.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Drama
Country: France, Italy
Duration: 124 min
Plot tags: anthology, touching, atmospheric, rough, serious, captivating, neorealism, realistic, independent film
Similar in 76%
Hurricane Streets (1997)
Plot Summary:
Marcus is a kid on Manhattan's mean streets. He's turning 15, his father is dead, his mother is in prison for smuggling undocumented aliens. His grandmother is raising him. He has four close buddies who have a basement clubhouse; they shoplift and sell the wares to kids. One is moving toward selling drugs. Marcus wants to take a breather from the city and visit family in New Mexico. He also meets Melena, 14, a sweet kid who dreams of going to Alaska; her father is not just protective but angry and uncommunicative. The gang pressures Marcus to move up to burglary and car theft. He just wants to breathe open air. Can anything go right?.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 86 min
Plot tags: independent film, realistic, rough, bleak, serious, disturbing, clever, bad ending, sad, harsh
Similar in 81%
The Devils (2002)
Plot Summary:
Les Diables (The Devils) chronicles the struggle of an autistic girl and her brother trying to survive without their parents.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Drama
Country: France, Spain
Duration: 105 min
Plot tags: disturbing, captivating, emotional, realistic, bleak, serious, weird
Similar in 78%
Small Faces (1995)
Plot Summary:
Three teenage brothers, gang-member Bobby, troubled mama's boy Alan and self-assured prankster Lex, reside in a downtrodden section of Glasgow, Scotland, circa 1968. But while Bobby and Alan are beginning to experience the power of raging hormones, the story focuses on Lex, who begins a downward spiral after he accidentally shoots the leader of Bobby's gang. Lex's cockiness and immaturity unfortunately prevent him from understanding the effect his subsequent crimes will have on both himself, and on those around him.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 108 min
Plot tags: bleak, realistic, independent film, tense, rough, serious, road movie, thought provoking, clever, brutal
Similar in 77%
7 Virgins (2005)
Plot Summary:
Tano is 16-years-old and is already sitting in jail. In 48 hours he’s a free man and off to the wedding of his brother. In the two days he recounts his neighborhood in a section of Sevilla.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Crime, Drama
Country: Spain
Duration: 86 min
Plot tags: psychological, serious, realistic, captivating
Similar in 86%
10 1/2 (2010)
Plot Summary:
Tommy, 10 years old, is well known by Social Services. He is considered a danger to society. Gilles, his guardian at this halfway house, sees potential for redemption in this kid driven by violence.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 719
Genere: Drama
Country: Canada
Duration: 108 min
Plot tags: serious, realistic, captivating
Similar in 82%
Boy (1969)
Plot Summary:
A family of four lives off of scams in which they pretend to be injured by automobiles. After suffering an injury during the war, the father believes he is an invalid. He and his wife have a 10-year-old boy and a 3-year-old girl. The adults pretend to be injured by autos in crowded traffic, blackmailing the fearful motorists with threats to call in the police.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 105 min
Plot tags: experimental, atmospheric, thought provoking, touching, serious, realistic, gloomy, cult film
Similar in 76%
Mother, I Love You (2013)
Plot Summary:
Raimonds, a 12 year old boy, falls into a world of petty crime while trying to stay out of trouble with his mother.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 896
Genere: Drama
Country: Latvia
Duration: 83 min
Plot tags: touching, serious, realistic, captivating, entertaining
Similar in 89%
Brother (2014)
Plot Summary:
Giorgi is 16 years old when he discovers another world through American films forbidden in all Soviet Union until then. Since the post-revolutionary chaos in his home town, Tbilisi, Giorgi has wanted to have succeeded by following the path of his idols: Tony Montana and Vito Corleone. He has almost reached his goal when he is confronted with a dilemma; how can he stop his little brother who is 12 years old to follow his path when he could become a famous pianist? All this in a world that only knows chaos.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 265
Genere: Drama
Country: Georgia, France
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: realistic, atmospheric, touching, serious, captivating, stylized, gloomy, entertaining
Similar in 86%
Asphalt Playground (2012)
Plot Summary:
Mitraillette is 12 years old and lives in Rose City, a housing estate he would not leave for anything. His whole world comprises his family, especially his 16 year-old cousin Isma, who has taken a fancy to Narcisse, the local crime boss. His older brother Djibril is 22, a student at the Sorbonne who dreams of becoming a lawyer. As for Mitraillette, he has his eye on Océane, the most beautiful girl in his school.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 337
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Country: France
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags: captivating, humorous, tense, light, bleak, realistic, suspenseful, semi serious
Similar in 79%
The Devil in the Skin (2011)
Plot Summary:
Coming-of-Age drama telling the story of the strong bond between Xavier and his little brother Jacques and their struggle to remain together despite all odds.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 71
Genere: Drama
Country: France
Duration: 82 min
Plot tags: touching, sentimental, serious, realistic
Similar in 89%
When Andrew Came Home (2000)
Plot Summary:
A mother searches for five years to find her kidnapped son in this fact-based drama. Unexpectedly the boy is found, but the reunion is not as she hoped. She now has to deal with five years of abuse that the boy suffered at the hands of his kidnappers.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 657
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 88 min
Plot tags: touching, serious, emotional, realistic, sad
Similar in 90%
Spacked Out (2000)
Plot Summary:
Film following four teenage girls around Hong Kong. The story centers around a young girl who is dealing with a pregnancy.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 186
Genere: Crime, Drama, Family
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 91 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, realistic, disturbing, bleak, sexual, sexy
Similar in 79%
Neighborhood (1998)
Plot Summary:
A coming-of-age story in the vein of CITY OF GOD and KIDS - available for the first time in the U.S.!.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Drama
Country: Spain, France
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: social, hispanic, serious, realistic
Similar in 77%
Joe the King (1999)
Plot Summary:
A destitute 14 year old struggles to keep his life together despite harsh abuse at his mother's hands, harsher abuse at his father's, and a growing separation from his slightly older brother. Petty thefts for food grow into more major takes until he steals a cash box from the diner where he works. Although Joe uses the money to pay off some of his father's debts and to replace his mother's records that his father smashed in a fit of temper, Joe gets no thanks.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 93 min
Plot tags: emotional, harsh, tense, rough, grim, realistic, art house, semi autobiographical, serious, gloomy
Similar in 76%
Sweet Sixteen (2002)
Plot Summary:
Determined to have a normal family life once his mother gets out of prison, a Scottish teenager from a tough background sets out to raise the money for a home.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 16000
Genere: Crime, Drama
Country: UK, Germany, Spain
Duration: 106 min
Plot tags: disturbing, sentimental, bleak, realistic, depressing, heartbreaking, compassionate, touching, sincere, emotional
Similar in 86%
LUV (2012)
Plot Summary:
Over the course of one day, a shy 13-year-old forms a bond with his troubled uncle.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: touching, serious, captivating, rough, realistic, hood, crime drama, independent film
Similar in 79%
Blood Brothers (1993)
Plot Summary:
Blood Brothers- While coming of age in the inner city, Darryl Crawford, a young African-American man, witnesses a gang-related murder and is horrified to discover that his beloved older brother Sly is one of the perps. Darryl grapples with his conscience over informing on Sly -- but this fear becomes secondary when the remaining gang members close in on both brothers and threaten their lives.
IMDB Rating: 5.7
IMDB Votes: 98
Genere: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 80 min
Plot tags: crime drama, independent film, rough, bleak, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 83%
Squeeze (1997)
Plot Summary:
Ty, Hector, and Bao are close friends in a tough section of Boston, where they're called "the PG-13 crew." They're 14, decent kids with few skills who've bailed out of school. A small gang of older tough guys, led by Marcus and Tommy, menace them, and when the PG-13s fight back and rob one of the gang, Marcus and Tommy vow to kill them. They seek protection from Derick, a drug dealer, who agrees to help if they'll sell drugs. Meanwhile, Ty is recruited to work at a community center by J.J., its quiet leader. Ty and his friends are in a squeeze: surrounded by violence, drugs, and no opportunities, is there any way out?.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 344
Genere: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 102 min
Plot tags: crime drama, independent film, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 87%
Gang Tapes (2001)
Plot Summary:
When a brutal carjacking yields a videocamera, a teenage boy decides to document his life and the lives of his fellow gangbangers.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 91 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, hood, tense, suspense, crime drama, realistic
Similar in 86%
Ali Zaoua: Prince of the Streets (2000)
Plot Summary:
Ali, Kwita, Omar and Boubker are street kids. The daily dose of glue sniffing represents their only escape from reality. Since they left Dib and his gang, they have been living on the portside of Casablanca. They live in constant fear of Dib's revenge. Ali wants to become a sailor - when he was living with his mother, a prostitute, he used to listen to a fairy tale about the sailor who discovered the miracle island with two suns. Instead of finding his island in the dream, Ali and his friends are confronted with Dib's gang. Matters are getting serious.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Drama, Crime
Country: Morocco, Tunisia, France, Belgium, USA
Duration: 99 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, captivating, bleak, social, disturbing, crying, islamic, realistic, masterpiece